It's important to maintain your health as the weather changes. A healthy lifestyle can carry you through the season.

Ways to Stay Healthy and Happy in Autumn

• Stay Focused

  With the start of the new season, get back to your studies and work hard—whether you’re in school or a student of life.

• Reach Out to Loved Ones

  Instead of spending time watching TV or surfing the Internet, deepen your relationships with family, friends, and yourself.

• Exercise

  Start a new exercise program that will carry you through winter’s cold, dark months.

• Eat Healthy

  Look to autumn’s abundant harvest to nourish yourself and your family. Apples, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and beans will energize you this season.

• Stay Limber

  Stay toned with yoga or other flexibility-enhancing movements during the cooler weather.

• Consider Supplements

  Nutritional supplements—including vitamins C and E—are very useful this time of year, helping you avoid “what’s going around.” Selenium and zinc also support healthy immunity.

• Try a Detox

  Fall is a good time to detoxify the body. Avoiding sugar, wheat, and dairy for a few weeks can help you feel more energetic and youthful.

• Keep Sinuses Clear

  In Chinese medicine, the lungs are one focus of the fall season. Overdoing it can lead to congestion and toxicity, possibly resulting in upper respiratory infections. Try a facial steam to help clear sinuses.

• Seek Herbal Relief

  If you do get sick, try taking hourly doses of vitamin C. Drink ample amounts of pure water, herbal teas, and hot soups. A popular British herbal remedy is to eat/chew several cloves of fresh garlic at the first sign of a cold. Peel the cloves first, dip them in honey, and chew several times daily for a few days. Another option is to squeeze a few cloves into a hot bowl of soup.

• Get Enough Rest

  Rest now before the demands of the holidays arrive. Shifting and balancing with the seasons is vital to staying healthy.