It is this time again: autumn in the air! As we come back from our summer excursions or longer stays away, school, uni and work beckons. The warm days are thinning down, moisture fills the air a little more, and the days are getting shorter as the light is fading earlier. On a good day there may still be a sunny spell just before sunset…

Assuming we have rested somewhat during the summer break and recharged our batteries in the warmth and sunshine, transition into the cooler weather and busier times should be seamless. But if the time available for a break has been inadequate to match your needs and the weather was not too kind where you were, you and your loved ones may need some help getting back to school or work. So here are some tips for this time of the year to avoid running out of steam before the next busy period in December.

1. After many summer indulgencies maintaining a good blood sugar level may be needed to get back into the swing of regular mental and physical activity of your daily routine when back home. So establishing a regular meal pattern matching your requirements in terms of nutrient density and activity level is a good start. Choosing food combinations with lowest glycaemic load (always including some good quality protein, some complex carbohydrates and good, healthy fats in most meals) is always a good thing, and ensuring you eat less than your full capacity is another. Plenty of seasonal vegetables in all colours of the rainbow, some fruit, grains and lentils, together with small amounts of both plant based protein (like pulses, nuts and seeds, and fermented soya products) as well as animal protein (fish, meat and poultry plus some dairy) is worth experimenting with and checking which food combinations suit you best. Not everyone can function well on plant based menus so going by the needs of your individual biochemistry is best. This means checking what satiates you, what leaves you energised and feels great on your digestion let alone focus and mental clarity.

2. With the change of temperature this time of the year, our hormonal system deregulates so supporting good level of all types of hormones being produced in your body is key. Thus ensuring a good intake of both amino acids (from proteins) and fats (including saturated fats like butter, lard or coconut oil which do not deserve a bad press they had for a while) would put you in a good stead. Also worth remembering is the fact that many hormones activated at times of stress are mostly fat based, and many neurotransmitters and enzymes performing many critical functions in the body are protein based. So in order for our bodies to be able to make these, we need their substrates from the foods we eat.

3. Getting into a routine of work and rest or play is also helpful for maintaining healthy nervous, immune and hormonal systems. Overdoing one and neglecting another will inevitably lead to a leak of energy, resilience and depleted efficiency when it comes to your daily tasks and duties. With viruses and other bugs coming out to play at the change of seasons, keeping your immune system robust is very important. Supplementing your healthy diet with a few products like vitamin D3 (especially if you did not have too much sun over the summer months), vitamins K2, C and adaptogenic herbs and /or mushrooms may come in very handy. Of course maintaining good elimination channels is part of it as all toxic metabolites and pollutants need to be disposed of by the body in order to sustain fighting readiness when need be. So keeping your diet clean as well as limiting your exposure to toxic substances like too many cosmetics, household products or over the counter medicines is helpful here too.

4. And, last but not least, maintaining mental hygiene daily may be the tipping point when it comes to your immunity. How you speak, think, what you believe in and how you behave will have a direct impact on your immunity since all immune cells are little mini-yous. They listen and hear the promptings of your thoughts and emotions and act accordingly. So a dose of self-scrutiny when it comes to your daily frequency could be very useful here. Seeing the glass half full vs half empty as well as perceiving various difficult situations as challenges rather than threats are a good barometer too. So remember to keep your spirits up whatever the weather, and if you find it more tricky on a given day, fake it till you make it – become an actor in the game of life and play your best self. It will pay off for sure so enjoy the game of life.