SEPTEMBER diet guide

September is a transitional month as it marks a shift between summer and fall. As the wind sweeps through, the elements of air and ether start to become predominant in our atmosphere and we see the days get shorter while the temperature starts to cool down. During this month, we may start to see the first frost come in…a call to start to direct our attention inward and prepare for a long, cold winter. Our mindsets shift with the colder weather and wind too…the excitement of summer starts to fade into a feeling of nostalgia for seasonal delights like apple picking, raking leaves, and warm, comforting foods. This is a time where many are more drawn towards focusing on their work, getting ready for school, and enjoying the abundant harvest of late summer and early fall.

If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, please check out the Ayurvedic Diet for March instead. 

September is a pivotal month in helping us prepare our bodies to have strong immunity and resilience throughout the cold winter. The gunas (qualities) of this season are dry, mobile, cold, rough, and light. These are all characteristics of vata dosha (the elements of air and ether and the energy of mobility in our atmosphere and bodies). In order to keep vata balanced through this season, it is important to stay warm, moist, and grounded. 

Hydration is key to combat the dryness of the wind sweeping through. This dryness, when exacerbated, can cause dehydration which can lead to weak appetite, gas, bloating, popping joints, dry skin, brittle hair, light sleep and more in the body. The dryness can even affect the digestive system and colon causing constipation and difficulty releasing toxicity. When this undigested goo sits in the colon it starts to enter your bloodstream and irritate your mucous membranes causing allergies. Your sinuses can be kept clear using enema therapies that include herbs like dashamula. You may also experiment with harataki (a laxative for Vata dosha), a neti pot for nasal irrigation, and nasya oil. The popping joints and dry skin can be kept moist with abhyanga, oil massage. (Check out the next Pamper Party for a tutorial on how to practice abhyanga at home – a therapy that is deeply nourishing for the skin, joints, and nervous system.) 

So, we are working on hydration. A great way to hydrate is to start your day with 2-4 cups of warm to tea like hot water, this will rehydrate you from 8 hours of no water while you sleep and help with morning elimination. In addition, carrying a thermos of warm to tea like hot water with you all day is helpful in keeping your lymphatic system moving and your body hydrated. 

You can find nourishment in good fats, salt, additional fluids and the sweet and sour tastes. Salt in particular helps you to absorb and hold moisture all the while replenishing electrolytes. Enjoy adding high quality rock salt to your food or water, miso soup for supper, sea veggies, seafood like clams and oysters and so forth. The sour taste also moistens tissues and encourages more lubrication in your digestive tract. Enjoy applesauce, citrus fruits, pickles, kimchi, and ferments to add the sour taste. We are shifting from astringent (drying) and cold foods like fresh salads and crackers to foods that are more earthy in nature. Ground down with heartier root vegetables and grains like oats, wheat, sweet potatoes, and beets. Nuts like sesame ( these are warming), and sweeter proteins like chicken and salmon. Enjoy warm soups, kitchari, and marinated salad or veggies sauteed in generous amounts of oil/ghee. My favorite dessert during this time are medjool dates stuffed with almond butter. An Ojas Building Tonic is also a lovely treat that helps me wind down and nourish my tissues before bed time. 

The mind and emotional body are also greatly affected by the winds of change and vata is particularly sensitive to change. Those with more vata dosha may start to feel a sense of overwhelm, anxiety, fear or have difficulty focusing. The foods mentioned above will help you feel more grounded and so will some tweaks to your lifestyle. Create daily routines to help you feel stable and balanced: eat in rhythm and eat foods that feel more moist, oily, or grounding. Make your exercise routines more grounding with gentler practices like gentle yoga, walking, or tai chi. White block your calendar so you have some space in it to ground and nourish yourself to prepare for the upcoming months. And last, be sure to take time to wind down each night after supper so you are in bed and asleep by 10pm. If you find yourself waking up a lot at night, especially around 2 am, remember hydration is key. You can also take time to unwind the mind and nervous system with contemplation, a gentle yoga practice, journaling, a warm cup of golden milk, meditation, or a yoga nidra practice. The herb ashwagandha is also an excellent herb for insomnia as it helps to soothe the nervous system. Add it to your evening golden milk and see how you wake up feeling well rested and strong.

If you notice a lot of residual heat in your body, perhaps some hot-headedness or even loose stools – your body may be releasing heat and toxicity that built up during the summer. This is the element of fire and water in the body also known as Pitta dosha. It may show itself in a rash, or acne, or inflammation. This should subside as the weather cools down. If you want to be proactive just slow down the pace at which you add those warming foods and enjoy foods like apples or soaked flax seeds that have a cooling, laxative nature. You can also enjoy plenty of bitter greens to cleanse out the old pitta and an herb like amalaki or triphala before bed to cleanse pitta from the small intestines.

Those with Kapha predominance on the other hand might be feeling totally carefree this time of year. As the wind starts to dry out and lighten the moist and heavy qualities of earth and water.

Overall think of how you can best prepare for the colder months. What does your body need now? What does your mind need? Your energy? Go inside and listen…and then, don’t let it be hearsay, but follow. The answer is always there, you just have to carve out space and time to listen and follow. For more support on having a healthy transition into fall, check out the Flow into Fall Workshop, Ayurvedic Cooking for Autumn Workshop, or The Refresh Cleanse. 

To a healthy, thriving you!