Embrace Autumn Wellness: Tips for a Healthy Season

It’s a strong autumn here in Alberta (and particularly at Isola, where our property’s trees, gardens and animals show us the seasonal changes). We’ve had a welcome amount of rain in September and October, and plenty of wind to clear the leaves off of the trees. Now we’ve had a couple of snowfalls as well, and diamond-sparkling frost in the mornings.

Its always bittersweet to do my final herbal harvest from my organic greenhouse at the end of the season, but this year was plentiful: I have English Lavender, Pineapple Sage, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Lemon Thyme, and some aromatic kitchen herbs too! I’m thrilled to be working on a recipe for these herbs to be used in a new skincare oil infusion that will showcase in our new store in Crossfield, Alberta!

Marc and I decided to open our shared store and office space after a few years of discussing a shared space for his Real Estate and Home Design Company, and my Herbalist and Iridology services and Isola products. I’m thrilled to share that Isola wellness now offers Canadian Kelp Harvesters Macro Kelp and Harmonic Arts herbal tinctures and syrups both online and in-store!

For the rest of the autumn season and into the winter, below are a 11 important changes that – according to Western Herbalism and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) – we can all benefit from including our horses!

1. Keep Moving. As the saying goes: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad weather attire”. Most of us tend to be more active in the spring and summer months, but it’s just as important to find movement in the autumn and winter months. If you like to run or go for long walks, a treadmill is helpful, but make sure you still get outside for the fresh air (even though your runs or walks might be shorter in the cold months). If you like to bike, a stationary bike is a great way to move indoors! Traditional Chinese Medicine tends to focus on slow, purposeful movement in the winter such as Tai Chi, Yoga or deep breathing exercises or meditations. Fitness classes, indoor swimming pools or a make-shift at-home movement area are all great ways to keep moving.
   
2. Sleep. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is acknowledged that we expend more energy in the bright, long days of summer, and we gain that energy from resting in the shorter, darker days of the fall and winter. It’s okay to sleep a little more in the dark months; this is a season for replenishing our energy. I do find that a sunrise alarm clock is really helpful in the dark months should you need or want to wake earlier than the sunrise. I bought this one this fall and the slow brightening of the clock is perfect to help me wake up and feel awake in the morning. I also love that you don’t have to pair the sunrise feature with an alarm sound.
   
3. Eat Right: Autumn is the season of the Metal Element, and the Lung in TCM. Those of us who are susceptible to a cough or a lung infection in the fall months are experiencing what Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners call “Metal Element Weakness”. Some of the best ways to avoid or combat this weakness are: Deep breathing exercises and slow, warming body movement such as Yin Yoga. Enjoy foods including garlic – to warm the body and support the immune system, and pears – to sooth the delicate tissues of the mouth, throat, stomach. I like to incorporate herbs such as astragalus and ginseng, and I always add a little bit of Canadian Kelp Harvesters Macro Kelp to my roasted vegetables, soups and stews, and baking! To book a complimentary 20 minute Herbalism consult, click HERE. (Use herbs only upon recommendation from your Herbal practitioner and your Doctor)
   
4. Technology Beware: We’re indoors more, we are on our mobile phones, our computers, watching TV… and often in the dark. On your Apple mobile phone, you can click on Settings – General – Legal & Regulatory – RF Exposure: In this section, most iPhones will advise that your mobile phone is a minimum of 5mm from your person at all times to avoid radio frequency exposure. This means: put your phone down, don’t carry it in your pocket, and ideally, use the speakerphone feature.
   
   I also have my phone and computer on a soft “red screen” feature, which gets rid of the blue and white colours that can interrupt your sleep/wake pattern.
   
   Lastly, this time of year (particularly around the month of October), we are exposed to social media, news, TV shows and movies that are in the category of horror, murder mystery, hauntings… etc. This is a bit of a tough one for me personally, as I love a good mystery, but I’ve almost completely halted watching shows or social media in this category. I would particularly recommend avoiding this type of storyline if you are prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Stick to happy, inspiring, and educational shows or storylines. You just may find that you feel a little happier and sleep a little better.
   
5. The Seasonal Home Cleanse: At Isola, this is one of the most important chores for the transition into the cold months. Many of the herbs and plants that live outdoors in the spring and summer get moved inside, our animals are indoors more, and we’re indoors more! This means that our indoor spaces are used far more in the autumn and winter. To make ourselves and our animals comfortable indoors, but also to make housecleaning slightly easier, I generally try to minimize the items on our tables, countertops and desks. I also review my summer clothes and shoes at this time of year and if there are items that I didn’t wear, I’ll review if they should be donated or kept for next summer. I’m not quite done my seasonal home cleanse yet for this fall, but now that November is here I’ll be pushing to take care of the more detailed cleaning and sorting (like the pantry, fridge, laundry room etc.)
   
6. New Years Goals: In general, in Canada and the USA we celebrate January 1st as the New Year, but many cultures and religions celebrate the New Year in the fall, sometimes as early as September. As an Herbalist, I prefer to see each of the seasons individually as an opportunity to set new goals rather than waiting until January. The autumn and winter seasons mean drastic lifestyle changes, particularly here in Canada where our seasonal temperatures are extreme. Our lives generally move indoors, our wardrobes flip from being appropriate for a warm +30 C to a frigid -30 C (or if you live where I do, -40 C!). Our furnaces are on, so our humidifiers are on too. Our vehicles get winter tires put on. Our little dog gets her winter coat and boots on. Our cats stay indoors (which means a little more vacuuming). Our daily exposure to sunlight diminishes significantly. Our eating habits change as fresh local fruits and vegetables become unavailable.
   
   All of these factors in mind, it can be overwhelming to make so many lifestyle alterations for the cold months. However, being thoughtful about how to best handle the changes that autumn and winter demand leaves space for us to still set and accomplish goals for our health and our happiness.
   
   As a ballet dancer, I often set fitness and health goals in September as training starts back up in September after a summer break. I start slowly and carefully back into my fitness schedule so as to avoid injury, and I aim to be at my peak performance by January. This means that my health takes priority in the fall. If I get a cold or flu, I might miss ballet classes, so I am active in preventative measures to avoid getting sick and building and nourishing measures to strengthen my health and immunity in the fall. To book a complimentary 20 minute Herbalism & Iridology consult, click HERE.
   
7. Herbs for Immunity & Brain Function: *Disclaimer: Speak with your Herbalist and Doctor prior to taking any herbal products. Some of my favourite herbs are the ones that I turn to in the autumn and winter months. I tend to add a couple of droppers of the Harmonic Arts 5 Mushroom Blend Tincture to my warm morning drink as my primary immune system booster. This year, I’ve also added a new herbal tincture to my regime, which I take in warm water upon waking on an empty stomach: Gotu Kola. Gotu Kola contains Triterpenes, which are anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-popotic. I use it as a support for my brain function, particularly memory and cognition as this time of year my work and my studies are in their busiest time of the year.
   
8. Herbs for Travel: In the fall and winter, many of us use the cool weather as an opportunity to travel somewhere warm for a visit. That shift from our cool Canadian weather to warm or hot weather vacation feels amazing, but it also means a fast shift for your body. To prepare for travel, I like to take the Harmonic Arts Vira-Support Tincture about 10 days before I travel to boost my immune system, and I also completely cut out stimulating or caffeinated drinks, replacing them with water or herbal tea (I know, this is a tough one!). I also make sure that I’m using the Isola Lymph Tide Lymphatic Support Body Care Oil every day, especially on my legs, ankles, and hips. These are the areas where I tend to have some swelling or discomfort from sitting on a plane for many hours. These three little habits ensure that I’m completely hydrated prior to traveling, my immune system has a little boost, and my lymphatic system is working optimally – combined together these almost completely remove jet lag!
   
9. Autumn & Winter Skincare: Skincare doesn’t need to be complicated, and this time of year I find that taking care of my skin is far more simple than in the summertime as I’m not combating potential sunburn or excessive dryness from the heat. In the autumn and winter, I use the Isola Solstice Brightening Skincare Oil morning and evening, and in the daytime I use a French pharmacy brand aloe vera gel stick for under the eye area. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to purchase this brand in Canada, but in case you’re traveling to Europe, it’s the La Rosee Cosmetics Eye Contour Stick.
   
10. Herbs for Horses: For those of you who have horses and want to give them a little extra support in the cooler months, herbs for horses are readily available through most equine retailers. I tend to make my own herbal blends, however sometimes I shop my horses herbs from GreenHawk, or from a UK brand called Hilton Herbs. It is essential to have an Herbalist recommend the right herbs for your horses, and the correct dosage. I have found that many herbs for horses do not offer the imperative information of the energetics of an herb, which would determine if an herb will benefit your horse in a certain season. For instance, I would not recommend a cooling herb, like mint in the cold months, as generally we want to give our horses neutral or warming herbs in the winter. Chamomile is a favorite herb for both of my Arabian boys, Tobi and Aksel, and it’s a safe, neutral and warming herb for winter months. You can book a virtual or in-person Herbalism consultation for your horses by visiting my booking page, or by clicking HERE.
    
11. The Celebration Season: Indulging and “detoxing”: This is one of my favorite topics as it is typically something that at some point in the year, everyone feels that they have overindulged in food and sometimes celebratory wine and spirits, and conversely there is usually a point in the year where you’ll feel the need to do a little cleanse, indulge a little less, or participate in a guided detox. I’m here to share that these seasonal indulgences are okay! I’m also here to share a habit that I’ve learned from spending time in France, and that’s that an indulgence doesn’t mean days or weeks or months of eating too much or too rich of foods. In general, the French tend to plan for an indulgent meal by eating carefully leading up to and after the meal. A common comment I’ve heard French women and men say at breakfast is that they’re having a ‘light’ breakfast because they have a big dinner that evening. Planning to indulge means that you’ll thoroughly enjoy yourself, knowing that you’re still sticking to your healthy habits.
    
    Next, I’ll comment that in general, fall and winter are not the time to do a cleanse or a detox. This is because the foods that are typically “allowed” on a detox are usually energetically cooling foods, like raw vegetables or fruits. Similarly, we generally don’t want to take energetically cooling herbs in the cold months. We want warming, moving foods and herbs. If you’re feeling like you want to simplify your meals in a way that reminds you of a “cleanse”, I recommend leek soup, blended in the blender with a little spoonful of butter or extra-virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper. This is both warming and cleansing, and can be enjoyed for lunch and dinner for a few days to give your digestive system a little rest.
    

If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for taking the time to spend on the Isola website! Please use the code ISOLAFALL20 for 20% off the entire site, including Herbalist Consultations, Canadian Kelp and Harmonic Arts products!