Introduction
The Autumn brings about many changes with the colder months and shorter days. We start to see beautiful autumnal colours with the changes to the leaves of the trees.
As mother nature makes changes to the earth and the animals and birds start to hibernate so to, do we.
As soon as the days draw shorter and the weather starts to get colder, we also start to feel changes to our mood. It is at this time that we struggle to get up in the morning and we often feel sad without the sunshine that we had been used to during the summer months.
Equally, we also start to feel a dip in our health as the cold and flu season starts to come upon us.
I want to share with you some of my ideas which can help you to feel and look healthy as we go through the autumn season. Hopefully, my tips will give you a lot more energy and help you to stay healthy during this season. Peak performance can be achieved with just a few useful steps.
Eating Seasonal Fruit & Vegetables
I am a huge believer in looking after ourselves as our bodies are so unique and good at looking after us. However, we do also need to help ourselves stay in the peak of condition.
One of the best ways of doing this is to eat well. I often talk about ensuring that we eat local foods and very seasonal foods. I always profess about staying away from processed foods as they have no nutrients and cannot look after our body’s health.
The importance of seasonal foods is to do with the fact that at different times of the year our bodies want different vitamins and minerals more conducive to warding off against disease and autumnal slow down.
Pumpkin and Squash is an orange fleshy coloured vegetable that is in abundance at Autumn. High in beta-carotene a plant-based Vitamin A necessary for good eyesight and healthy skin. Low in calories and high in Vitamin C, potassium, and fibre. Vitamins A and C also help us to keep healthy and free from colds and flu’s. Antioxidants also help us to control blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Apples are usually associated with autumn although a large amount are available all year around. High in antioxidants and fibre and beneficial in combating against various diseases such as Cancer, Diabetes and Heart Disease.
Pomegranates have such powerful antioxidants which are shown to be greater than in green tea or red wine. Anti-inflammatory properties help fight against disease from Cancers to Alzheimer’s.
Cranberries are also another fruit full of antioxidants beneficial against several medical conditions especially improving immune function. Also, hugely beneficial in infections within the urinary tract and gall bladder.
These fruits and vegetables are just a few foods to add to your shopping list this autumn. However, any fruit and vegetable locally grown will help you to fight disease during the colder months.
Local grown foods usually have a lot more nutrients for our body to keep fit and healthy. Also, they generally have fewer pesticides used so will equally taste so much better especially if they have not traveled halfway around the world.
Water is also so important during the winter especially at a time when the cold stops us from feeling like we want water.
Just keep remembering that our bodies are made of 60% to 70% of water so it is important to keep replenishing. The food you are eating can be transported to the parts of the body that is needed but water is required to make that function happen.
I often start to boil the water I consume during the colder months. Adding ingredients such as ginger, mint and lemon which is not only refreshing but will also add extra health benefits can create a more interesting way to consume your water.
Exercise
At a time when everything seems to take more effort exercise is important for you. With the colder and shorter days exercise can invariable be so good for us at this time.
Keeping our bodies moving will give us more energy, help us to feel good and help to keep our weight down.
Mix up your workouts between Cardio, Strength and Mobility work to really look after our main organs, muscles and joints stay in peak condition.
I would also suggest that you do exercise to help the mind such as Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi or just deep breathing. Having a strong mind during a time when we generally find it harder to concentrate or where we often feel low in mood can be key to getting through the day. There are also many other things that we can do to help such as mindfulness and meditation techniques.
To better prepare yourself for the cold autumnal months ahead trying different things to find what works best for you will be good. We are all individual so there might be certain things that work best for you to others.
It would also be far better to ensure that you are doing something daily rather than once per week. Even if your workouts are shorter but they are a lot more regular will help you to feel better about exercise. Instead of making excuses about time or dreading your exercise when you must commit to an hour’s workout you will find that mentally it is easier to do a shorter workout more often.
Also, mixing your workouts up will allow variety to stop you from getting bored or used to working out in a particular way.
Sleep
Ensuring that you get between 6 to 8 hours of sleep per week is important at anytime but especially during the colder darker days.
Sleep is important to our overall well being and can affect our thoughts, weight, energy, and mood plus so much more.
At times when we can become a little more irritable than usual which then can lead to stress one of the barriers that can help this is sleep. Sleep helps fight against stress so important to ensure that you are getting enough.
At a time when we are generally more prone to colds, flu’s and other diseases getting a good night’s sleep can be an important barrier to help us fight against these health issues.
Get Outside
During the summer months it always seems so much easier to get outside. As the autumn hits our appetite for outside air is easily exchanged for the duvet and sitting by the TV.
However, it is during the Autumn times that you will feel better if you get outside. Remember Vitamin D starts to deplete with less sun so even getting outside for 15 minutes every day will help.
Breathing in fresh air and being around nature can have such great benefits for our health and generally feel good factor.
So many studies have been conducted about the benefits to our health if we just get outside and enjoy a beautiful crisp, sunny autumn day.
Maintain A Routine
As the clocks go back it is so much more important to ensure that you maintain a good healthy routine.
The darker days can often seem to drag on forever and as we allow ourselves to become less active. This can have awful consequence to our mental well being.
Get yourself a good schedule that you can stick too incorporating all the above.
Exercise Plan
Shopping List and prepared meals for the week
Getting Active Outside
Good sleep pattern even over the weekend
A good schedule will enable you to feel better about yourself and keep you active at a time you need it more.
Conclusion
I hope that all my tips will help you to stay healthy in autumn and stay both mentally and physically healthy.
Ensuring that you are eating plenty of good local food to give you all the nutrients you need to help fight against cold and flu is important for your health.
Whilst keeping healthy is key my other piece of advice is to not beat yourself up if you really do feel below par and need what I like to call a “duvet day”. Sometimes a little piece of down time can really do wonders for your well being.
If you have any further questions or want any more advice, then please leave in the comments below.
Kelvin
Autumn is a very interesting season of the year, being the season where we get to say good bye to summer and make plans for winter. No matter the season of the year, it is very important to stay healthy. Kudos to you for giving us tips on how to stay healthy in autumn. I must say that these top 5 tips you have recommended says it all about staying healthy. Thanks!
Imelda Easthorpe
Thank you Kelvin,
I am so pleased that you think that I have covered everything to help us stay fit and healthy for the Autumn.
All the best
Imelda
Sophie
Hello there! Thank you for sharing these 5 tips on how to stay healthy in Autumn. When changing into a different weather, changes have to be made in your way of life too. I really like these tips listed out, they’re essential tips we need in our everyday life. Eating good fruits, exercise, sleep? All essential to living a healthy life. I’ll share this article to friends who wants to do otherwise, thank you.
Imelda Easthorpe
Thank you Sophie,
I really appreciate your comments and pleased that you will feel good enough to help your friends. Really means a lot.
Thank you so much
Imelda
Jackie
Oh, this is good and I’m happy to have some tips on how I would be able to stay healthy during the autumn season here on your website. It Isa time that many people do fall sick because of the particles that might be in the air but it’s very important that we try to stay safe and you gave those tips so well. Thanks!
Imelda Easthorpe
Thank you Jackie,
I am so pleased that you believe that these tips will really help as that is the most important thing. Enjoy!
All the best
Imelda
Richard
Sleep is very important. I experienced emotional strains when I had a lack of sleep. I know I get more easily irritable when things don’t go well. Exercise is also another important factor. I suppose other than eating seasonal fruits or vegetables, exercise and sleep are applicable generally throughout seasons. Fully agree that with less sunlight during autumn, we must get out as much as possible to have some exposure to the sun.
Imelda Easthorpe
Thank you Richard,
I really appreciate you sharing your experience with sleep with us. People really do not understand the full affects that a lack can leave you with.
Yes, get outside to make you feel good.
All the best
Imelda
Bogadi
Thank you for for the amazing article. I think seasonal veges and fruits its just natures way of saying this is what you need to survive this season hence we should not overlook that message. I like all your recommendations and tips, if humanity could adhere we will have more healthy people than the challenge of lifestyle related sicknesses we are facing.
Imelda Easthorpe
Thank you so much for your comments,
I am so pleased that you feel the same as I do about having a healthy lifestyle in a really simple way. It is so important to look after our own health and we can all do that.
Thank you once again.
Imelda
Annastasia
Hi Imelda
Thank you for sharing these 5 tips on how to stay healthy in Autumn. Your article is beneficial, I like the tips you have provided on how to keep healthy during Autumn. These tips will help me stay upbeat during Autumn; these are essential tips I need. Eating good fruits, exercise, sleep?
Currently, I work 8-4h30 Monday to Friday, get home rest 1h30 then work on my laptop to do my side hustles till 1h30am I’m lacking in the sleep department and realize I can do better so I get enough rest. Thank you for this post. It has helped me realize what’s important in my life to lead a healthier lifestyle without compromising.
Imelda
Thank you for your comments and so pleased that you have found the article useful to help stay a little healthier.
Scott
Hi!
This is a great reminder to stay healthy as the seasons change. Personally, I have always looked forward to the “BER” months. It’s just my time of year. I’m not one that gets depressed with the shorter darker days here in the Midwest.
You do bring up some good points about diet and exercise. I try to maintain a daily walk, even as the weather gets colder. I may opt out during the bitter cold days, but usually, I can just put on a coat, glovers and hat and still get a good walk. I try to stay active in other ways, as well; and my wife and I don’t isolate ourselves from interaction with others.
It’s always good to have a plan to stay healthy!
– Scott
Imelda
Thank you so much Scott, I am so pleased that you shared some of your own ways to stay healthy and keep active.
Kavitha
I love how you’ve captured the essence of autumn and how it affects our health and mood. Your suggestions, especially about eating seasonal produce like pumpkin and squash, are practical and easy to implement. The idea of boiling water with ginger and lemon is such a comforting way to stay hydrated during colder months! It’s also a great reminder to get outside even when it’s chilly sometimes just 15 minutes of fresh air can make a big difference in mood and energy. Thanks for the valuable tips, especially with the focus on mental and physical well-being!
Imelda
Thank you so much for your comments I am so pleased that I was able to help.
Jonelle
Great article, Imelda! Autumn can be such a tricky season when it comes to maintaining health—those shorter days really throw off my routine. I love your focus on seasonal fruits and vegetables, especially cranberries and pumpkins, which are often overlooked. I’m curious—do you think there are any specific herbs or spices that could be particularly helpful for boosting immunity during autumn? I’ve been experimenting with adding more ginger and turmeric to my diet and would love to hear your thoughts!
Imelda
Hello Jonelle,
Thank you so much for your comments.
Yes, so many herbs and spices can help boost our immunity such as Ginger and Turmeric. Others include Echinacea, Cinnamon, and Peppermint.