How to stay healthy and happy this fall season
When the season changes from summer to fall, bringing shorter days, cooler temperatures and more time indoors, it can be difficult to keep up your regular healthy habits. These seasonal changes, along with an uptick in respiratory viruses, back-to-school busyness, fall allergies and other stressors, can cause autumn anxiety. In fact, for some people the changes can trigger SAD, or seasonal affective disorder.
Here are 11 tips on how to have a healthy autumn:
Support your immunity
Keep colds at bay by supporting your immune system. The best immunity boosters include reducing stress and getting plenty of sleep. Also, hydrate with water throughout the day, and your immune system will thank you. The foods you eat can also help prevent a cold.
If you do get sidelined by a cold, try these home remedies to fight a cold or these OTC cold products for sneezing, runny nose, sore throat or cough.
Think beyond pies and jack-o'-lanterns.
Sure everyone gets excited for pumpkin spice coffee drinks in the fall, but did you know pumpkin itself is truly a fall super food? Packed with vitamins A, C and E as well as potassium and fiber, it's incredibly versatile, says Maggie Michalczyk, a Chicago-based registered dietitian and author of "The Great Big Pumpkin Cookbook."
"Grab a can of pumpkin and whip up some cozy and nutritious comfort food for the season," she says.
Fresh pumpkins are great too, and not just the flesh. Remember, "don't toss those pumpkin seeds," she says. "Pumpkin seeds are a great source of plant-based protein, fiber and magnesium. Roast the ones you get from your pumpkins or sprinkle the green ones (pepitas) on a salad."
