Fall is quite the time for transitions. The weather begins to cool down, the hours of daylight shorten, and warm comforting foods and autumn produce come into play. Schedules fill up as summer vacations give way to school days, busy workdays, and afternoon/weekend commitments. With wintertime around the corner, an uptick in illnesses and respiratory infections including colds, influenza and COVID-19 often ensues in addition to the stressors that come with change in routines. Fortunately, with a little planning and extra attention to your lifestyle, you can be successful with maintaining beneficial lifestyle habits this Fall to stay healthy. Check out these tips below!
1. Take advantage of nutritious seasonal foods as part of a balanced eating plan
Of course, the best way to stay healthy during any season is to consume a balanced diet full of whole grains, fruits and veggies, lean proteins and plant-based fats, but you can give your meal plan an extra boost of variety and nutrition by adding seasonal produce and recipes. Enjoy the bounty of Fall produce such as apples, pears, pumpkin, winter squashes and pomegranates. Apples and pears make great snacks, are delicious baked in the oven as a dessert or add flair to a fruit or green salad. Winter squashes like pumpkin and butternut work wonderful in soups, stews and casseroles and spaghetti squash is a wonderful nutrient packed substitute for pasta. Pomegranate seeds provide a tasty, sweet crunch on salads, in yogurt or mixed in whole grain side dishes like couscous or brown rice. Embrace the cooler weather and add variety to your diet by trying new seasonal recipes for soups, stews, casseroles, roasted veggies, or even salads and smoothies featuring produce in season.
2. Stay organized
Heading into Fall can be very busy, requiring multitasking commitments and goals which can be overwhelming at times, namely when it comes to managing your health. One of the best ways to tackle all the various challenges that come your way is to stay as organized as possible. Creating a positive, structured, and more orderly environment is helpful for maintaining your best and healthiest life. Engage in regular cleaning and decluttering to keep your surroundings more inviting to staying productive. Keep track of key appointments and engagements with a calendar/planner. There are all sorts of calendars and planners available that you can explore to find one that works best for you. Add your health appointments and other key engagements to your planner/calendar so you can stay on course. Utilize lists- for short term and long-term tasks, grocery shopping/meal planning and action steps to complete goals.
3. Be active and enjoy the Fall weather
Physical activity is beneficial for the body in so many ways; it can help manage blood pressure, blood sugar and weight, promote better sleep and ease anxiety and stress, as well as support a healthy immune system. A reasonable exercise goal is to complete 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week (or 30 minutes 5 days a week); but make sure to talk to your health care provider before starting an exercise routine if you are new to the activity. Since Fall is often a time for more moderate weather, enjoying the outdoors via walking, hiking, or biking as these can be great ways to get some fresh air and appreciate the change of scenery that comes with this season.
4. Don’t forget to hydrate
Water is essential to our bodies, after all, about 60 % of the body is composed of water and it is key to so many functions in the body like regulating body temperature, tissue protection and assisting digestion. Staying hydrated is also important for our immune system as it helps blood and lymph fluid have plenty of liquid to circulate throughout the body. If you do not consume enough fluids, dehydration can set in which can lead to fatigue, headaches, low blood pressure and dizziness, even problems with your kidneys and heart in severe cases. A general recommendation for water intake is around 1 ounce of water per kilogram of body weight. Though the weather cools down in Fall, it is still important to focus on hydration. Choose healthy fluids with less added sugar, fat and sodium like water, sparkling water, lower sodium vegetable juice and enjoy warm options like teas, and lower sodium broths and soups. Seasonal fruits and veggies also help boost your fluid intake as well.
5. Practice good hygiene
Maintaining good hygiene is important to help minimize illnesses that come with the fall and winter season., Regular hand washing has been shown to help prevent sickness by washing away germs our hands encounter before they are transferred to the rest of the body by touching the eyes, nose, and mouth. Wash your hands with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds. Click here for a list of key times to wash your hands. It is also important to avoid touching your mucous membranes like your eyes, nose, and mouth with unclean hands to prevent introducing germs., If you are at higher risk of illness or have a compromised immune system, try to avoid large crowds during peak waves of respiratory illnesses, take airborne precautions and don’t go out when sick. If you must be indoors, namely in a crowd or are traveling on an airplane, consider wearing a high-quality mask like a N95 or KN95 to protect yourself from airborne particles that cause covid, the flu and many other respiratory illnesses. Also, if you feel under the weather, avoid going to work or social gatherings to keep from spreading the sickness to others.
6. Get enough sleep
When things get busy in the Fall it can be tempting to cut back on sleep to fit everything in. However, it is important to remember how essential sleep is to our health, supporting brain function, the immune system, our cardiovascular system, and metabolism , including blood sugar control. Adequate sleep also helps mental and emotional health, allowing you to more readily face the challenges and demands of your busy days. Our bodies need on average seven to nine hours of sleep daily to be able to function properly. Practicing good habits to promote sleep, such as limiting napping/caffeine/screen time later in the day, creating a relaxing comfortable environment in your bedroom and trying to stick to a regular sleep schedule are all important to get your best sleep in quantity and quality.
7. Stay current with vaccines
Fall is key time to receive regular vaccines for illnesses such as influenza and Covid-19. Vaccines help protect against more severe illness and complications from viruses, giving the immune system a “leg up” by helping it learn how to attack certain germs so that it can recognize and effectively attack them the next time your body becomes infected with that germ. Staying up to date with routine vaccines and talking to your doctor about any additional or seasonal vaccines that may be right for you will help to ensure your immune system is strong and ready to go this Fall season and heading into Winter.
8. Prioritize mental health and a positive support network
Stress can be detrimental to our health in many areas, including our immune systems. Chronic stress can lead to sleep disturbances, elevated blood pressure, and unhealthy eating habits, all of which negatively affect our body’s ability to fight off illness. It is important to find ways that help you cope with stress; activities such as exercise, socializing with friends/family, deep breathing, as well as prayer and practicing gratitude/reflection . Fall is a great time to enjoy time with family and friends and take time for relaxation and reflection. Social support and quality time with loved ones is key to helping reduce stress, as it can boost your mood and long-term health. Encourage activity and social support at the same time by enlisting a buddy for Fall exercise like walks, bike rides and hiking. Enjoy some solitude and self-reflection as well with a sunrise or sunset walk or meditation. Create a fun fall bucket list of seasonal activities to do like decorating, trying new recipes, going to a pumpkin patch or apple picking to take time with others or as a solo activity as a fun break from a regular routine.