🍂 STAY JUICY

 STAY JUICY — An Ayurvedic Reminder for Autumn

As we move toward the Autumn Equinox, nature begins to dry, cool and change.

In Ayurveda, autumn carries many of the qualities of Vata — cool, dry, light, rough and mobile. So rather than following the season into more dryness, we begin adding the opposite qualities:

Warmth. Moisture. Nourishment. Grounding.

In other words… STAY JUICY.

Here are a few of my favorite autumn practices:

 DRY BRUSH BEFORE YOU SHOWER

Always use your brush on dry skin before bathing. Dry brushing gently exfoliates the surface of the skin and stimulates circulation, leaving the skin feeling fresh and invigorated. Think of it as waking up the skin before you nourish it.

 THEN — WARM OILING

This is one of my absolute favorite Ayurvedic practices as we move into cooler weather.

Warm the oil slightly and massage it into your skin. Slow down. Let this be nurturing rather than another thing you have to hurry through.

My favorites:

Sesame oil — warming, rich and wonderful when I want something deeper and more grounding.

Rosehip oil — one of my favorites for beauty and facial skin.

Olive oil — nourishing, accessible and a wonderful option for many skin types.

Ayurveda calls self-oiling Abhyanga. As the outside world becomes dry and windy, oil gives the body exactly the opposite experience: warmth, heaviness, softness and lubrication.

 TRIPHALA

Triphala is a traditional Ayurvedic combination of three fruits — Amalaki, Bibhitaki and Haritaki.

It has traditionally been used to support healthy digestion and elimination. And digestion matters tremendously in Ayurveda. We don’t just think about what we’re eating — we think about our ability to digest, assimilate and eliminate what we take in.

 MAGNESIUM

I love magnesium as part of my evening routine. Some people enjoy topical magnesium products, although oral magnesium has better-established evidence for actually increasing magnesium levels in the body. Either way, autumn is a beautiful time to emphasize relaxation, rest and a calmer evening rhythm.

 EAT WARM, GROUNDING FOODS

Sweet potatoes are almost the perfect autumn food.

Think:

sweet potatoes • squash • carrots • cooked apples • soups • stews • oatmeal • rice • lentils • healthy fats • warming spices

Choose foods that feel warm, soft, cooked and nourishing.

And begin reducing the foods that exaggerate autumn’s dry, light qualities:

 lots of popcorn and other very dry/crunchy foods

 icy drinks

 excessive cold/raw foods

 heavily processed foods

 meals made mostly of dry snack foods

You don’t have to be rigid about any of this. Simply notice what the season is doing — and begin offering your body a little of the opposite.

The Autumn Equinox is a threshold.

Light and darkness meet.

The earth begins drawing inward.

And perhaps we can, too.

Slow down a little.

Cook your food.

Warm your oil.

Nourish your skin.

Protect your energy.

Rest more deeply.

And above all…

STAY JUICY.