by Dr. Katie DiNello, ND
Read to the end for a fun end of Summer recipe and to see what Dr. Katie does to stay healthy during the fall transition!
When it comes to health and wellness, we see periodicity based on the seasons. During winter months, we tend to move our bodies less and eat more warming and comforting foods. Come spring, we feel awakened to re-engage in healthy habits. We typically crave more fruits and raw veggies and want to exercise outside as we approach warmer days. Many of us are also motivated to improve energy levels knowing Summer is just ahead.
As we move through Summer, we are focused on enjoying the sun with friends and family. Often, this includes more picnics and vacations, where we may enjoy more alcohol and indulgent foods. With kids home from school, we are often catering to their needs before our own. We may get out of the habits of exercising and meal planning. By the time fall comes, we are craving some healthy changes! Fall is a season of schedule changes as the kids go back to school. This means it’s a perfect opportunity to set new health goals to carry you through the end of the year. It’s a great time to re-focus on your needs!
If you’ve had a Summer of great fun that distracted you from healthy habits and are ready to prioritize yourself, here are some easy tips to do so:
1. Start slowly! Think of just 1-3 healthy habits you’d like to re-start. Setting a water goal, eating veggies 2-3x/day, or getting in a minimum daily step count are great places to start!
2. Engage in daily personal development and mindset work. Making lifestyle changes can be challenging. You need to work on your mindset to make lasting changes. Choose a motivating book, start doing meditation or breath work, or journal in the mornings to remind yourself of your health goals.
3. Create a specific plan. It’s easy to want to make changes, but it’s challenging to execute them. If you are a parent, you’ll be juggling many schedule changes as school and activities start. Just like you do with your kids’ activities, schedule those workouts, grocery trips, and healthy meals.
4. Do a fall cleanout! Go through your fridge, freezer, and cabinets. Remove processed foods with added sugars. If you are trying to eat healthier foods, don’t continuously tempt yourself by having these foods in your home.
5. Take advantage of farmer’s markets. We still have about 4-6 weeks of fresh vegetables from local farms. Take advantage of your local produce! Challenge yourself to get most of your produce here and try new recipes with these veggies!
6. Don’t fall into an “all-or-nothing” mindset. Remember, re-establishing these habits takes time. If you skip a day or have more indulgent foods, just move on! Wake up the next day and prioritize your movement and veggies!
To help inspire you, check out this chopped fresh salad I love making this time of year!
Ingredients:
- 2 large cucumbers
- 4 Roma tomatoes – or a pint of cherry tomatoes
- ½-1 red onion
- Optional – ¼ cup kalamata olives and/or an ounce of feta cheese
Dressing:
- Juice of 1-2 lemons
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp of salt
- Optional – fresh herbs such as cilantro, thyme, rosemary, oregano, etc
- I also love adding 1-2 TB of nutritional yeast to my salad dressings. It’s high in B12 for extra energy!
Instructions:
- Wash and chop ingredients; I like to chop them small, but you can keep them in larger chunks if you’d like
- Place in a large bowl
- Mix up the dressing and pour over the veggies
- Mix well and enjoy!
Additions:
- For extra healthy fat add in 1 chopped avocado
- For extra protein, top with salmon
- I often use this recipe as a salsa and add to taco bowl or scoop with tortilla chips
Dr. Katie’s Healthy Habits for Fall 2024
1. A great morning routine at least 5 days/week. This includes breath work, meditation, and mobility work such as stretching.
2. Workouts. Strength training 4x/week, running 2x/week, and barre 1-2x/week.
3. Walking. At least 10,000 steps per day.
4. 100 ounces of water per day. Add in sliced lemon or electrolytes for more fun!
5. At least 1 serving of vegetables per meal.
6. 12 hours of intermittent fasting between dinner and breakfast to improve sleep and digestion.
7. A great supplement routine to support energy and brain health.
The transition into Fall is the perfect time to meet with one of our naturopathic doctors. We can help you create an individualized health plan so you feel your best for the rest of 2024! For scheduling and further questions, call (860) 674-0111 or visit https://www.wholehealthllc.com/contact/