AUTUMN WELLBEING TIPS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
The shift from summer to autumn can be a great time to reassess and reboot your routine. It make sense to bolster the immune system before the real cold of winter hits (especially during the current health climate…) and a series of wellbeing practices can help us feel grounded in can be an anxious transitory period. I took a deep dive into the holistic advice of traditions from Denmark, China, and India to help dig out some practices that all of us can, quite easily, slot into our lifestyles.
Denmark’s Hygge
Pronounced “hoo-gah” Denmark’s concept of hygge derives from the word hugga meaning “to comfort” or “to console”. It is the idea that as the days get shorter and cooler if we focus on the joy in the little things like lighting a candle, making some hot tea, and gathering with friends we can find a sense of cosiness to the autumnal months.
To bring some hygge energy into your yoga practice I invite you to really go all out with the comfort accessories in your savasana at the end of yoga class. Why not:
Bring a bolster or cushion underneath your knees
Lay a blanket on top of you
Light a candle
Try an eye-bag that gently rests on your face
Rub some essential oils into your wrists, temples, and neck. (My favourite is lavender)
Try Jenny’s Wednesday evening restorative/yoga nidra class for all the chill vibes and extended savasana.
China’s Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine is based off the idea that everything has both yin and yang energies and the two come together to form balance. The root of health in Chinese Medicine which is very similar to Yoga is circulation. It is the moving of “Qi” or “Prana” (in Yoga) around the body to support freedom of movement and vibrancy of life. This can be blood flow, the breath, or simply an energetic movement.
Autumn in Chinese Medicine is linked to the lungs relating to the change in temperature in the air as it becomes crisp and cool. One of the best things we can do to strengthen the lungs is to walk outside, soak up the autumnal colours and breathe in deeply the cool air. Why not check out Jenny’s walking meditation on the Balance + Glo online library?
Gua Sha
A Chinese Medicine practice that seems to have taken over the wellbeing industry recently is gua sha. Gua sha is a tool-assisted type of massage that aids blood flow, lymphatic drainage and promotes healing. I recently purchased a rose quartz gua sha from The White Company and I’ve been loving it.
I use it after the shower on my face and I really feel it de-puffs and gets all the blood flowing. It is a lovely mindfulness practice too to just take a couple of minutes to yourself. If you find yourself getting a cold or any congestion in the face this is AMAZING for clearing it.
Speaking of skincare, this month, Balance + Glo’s resident GP, Dr Pippa Elizabeth, shared with us her top tips for caring for your skin this Autumn. The change in temperature and maybe the increased use of central heating can dry out the skin. Dr Pippa recommends trialing a bedtime serum once a week to aid the hydration. Here’s her specialist recommendation:
“The Sukin Rose Hip Oil serum from Holland & Barrett! You will thank me later. It is well priced, animal products & cruelty free, and is honestly like a refreshing drink for my skin (plus it currently has 25% off!). I use a couple of times a week and always note the results the next day. Pop on before bed and let the magic work whilst asleep.”
India’s Ayurveda
The Ayurveda tradition native to India is one of the world’s oldest holistic “whole body” healing systems. It roughly translates from Sanskrit to Knowledge of Life, ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge). In the transitional period of early autumn, the Ayurvedic advice is to eat plenty of recently harvested fruit like apples and pears. In fact, across many traditions it is widely agreed that consuming nourishing seasonal produce helps you stay healthier and more in tune with the land.
Why eat seasonally?
It is healthier
Produce grown at the correct time has higher nutrient value. Take broccoli, for example, a study found that there was significantly higher levels of vitamin C in seasonally grown broccoli.
It tastes better
We’ve all had a watery strawberry out of season but a perfectly sweet one in June.
It is better for the environment
Consider buying local produce to cut down on food miles and its associated fuel emissions.
At the Balance + Glo Virtual Reset Retreat on September 19th Evelyn will lead a cook-a-long of her delicious seasonal apple and blackberry breakfast parfait recipe. The Virtual Reset Retreat is free for all members.
In accordance with Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda likens autumn to the air element, “vata”. When this energy is out of balance it can manifest itself as uncertainty, anxiety and flightiness. September, for a lot of people, represents an intense period of transition and the unknown. So, to bring this vata energy back to earth we are invited to slow down and reconnect.
Yoga
Yoga is a tradition similarly derived from the Indian Vedic culture and is a nurturing movement practice for the autumn months. To help regulate the circadian rhythms of the body it is recommended to exercise early in the morning and in the evening. Fresh air is integral to this process so why not open a window wide before your morning yoga and take a couple of deep breaths.
To balance the flightiness of the vata (air) energy, inversions (any posture where you heart is above your head) are great to practice in Autumn. Not only do they promote circulation in the body but it encourages a slow, grounded practice to create stability in the cycles of your day. An inversion, like downward facing dog or headstand, would be a great place to start. Other asanas like mountain pose, tree pose and yogi squat are great grounding postures.
On our Online Studio you can find a headstand workshop with Olivia, a grounding yoga flow and a vast library of yoga classes.
Find a grounding, nourishing and supportive community over at Balance + Glo The Online Studio.
