Equal amounts of:

• Carrots
• Butternut Squash or Pumpkin
• Onions
• Green cabbage

Cut all vegetables into fine pieces. Add 4 times the amount of water to a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce flame, simmer 15-20 minutes. Strain and drink 1-2 cups daily. Drink can be stored in refrigerator for several days. Simply bring to boil to reheat and enjoy!

Why do many people feel sad at this time of year?

Autumn is the time of year for letting go and for many people that is challenging. You can see this process in nature as we harvest the last vegetables and fruits of summer and enjoy their sweetness with family and friends.

Flow with the natural cycle of change.

The fields that yield fruit are left bare after the harvest. The best way to emotionally transition from the joyous light drenched days of summer to the quiet and more introverted season of autumn is to “clean house.”

Literally throw away things you do not need or use. You can begin a “de-cluttering challenge” with your family, friends or co-workers.

The goal is simple and effective: Throw out (or donate), 10 or more items in your house per day, for 30 days.

You will not believe how de-cluttering your living and working space frees your mind and increases your productivity.

In addition, you can also take an inventory of all the ways you spend your time and make a conscious decision to eliminate activities that are no longer interesting or satisfying to you.

After you have “cleaned house”, it’s time for a reward. Commit to a new activity.

* Transition gracefully ~ treat yourself to a new hobby. Start a fun activity that really gets you going!
* Choose something that is exciting to you, will inspire you or just makes you feel good.
* Take that dance class or pottery workshop you have been talking about doing for years.
* Go for that long drive in the country to see the colors of the fall foliage.
* Improve your health this fall, commit to a cardio workout.
* Enjoy nature. Watch the falling leaves and the animals gathering food to prepare for winter. Watch the sun set and spend a few moments to reflect on your own internal climate.
* Take time to enjoy each day.

1. Stop whatever you are doing. Close your eyes. Imagine the most beautiful person, place or thing. Try to breathe in that image deep into your lungs, and, as you exhale, feel your body sinking into the chair.
2. Get up from your seat. With your fists, hit your buttocks and down the backs of your legs with moderate force. Do this punching technique for 2 minutes. Sit back down. See how much better your lower body feels.
3. Change your routine. If you usually take the subway to work, walk instead. If you normally buy lunch, bring lunch. Shake it up!
4. Change your diet. Fall is a great time to prepare the body for the cooler months to come. Try a few new recipes (click here) that are full of warmth and vitality. Your body will appreciate the variety and you will sail through winter with extra fuel in your tank.
5. Reach out to friends and family members. Plan fun social events that require you to do and experience new things.
6. Just like snakes shed their skin in times of renewal, you can renew yourself and help to exfoliate your skin by gently and briskly rubbing a wet washcloth with a little sea salt and olive oil on your body. This will increase circulation and leave you with a refreshed feeling.
7. Go somewhere you have never been. Is there a specific destination that you have wanted to visit but still have not gone? Well, now is the time! Set the date and time and GO!

ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK:
Your goal: Beat fatigue, reduce tension headaches, and improve vision
Your move: A gentle workout for the eye muscles
Imagine your peepers are like the hands of a clock. When you read (something many people do all day long at work) you move your eyes from 9:00 to 3:00, back and forth, over and over. To relax those baby blues, try a gentle change of pace. Start by looking up to 12:00, gently hold for a few seconds while you breathe and relax. Then move to 1:00. At each position on your “eye clock” pause to relax and breathe deeply. When you have reached 12:00 again, repeat the exercise counterclockwise. Notice how clear your vision is and how that facial tension and headache just tick, tick, tick away!

SCHEDULE TIME TO RECHARGE:
Your goal: Maintain your energy all day long
Your move: Regular mental and physical breaks
Nobody’s a machine, so don’t force yourself to work like one. Try every hour to stand up and walk away from the computer. Every 2-3 hours, take a brisk walk for about 10-15 minutes. Climb the building stairs, walk around the block outside, or even stash a jump rope in your office. These quick moves keep the blood flowing to your brain, and prevent that logy feeling.

MAXIMIZE YOUR MEALS:
Your goal: Get some air and save some money
Your move: Hit the road when it’s time to eat
Here’s a no-brainer: walk to pick up your food instead of having it delivered. (If the weather is nice, sit outside and enjoy.) Or bring food from home and use your lunch break to walk in the fresh air. Every time you brown bag it, take $5 or $10 and stick it an envelope. It adds up! You’ll be able to use that money to go to your favorite restaurant on the weekend.

FOCUSED BREATHING:
Your goal: Perk up or calm down whenever you need it
Your move: An ancient deep-breathing exercise that really works
Alternating nostril breathing, called “harmonize the sun & moon,” increases oxygen to the brain, helps balance the emotions, and can ward off anxiety and depression. Just press your finger to one nostril while you inhale or exhale through the other. It goes like this: inhale right nostril (left is closed), exhale left nostril (right is closed), inhale left nostril (right is closed) exhale right nostril (left is closed). It only takes a few rounds to feel the difference- give it a try!

ACUPRESSURE:

Your goal: Increase concentration, reduce tension

Your move: Self massage – a quick way to perk up
There are many points on the surface of the body that have been shown to be effective to wake the mind and improve concentration. A set of 5 points surrounding the top of the head can be stimulated by lightly tapping the top of the head for one to three minutes. A point located on the fleshy part of the skin between the thumb and index finger can be stimulated by applying moderate pressure for one minute to reduce facial tension and relieve headaches.