In this short text there is not space to delve further into this great teaching, but there is plenty of literature for those who want to know more. What I want to share with you today is some simple advice on how to adapt your lifestyle to feel good when we go from a warm to a colder season. Advice that helps me year in and year out and that is easy to incorporate into everyday life.

• Brave the cold winds of autumn with warm cooked food with an emphasis on heavier foods such as root vegetables, legumes and grains (cereals).
• Eat small, regular meals.
• Choose locally produced produce in season – berries, root vegetables, apples and pears
• Eat plenty of mild warming spices such as cinnamon, ginger and black pepper.
• Cooked vegetables with ghee (clarified butter), hearty soups and stews, whole wheat bread, almonds, and walnuts are good bases.
• Now is a good time for those who like sweets! Sweets have a grounding and calming effect. Enjoy carrots (boiled or baked), sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cooked fruit, avocados and small amounts of dairy products. Soaked raisins or dried apricots in stews and soups.
• Onions, garlic, basil and ginger, rosemary, thyme keep you warm and support the immune system.
• Warming teas are a blessing: make your own blends with basil, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, licorice root, thyme and rosemary.
• Vegetable oils and ghee lubricate the skin from the inside. Be generous with them in your meals. Feel free to apply oils to keep your skin soft and warm – sesame oil or almond oil are great.
• Avoid loud noises as much as possible. Choose quiet activities that suit you.
• Avoid raw vegetables that have a cold energy, they are better suited for summer.
• Go to bed! We need more sleep in the fall and winter, go to bed earlier.

• Get outside! Nature contact in the form of walks is good for you all year round.
• Exercise keeps your mood up and your circulation going.

For me, this means a morning ritual where I anoint myself with a lovely oil. Tubs of spicy teas where I mix ginger, cinnamon, pepper and wild plants every other day, hot "guffie" stews with root vegetables, raisins, rich spices, at least one hour of daylight a day. Making sure to surround myself with close friends but avoiding large noisy situations (hehe, although I always do that...no nightclub crowd for me!)

"Well," you think. "How am I going to do all that? I'm so tired of all the tips."

Answer: you don't have to do anything! These are tips that have helped me through thick and thin, embrace what works in your life and leave the rest to its fate!

Or just ignore all the advice and start with yourself: listen within. Be sensitive to your body and your needs, it will tell you what you need. All you have to do is…take some time to listen!

That's all folks

The Lisen

Photo: Charlotte Gadwell

And you! Don't forget that you can order organic skin care , organic massage oil, organic hand sanitizer and more from Care of Gerd!