Last night the glow of the Harvest Moon held me in her soft radiance, reminding me that autumn is here and winter is coming. The flurry of gathering fruits and vegetables from orchards, patch gardens and acres of farmland will soon come to an end, at least for this season.

Yearly cycles and seasons are inherent in our DNA as well. When we were a more agrarian (agriculturally based), we ate in keeping with the seasons and geography. The human body remembers and anticipates certain foods during each of the seasons.

Although some of the summer vegetables and fruits we most love can still be bought in grocery stores during the winter months, if your taste buds are like mine, it’s always not worth the money. The reason those summer fruits and vegetables taste so great in summer is that they are in fact “in season”. To keep those taste buds alive and well during fall and winter, look for fresh foods in season.

Fall (September, October, November):

Eating more of the fruits and vegetables which ripen in fall and winter nourishes and nurtures body and soul. Maybe some of you are thinking, “I’ve never even heard of some of these vegetables!” or “Where in the world would one get such items?” Many stores are now starting to stock a variety of organic and unusual vegetables. Just ask at your grocery store – it’s easier to find them at a Wild Oats or Whole Foods, but other grocery and health food stores may also have them. It’s worth the asking.

Now that you know where to get them, what do you do with these earthly delights? There are some basic preparations you can make to enhance the flavor and give a sense of variety to any steamed vegetable:

Stimulate your taste buds. Invite your taste buds on a culinary adventure. Skim through those beautiful cookbooks in the aisles or magazines in your check-out lanes. Get ideas then get creative and have fun with them.

Remember to add protein in winter. Winter is a time of tremendous internal activity within the body. In fact, there is more activity of growth inside a tree in winter than there is in spring or summer. During the winter months the tree is gathering, storing and readying itself for the blooming and visible growth spurt which takes place in the warmer months. For humans, protein is critical in building those cells we need to rebuild, restore and rejuvenate ourselves after all the activity of summer, so that we can do it again next year and keep warm while waiting for the summer sun to re-appear.

You can get protein from a variety of sources: animal, plant, grains, nuts, seeds, etc. Mixing vegetables, grains and protein sources into a hearty soup or stew is wonderfully satisfying and restorative to the body. You can use a vegetable or meat stock, but I suggest always starting a soup or stew with a sauté including a good love oil, onions, garlic and a little salt before adding the stock and other ingredients. (Bring out the crock pots!)

Take time to sit with friends, family or just by yourself with soft music playing and maybe eve a fire. Create a nice atmosphere in which to enjoy your food. It helps slow you down and feel satisfied (instead of shoving food in your mouth on the move and five minutes later looking for more because you didn’t feel satisfied by what you just ate.) Votive candles and linen napkins? Why not? Sit out on the deck/patio and watch the beauty of the foliage whirling and twirling about. Meditate while munching. Notice the various flavors, textures and temperatures of the food.

Take time to chew. Digestion begins in the mouth by breaking down the chunks of food so that they can quickly be converted into liquid fuel. (The more you chew, the sooner it becomes liquid and the easier it is on your digestive system.) Sit and relax long enough to receive and appreciate the nurturing and nourishment from the food that you’ve taken the time to prepare for yourself and your family or friends. Europeans and indigenous cultures are very good at this.

Sitting down while you eat (instead of driving, working, watching, TV, texting, keyboarding, etc.) helps you slow down and relax so that your digestive system gets the blood and nervous energy to do its job. DIGEST doesn’t refer to just your food. Eating is also time to “digest” you thoughts and feelings as well …to reflect upon or share what’s going on in your world. It is a way to bring life into perspective and hopefully, into balance.

Creating balance in our lives is something many of us want, search for, even long for – often going it alone. There’s a lot of information on Health and Wellness out there these days. It can be a real challenge to sort through all of it. Fortunately, there is now a new type of professional being trained in the field of Nutrition. They are called Nutritional or Holistic Health Counselors or Coaches and they assist people in finding balance and a greater sense of well-being not just in relation to the food they eat, but in other major areas of life as well:

Your Health is foundational to a quality life – a life beyond merely surviving. How do you feel today? As good as you want to feel? How do you want to feel tomorrow? Next year? In five years? What are your dreams and goals for your life? Creating a balanced healthy you is creating a balanced healthy life – vital, happy and fulfilled. Walking the Path of Health and Vitality can feel complicated at times, but can be a lot easier than we sometimes make it or perceive it to be.

Taking one simple step can be a major step in the right direction. Any one of the following steps would steer your journey toward health in the right direction:

...one of which could be a Nutritional Counselor/Holistic Health Coach, who could support you in taking steps and walking toward a healthy balanced life. Meet in person and /or schedule phone sessions. The first session focuses on your Health History and creating your individual goals of Health. From there, learn how to integrate your Food with your Physical Activity, Career Relationships and Spirituality.

Each of us is bio-chemically unique, so it’s important to explore what works for your particular system as well as your lifestyle. Choose the “explorations” you want to take in each area of your life. Take stock and keep track of how those explorations go – what’s working for you as well as what’s not, and then what other choices you’d like to make. Celebrate and re-evaluate, get real and be compassionate with the day-to-day walking you’ll do on the Path to Vitality.

Explore what Nutrition and Nourishment mean to you. Gather tools and create attitudes and strategies for the long haul. Walking this journey helps you reclaim your power from outside authorities about diet and fitness and liberates you to honor and live your own inner knowing. By the end of the program, you’ll have a whole new relationship with food and “health” and a whole new way of walking the Path toward Health and Well Being.

I know; I’ve used a Nutritional Counselor/Holistic Health Coach and I know what an impact the process has had on my life. Today, I am honored be able to use my own training as a Nutritional Counselor and Holistic Health Coach, along with my life experience to assist other in making the life changes they desire. It’s a privilege. I’m always learning about life and about what living a healthy vital life means to people.

If you’d like to know what’s possible for you and your health, or if you just need a little reminder, motivation or the support of someone walking the path beside you, email me at path2vitality@yahoo.com or call me at 215.847.1268. I’ll be glad to help. If you mention Corbie’s name, you’ll receive a free 20 minute health consultation and a $200 discount off a six-month program.

Take the first step toward greater Health and Balance…walk the path to Vitality.

Blessings and Good Health to you.

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