Integrative Nutrition for Mental Health: Grounding Your Wellness This Fall

Moving into the darker months, have you noticed that your mood is off, your energy levels are low, you’ve been craving comfort (carbs anyone?) in ways that aren’t usual for you?

These “winter blues” also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and are common at this time of year.

Want an integrative way to ground your mental health this fall?

Dr. Mary Rondeau, ND, RH (AHG), shares this solution to find mental balance as November settles in, and the crisp coolness of fall deepens, preparing us for the transition into winter.

This seasonal change brings with it the need to focus on grounding and nourishing our bodies in alignment with the earth’s rhythms. In Ayurveda, this time of year is dominated by Vata dosha, with its cold, dry, and light qualities, making it essential to introduce warming and grounding foods into our diets to maintain balance. 

Why Grounding Foods Matter in November

As the weather becomes colder and more unpredictable, Vata can quickly become imbalanced, leading to feelings of restlessness, anxiety, and even dryness in the body. To counter those feelings, consuming grounding foods can help stabilize the body and mind, providing a sense of warmth, comfort, and security. Incorporating these foods into your meals during November supports physical nourishment, emotional balance, and connection to the season’s energy. 

Grounding Foods to Focus On

• Root Vegetables: With root vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and parsnips, you’re eating food that grows deep within the earth. They are naturally grounding and rich in nutrients, making them perfect for roasting, mashing, or adding to stews.
• Winter Squash and Pumpkin: Seasonal and hearty, butternut squash, pumpkin, and acorn squash offer natural sweetness and comfort. They’re rich in fiber and beta-carotene, making them a wholesome addition to soups, casseroles, and roasted vegetable dishes.
• Whole Grains: To nourish your body and mind, include grains like brown rice, quinoa, barley, and millet in your meals. These grains have a heavier, grounding quality that helps stabilize energy levels, leaving you feeling balanced and energized. A warm grain bowl for breakfast or a side of cooked grains at dinner can provide lasting energy.
• Warming Healthy Fats: Include fats like ghee, coconut oil, and avocado to provide warmth and moisture to the body. Ghee is particularly revered in Ayurveda for its grounding and digestive properties, making it ideal for sautéing vegetables or stirring into soups and stews.
• Legumes and Lentils: Lentils, chickpeas, and mung beans are grounding sources of protein and fiber, helping to keep you satiated and energized. Incorporating these legumes into stews, curries, and soups will help anchor you through the cold months.
• Warming Spices: Add spices like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves to your meals to increase warmth and digestion. These warming spices not only enhance flavor but also help ignite the digestive fire (Agni), keeping your body healthy and balanced through the cold.
• Cooked Fruits: Swap fresh fruit for baked apples, pears, or stewed prunes. Cooking fruits with spices like cinnamon or nutmeg makes them more digestible and grounding during colder months.
  

Simple Ways to Add Grounding Foods in November

• Soups and Stews: Warm up with hearty soups and stews filled with root vegetables, squash, lentils, and warming spices. These meals are easy to digest and keep you grounded.
• Roasted Vegetables: Roast your favorite root vegetables or squash with olive oil and spices like cumin and turmeric for a delicious, warming side dish.
• Grain Bowls: Start your day with a warm bowl of oats or quinoa, topped with ghee, cinnamon, nuts, and cooked fruits for a grounding and nourishing breakfast.
• Spiced Herbal Teas: Sip on teas made with ginger, cinnamon, or cardamom throughout the day to stay warm and balanced.

By incorporating these grounding foods into your diet, you can nourish your body and mind and embrace the beauty of the fall season.

Supporting Mental Health Through Seasonal Nutrition

Would you like to more integrative solutions for mental health? We offer a free consultation for new patients to discuss their mental health needs and goals. If you or someone you know is seeking healing and wholeness, please contact the Wholeness Center at 970-221-1106 to learn more.

Wholeness Center offers mental health repair and restoration in Ft. Collins, CO.