Part 1: The Rhythm of Autumn — How Seasonal Energy Shapes Your Health

The vibrant colors of fall have begun to emerge, and with them come crisp air and cozy sweaters. As the leaves change, it’s essential to adjust your lifestyle to stay healthy and energized during this beautiful season. But how can you effectively navigate the fall and maintain your wellbeing? Don't worry; we've got you covered!

Ayurveda, the ancient system of holistic health, is all about maintaining balance — both within ourselves and in relation to the world around us. One of the greatest challenges to this balance is the changing seasons. Autumn, in particular, brings shifts that can subtly unsettle our bodies if we aren’t paying attention.

Fall is a season of unpredictability. Days get shorter, temperatures swing dramatically, and the air begins to dry out. You might notice mornings that feel hot and sweaty, only for the evenings to turn surprisingly cold. Even though most of us live in climate-controlled environments, our bodies still respond to these natural rhythms. Listening and responding to these changes can make a big difference in keeping your system strong and resilient.

The transition into fall actually begins in August. There’s a critical two-week window early in the month where you can “jump-start” your body for the season ahead. Handle this period well, and you’ll glide through autumn like a surfer riding a wave. Ignore it, and the season may feel like a constant struggle, leaving you cold, tired, or run down.

One reason autumn can feel tricky is the erratic weather. Cold, dry air from the north may sweep in, only to be replaced by a few warm, damp days. In Ayurveda, we notice that cold, dry days in the fall tend to trigger imbalances, whereas in spring it’s sudden warm days that can throw the system off. Paying attention to these patterns can help you respond in ways that prevent illness and keep your energy steady.

Seasons Within Seasons

Just as there are stages in life — youth, adulthood, and elderhood — each year has its own rhythm. Most people are familiar with the four Western seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. But if we look more closely, we see sub-seasons within each, each with its own qualities and needs.

For autumn specifically, we can think of three distinct phases:

1. Late Summer / Early Autumn – Hot, dry, and gradually cooling

2. Mid-Autumn – Cool and steadily getting colder

3. Late Autumn – Cold and dry, fully embracing winter’s approach

Understanding these micro-seasons helps us respond intelligently. The body doesn’t experience a sudden switch from summer to fall — it transitions gradually, and so should our habits, diet, and self-care.

Adapting to Autumn

In the late summer-to-early autumn phase, we notice relief from the intense heat. The days no longer push us to sweat excessively, and the mornings carry a refreshing coolness. Our digestion naturally begins to normalize, and our energy shifts from managing heat to preparing for the cooler months ahead.

Ayurveda even recommends adjusting our diets with these transitions. Foods that are grounding and nourishing help balance the dry, cooling air. Just as beets in early February support liver cleansing after winter, certain foods in late summer and autumn can support digestion, immunity, and energy as the weather changes.

Autumn is an invitation to tune in, notice the shifts around you, and adjust your lifestyle gently. Simple awareness — noticing temperature swings, morning coolness, and evening chill — allows you to respond in ways that keep your body strong and balanced. By riding these seasonal waves instead of resisting them, you can move through autumn with ease, vitality, and grace.

If you tend toward excess in your body and you’re someone who tends to be calm, slow to move, and sometimes overweight or congested (the traditional idea behind the term “Kapha”), the fall season highlights a clear pattern: excess conditions can become more noticeable during this time. For older adults who tend to be heavier or more “Kapha-like” in balance, hospital visits become more likely in the fall. The same heightened risk applies to children or anyone who tends to be robust yet prone to excess weight or congestion when fall unfolds.

What counts as excess:

• Mucus buildup and congestion (a runny or stuffy nose, chest congestion)

• Body heaviness or weight gain (feeling unusually sluggish or puffy)

Late Autumn: Listening to the Body’s Call for Warmth and Grounding

As autumn deepens, the air grows colder and drier — and so do we. Many people begin to notice a dry throat, dry skin, or a rough, scratchy feeling in their sinuses. This is your body whispering: “It’s time to nourish me.”

In Ayurveda, this late autumn phase marks the shift toward heavier, oilier foods — meals that ground and replenish us after the lightness and movement of summer. If you’re feeling scattered, anxious, or noticing more gas and bloating than usual, these are gentle reminders that the Vata dosha (the energy of air and space) is increasing. Your body is asking for warmth, oil, and steadiness.

This is the season to start enjoying foods that feel comforting and a little heavier: roasted vegetables, warm soups, healthy oils, and grounding grains. Apples, peaches, grapes, and even the last of the garden tomatoes fit beautifully here. If you tolerate dairy, things like bread with ghee or cottage cheese can feel soothing to a dry system.

The Subtle Energies of the Season

Autumn doesn’t just affect the body — it also awakens specific energy centers, or chakras.

• Mid-Autumn tends to stir the Third Eye Chakra, bringing deeper reflection, intuitive insights, and sometimes emotional turbulence as we gain new perspective.

• Late Autumn, as the light continues to fade, awakens the Throat Chakra. You may notice dryness in your throat or a desire to speak your truth more clearly.

• As we move toward winter and the holidays, the Root Chakra becomes more active. That’s why so many people feel a pull to nest, to be home, and to find comfort in the warmth of family and hearth. These seasonal urges aren’t just sentimental — they’re physiological. Your body is preparing for stillness.

The Craving for Comfort

As late autumn gives way to early winter, cravings for rich, heavy foods begin to surface. This is completely natural — your body is seeking insulation and warmth. Desserts and hearty meals around the holidays often mirror exactly what our physiology is asking for.

Of course, not all cravings are aligned. Some are culturally conditioned (like the heavy foods of summer barbecues), while others are deeply intuitive. If your body runs cold, dry, or thin-skinned, those comforting fats and heavier foods can be truly healing in December. For others — especially those who struggle with thyroid issues or sluggish digestion — those same foods might be too much. Ayurveda invites us to discern, not restrict: to listen closely and ask, “Is this craving a call for balance, or just habit?”

When the Cold Hits — A Shock to the System

There’s a unique physiological challenge when the first real cold snap arrives. It often happens suddenly — one day feels like summer, and the next you’re shivering in your sweater.

Most of us aren’t ready for it. We’ve spent months shedding heat — wearing lighter clothing, eating less, thinning our internal oils and fats. Then, seemingly overnight, the temperature drops. The body is caught off guard: blood is still circulating near the skin, electrolytes have been sweated out, and our protective layer of fat is at its leanest.

This sudden exposure to cold stresses the body — especially the digestive system. You might notice that after a few chilly days, digestion slows, bloating appears, or you feel heavy and tired. Some people get constipated or have trouble sleeping — early signs that the nervous system is shifting from “rest and digest” into mild fight-or-flight.

When you notice that first sharp turn toward cold weather, treat it like an emergency in self-care. Layer up as if it were midwinter for a few days, eat warm, moist meals, and rest deeply. This gives your body time to catch up and recalibrate, protecting digestion and immunity as the season shifts.

Who Feels It Most

The people who tend to feel these seasonal changes most strongly are those who are naturally lighter, drier, or colder in constitution — the classic Vata types. You may notice:

• Thin frame or low body weight

• Naturally dry skin or hair

• A tendency toward constipation or irregular digestion

• Feeling easily cold or wind-sensitive

For these constitutions, August through October can feel especially destabilizing. The key is nourishment — physically, emotionally, and energetically. Think warmth, oil, rest, and steadiness.

The Physiology of Cold: Why Fall Makes You Pee More

(and What to Do About It)

As the temperature begins to drop, an invisible shift happens beneath the surface of your skin. Remember — your skin is your body’s largest organ. When the tiny blood vessels at the surface suddenly close in response to cold weather, the body must adjust.

With less space for the blood to circulate, blood pressure temporarily rises. To ease that internal pressure, the body finds a release valve — the kidneys. They pull water from the bloodstream, and you begin to pee more. This is known as cold diuresis — the body’s way of letting off steam, literally.

If you’ve ever noticed that you need to urinate soon after getting cold, this is why. Unfortunately, every time this happens, you lose valuable hydration and electrolytes. So even if you’re drinking lots of water, you can still end up dehydrated from the cold — especially if you’re wearing light clothing, skipping socks, or pretending it’s still summer.

I often see this in clients around late August and September: cool hands, cold fingertips, and a dry pulse. They’re still dressed for summer, sipping on plain water, yet they feel exhausted and parched.

The truth is, hydration isn’t just about drinking water. It’s about holding onto it. Water without minerals and oils simply passes through you. To truly hydrate, you need electrolytes, oils, and balanced warmth.

Salt, Electrolytes, and the Myth of “More Water”

This is the time of year when many people run low on electrolytes. After months of sweating through summer, the body’s reserves of sodium, potassium, and magnesium have been drained. Now, with the added effect of cold diuresis, the problem compounds.

Salt — often unfairly demonized — becomes one of Ayurveda’s most healing allies this time of year. Salt not only helps maintain hydration but also builds the body’s internal fire (Agni).

Of course, not everyone should increase salt. For those with high blood pressure or water retention, it must be used carefully. But for people who tend toward deficiency — low blood pressure, cold hands and feet, dry skin, constipation — a bit more salt is deeply therapeutic.

A simple way to restore balance is to include natural salts (like mineral-rich sea salt or pink Himalayan salt) in your meals or to make a gentle homemade electrolyte drink:

Squeeze of lime + pinch of salt + touch of grated ginger + warm water =

Ayurveda’s version of Gatorade.

This replenishes minerals, awakens the palate, and stimulates healthy digestive secretions.

For a convenient option, you can also use an unsweetened electrolyte powder that supports natural hydration.

Keto Chow SALTT Electrolytes Powder Packets, Lemon Lime Twist (30 Hydration Packets) - Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Trace Minerals

Or another favorite

Drink LMNT Zero Sugar Electrolytes - Citrus Salt Rehydration, the Ayurvedic Way

In Ayurveda, we rarely recommend large amounts of plain water. Instead, we encourage hydrating through nourishment — teas, soups, stews, broths, smoothies, and milky tonics. These restore fluid and electrolytes simultaneously.

A great tea to sip on instead of plain water:

Banyan Botanicals CCF Tea (Cumin, Coriander, Fennel) – Organic

One late-summer to early-autumn drinks is a simple smoothie made with apple, banana, ginger, and lime.

• Banana replenishes electrolytes.

• Apple adds fiber and gently clears the bowels.

• Lime brings a sour taste that triggers natural secretions, moistening the palate and digestion.

If plain water runs right through you, it’s your body’s way of saying, “I need minerals, not just moisture.”

When Dehydration Affects Digestion

Here’s something most people don’t realize: digestion depends on fluids.

Each meal requires about two-thirds of a liter of gastric acid to properly digest — that’s a lot of fluid! If your system is already dry or depleted, your body won’t have enough “juice” to make that happen. Instead, food sits in the stomach, fermentation begins, and symptoms appear:

• Fatigue after meals

• Gas and bloating

• Acid reflux (which, ironically, is often caused by too little acid, not too much)

Which you can't really know unless you take a stomach acid test :

When this happens, the digestive fire becomes sluggish and toxic residue (Ama) starts to build up. The key? Protect your fluids. Stay warm, salt your food wisely, use healthy oils liberally, and hydrate with mineral-rich, warming drinks instead of plain cold water.

Early Autumn Hydration Tips

1. Dress warmly before your body feels cold. Socks and layers help prevent cold diuresis.

2. Add natural salts to retain hydration and rebuild electrolytes.

3. Favor moist, oily, and cooked foods over raw salads or dry snacks.

4. Hydrate with soups, teas, and tonics — not just water.

5. Watch for signs of dehydration: dry mouth, cold fingers, fatigue after meals, or constipation.

I think its very important to wear as much natural fiber clothing as possible. Here is a link to some : Super Soft Fall Alpaca Sleep Socks

As the external world cools and dries, your task is to cultivate warmth and moisture within.

Nourishment—not deprivation—is the true medicine of autumn. As we settle into the cooler, drier days of early fall, this is the season to ground yourself with warmth, moisture, and electrolytes that replenish your system from the inside out.

Stay tuned for the next post in this series, where we’ll explore late autumn cravings, seasonal foods, how your body’s doshas respond and much more—so you can maintain balance, energy, and vitality as the season deepens.