Finally, the summer heat has ebbed, giving way to cooler breeze and a gentler atmosphere. September signals the coming of successive holidays, bringing excitement along with its crisp air.
One would think that with Halloween and turkey season just around the corner, people would’ve given up on getting fit a long time ago. On the contrary, recent studies show that fall is actually the optimum time to work on your wellness!
September: What does the first month of fall bring?
Life coach Donna Lancaster said that autumn is actually the prime time for reflection and growth. After spending the past couple of months soaking up the sun and trying to achieve the ultimate “holiday”, summers prove to be more hectic than relaxing, especially if you have kids. The pressure to pack in the “fun” could actually stress you out more.
Enter September with its back-to-school rush that comes with a sense of anticipation and new possibilities. Sure, it may have been years – or decades – since you last stepped into a classroom, but the excitement may still affect you.
Author and healer Anna Hunt points out that autumn is a transition season, just like how the new year leads to spring. This post-summer wind down allows us to look back and evaluate the past year, which gives us the same feeling of a new beginning like what we have at the beginning of each year. With the energy we’ve gathered from our summer escapades, we’d be feeling optimistic enough to try and reconnect with our wellness goals.
A recent study from the University of Toronto showed that autumn brings about a youthful effect on senior citizens’ brains. It says that come fall, the brains of people aged 70 and above become 4 years younger! This happens to everyone in varying degrees as well.
Achieve holistic health this September
So how can we take advantage of this wonderful reinvigoration that September brings? It’s simple, isn’t it? Start with you!
If you’re not well, you won’t be able to do anything else well either. It may sound cliche but your health must come first, and autumn sets up the ideal conditions for us to take care of this.
Of course, being a specific size or weight isn’t the be all and end all of the thing we call “health”. There are several aspects to consider when it comes to being holistically healthy, which we’ll tackle below.
Healthy eating
The cooler temperature makes this season conducive to wonderful, slow-cooked stews and soups. There are also lots of delicious vegetables that come in season like pumpkins, turnips, squash, and sweet potatoes. If you’re following a low-carb diet, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and kale are in season as well!
Eating in-season things is ultimately healthier than going for out of season produce. The latter ones may have not been grown organically that’s why they’re existing out of season. That, or producers drenched them in preservatives to make them last longer. It’s always safer to eat in-season food because they are at their most nutritious during their time of year.
There’s also a psychological benefit to ingesting hot liquids like soup or a drink. Studies have shown that even the mere act of holding a warm mug can make you think that a person has a warm personality. It can also make you less selfish. Why not share a nice, warm meal with your friends and family, catch up, and take time to bond?
Exercise
Without the summer sun trying to fry you alive, you’d be more motivated to go out for a run or even a quick walk around the park. Take advantage of the nice weather and feel the wind in your hair outside. If you have kids, this is the ideal time to get back on your routine and even include a new component!
Studies show that it takes 21 days to break an old habit and pick up a new one, but it takes 66 days to ingrain them into your routine. So if you start building a simple workout habit now, you’d have it solid by Christmas! Now wouldn’t that give you more leeway to enjoy the festivities in terms of holiday weight?
Beauty, wellness, and self-care
Take this time to also evaluate your stress levels thus far in the year. You’re at a point when you have enough months to look back on and think whether or not you’re going where you wanted to go at the beginning of the year.
If you find that you’ve been so wound up tight by work or home-related stress, don’t hesitate to do things for stress relief.
There’s a new trending anti-stress method called forest bathing that’s favored by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow. The name does make you scratch your head – it doesn’t involve jumping into water at all. Rather, it’s the act of immersing yourself in nature, “bathing” yourself with it.
To be more scientific, trees have phytoncide. These are essential oils they excrete to get rid of germs on their bark. When humans inhale this, the stress-inducing hormone cortisol drops and the immune system gets a boost. So basically, when you “forest bathe”, you pretty much try to take in as much phytoncide as possible. This will result in a general sense of wellness.
You don’t have to go to an actual forest to do this though. A relatively tree-filled park nearby will do.
Quality time in nature isn’t the only way to de-stress. Taking time to pamper yourself like splurging on a spa treatment or doing all 10 steps of a skin care routine will work. Doing things that relax you actually affects the cells in your body. It strengthens the mitochondria, which powers healthy cells. It also improves insulin levels, which affects your energy levels, and prolongs the life of telomeres, which protect your DNA’s chromosomes.
September – time to start a cleanse diet
Before hopping in your car and driving to the nearest forest, first, you should ready your body for all the good things you’re going to put in it. Unfortunately, if you’ve spent most of the year stressed, your cells are likely harboring vast amounts of toxins.
Toxins are your enemy. They come from pretty much everywhere. The air you breathe, the things you eat, chemicals in your home, chronic stress can all contain toxins. These things clog your body’s natural detox pathways. This causes inflammation, which when chronic puts you at higher risk for developing serious diseases like cancer.
The best way to get rid of toxins is by undergoing a full body cleanse. Our organic full body cleanse program is designed to help you flush out toxins through our professional-grade supplements as well as the 10 free exercise videos.
To aid in your healthy eating, we’re also giving you videos and ebooks filled with healthy recipes to complement your cleanse diet. You’ll also get two fitness ebooks to keep you informed and motivated, as well as access to expert support 7 days a week.
Making sure that you’re healthy all around – physically, mentally, and emotionally – is the real meaning of holistic health. Our 21-day body makeover program is specially made to do this, which is why it’s the best way to begin your journey to holistic health. Take advantage of autumn’s motivating spirit – click the button to join the program and be on your way to a healthier you this September!
Related: Detox Cleanse Drink: Which Kind Best Suits You?