HCG Diet Portland

5 GREAT TIPS FOR STAYING HEALTHY THIS AUTUMN

September 27, 2016 By

Woman-on-the-Beach
The Bounty of Autumn 

I always love the turn of the season from summer into fall. We have been blessed with some days of Indian summer that I simply just soak up!    The leaves begin to drift from the tree tops and litter the ground below; pumpkins and winter squashes begin to ripen on their vines and we begin to taste the shorter days and cooler weather coming our way.  There is such a sweet nostalgia around fall for me.  This weekend I went apple and walnut picking with my family. It was so sweet to play amongst the trees in the warm sun picking fruit and nuts with my  little boys.  When we got home to our cozy little nest, we made a huge batch of the most incredible apple sauce. This is something I did with my grandparents, as well as my parents and now I bring the tradition to my own children.

The energy of fall is one of “letting go.”  As the trees let go of their leaves and the energy of the plants begins to turn inward, we can be reminded to “let go” of that which no longer serves us..  I think we all carry around old patterns and habits that no longer do us much good.  These can be behavioral patterns, relationship patterns, dietary habits, lifestyle habits, etc.  I always enjoy the fall as a powerful time of life re-evaluation to see where I can make changes to make my life even more vital, alive and fabulous!

CLEANSING IN THE FALL SEASON

The Autumn is a wonderful time to initiate a gentle cleanse for your body.  I love to cleanse this time of year.  A cleanse can be anything that makes sense and feels right for you … it does not need to be a 21 day juice fast or anything that seems drastic.  I like to invite patients to try a simple elimination of nicotine, caffeine, sugar, alcohol and chemicals for 10 days.  This is a nice break for your body and gives your body a chance to cleanse and renew!  This season, I invite my HCG Diet patients to make a large stock pot of vegetable soup and enjoy it as desired on the HCG Diet Program.  A gentle cleanse of a homemade vegetable soup with lots of pure water and teas for a 3-7 days is a wonderful way to nourish your body.  I enjoy adding in some warming spices and clean, lean protein if you need to it!

 

5 Tips for Staying Healthy this Autumn Season

Woman-in-a-Meadow

Love yourself this Autumn!

Enjoy the Harvest – harvest season is here and it is a wonderful time to enjoy the bounty of our gardens.  Apples, pears, walnuts, sunflower seeds, squash, peppers, tomatoes, grapes, corn, etc are ripe and ready to nourish our bodies. These foods tend to be higher in sugar and starch and many of them also store well to carry us through the winter.  As the weather cools and the days shorten, we can add some warming spices and protein  to our dinner to keep our bodies warm and energy flowing.
Exercise – as with any time of year, exercise is very important.  I like to encourage deeper stretching in the fall.  If your exercise routine has been outside this summer, you may need to find a nice indoor option that works for you. You could join a gym, find classes that you enjoy, work with a personal trainer or find some online exercise program that you can do at home. It is important to feel fit and strong and to keep our spines open and flexible.
Cleansing and detoxification is a nice part of the autumn season.  Each September, my office used to lead a 7 day detox program.  Now, we encourage our patients to do this on their own and provide them with the tools necessary to make this happen.  Simply letting go of nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, sugar and chemicals can be a nice way to allow our organs to cleanse and detoxify.  Taking saunas and inducing sweating is a nice way to use the skin as a route of elimination.  We also encourage dry skin brushing, warm lemon water in the morning, cleansing teas throughout the day and epsom salts baths in the evening before bed.  This can be a challenge for a few days but by the 4th day, most people feel really fabulous.
Preparing for the Cold/Flu Season – it is that time of year when we begin to hear the chorus of coughs out in the world.  It is a nice time to invest in a general overall immune support for the winter.  You could make a fire cider tincture or buy a nice comprehensive mushroom formula that is made for immune boosting.  I also love astragalus, echinacea and burdock root in the fall season to amp up the immune system.  f you do happen to come down with something this fall, I have a few recommendations ~ Take 2 grams of vitamin C every 2- hours.  I also love olive leaf extract.  Vitamin A in the dose of 25000 units can be taken 1-2x daily for about a week. You would not want to take vitamin A if you were pregnant or for the long term.
Nourish Relationships – relationships are a wonderful place to put some intention this season.  I love putting energy into strengthening and clarifying the relationships in my life with family, friends and loved ones.  Carrying negative energy around from disharmony in our relationships is a totally worth clearing up. Often times, a heart to heart conversation and an open mind is all it takes.  It is also a nice time to nourish your relationship with yourself!  Enjoy your alone time free from other people and technological devices. This time is so important to nourish our energy systems and let our bodies unwind.  Kindle your inner flame so that you can keep going strong.
LOVE MORE … that always helps in any season!

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