Audacious Health

"It'a a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack." - Germany Kent.

"Don't mix your words with your mood, you can change your mood but you can't take back your words." - Anonymous.

• If you are an animal lover, watch u-tube videos showing your favourite animals loving life.

• Take at least 5 - 10 minutes a day to meditate or have down time where you do nothing and just focus on your breath.

• Watch some comedy. Anything with Billy Connolly.  Laughter is great medicine.

• Physical movement is important and beneficial to mental health.  Do a physical activity you enjoy that gets you out of your head and gets the blood flowing.

• Find each day a quote that inspires you.

"I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong... I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." - Audrey Hepburn.

• it isn't too cold or too hot
• comfy candies and knitwear
• autumn leaves
• calmer days, less wind
• warmer meals like soups and stews
• great range of seasonal fruit eg avocado, apples, pears, bananas, custard apples, kiwifruit, pineapple, pawpaw
• and veges eg beetroot, asian greens, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, silverbeet, sweet potato
• end of daylight savings.

1. eat nourishing, hearty, warm foods - duck meat, fish, nuts, pears, sweet potato and other root vegetables and wholegrains
2. choose easy to digest nutritious foods - make the most of seasonal fruit and veges
3. enjoy comforting meals - eg soups and stews flavoured with ginger, curry powder and cayenne for good digestion and elimination.
4. avoid spicy foods and cold foods - fermented foods are a good idea during Autumn: eg. sauerkraut, kim chi, miso, kombucha, yogurt, or kefir as they support your immune function.
5. drink water - to be done every season
6. keep up the fitness - kick start the day with some sort of “movement” eg walking, Qi Gong or Yoga, focusing on your breath.  Keep the lungs strong and mood stable by exercising during Autumn.
7. go to bed a little earlier - for good quality sleep, avoid getting run down, tired and more susceptible to colds and viruses
8. get some vitamin D - enjoy the great outdoors and get some fresh air to improve your mood and mindset.  Take some happy snaps of the changing Autumn environment – so easy these days with cameras on our smart phones
9. stay warm and dry - adjust what you wear and your home environment to suit the cooling temperatures of Autumn
10. look after your skin during Autumn - keep it moisturized and change out your skin products for Autumn if necessary – eg using a more moisturizing soap and oil-based scrubs… go organic and natural!

• Pumpkin
• sweet potato
• potato
• carrot
• zucchini
• onion
• garlic
• olive oil
• Himalayan salt
• cumin powder
• ginger powder or finely chopped ginger
• cinnamon
• coriander or parsley
• chicken or vegetable stock 1 litre

• Chop the vegetables
• Season with salt and pepper
• Lightly coat in olive oil
• Place on roasting tray and roast the vegetables in a moderate oven till cooked note, these can be ‘extra, left-over’ vegetables you roasted with another roast meal
• Heat some ghee in a saucepan
• Add the roasted vegetables to the saucepan 
• Add the cumin powder, salt and ginger/ginger powder
• Cook for a couple of minutes
• Add the chicken or vegetable stock
• Bring to boil then simmer for 10 – 15 minutes
• For a smooth soup, blend in a blender or serve as is

• Apples or Pears for baking
• Cinnamon
• Saltanas or trail mix
• Honey or raw sugar for extra sweetening
• Water

• Core the apple or pear
• Place on baking tray / pyrex dish
• Stuff the fruit with saltanas or trail mix.  For extra flavor, add cinnamon to the saltanas or trail mix before stuffing.
• If extra sweetening desired, sprinkle a little raw sugar or honey over the top
• Pour a little water into the fruit, so that the fruit are sitting in a little amount of water
• Cook in a moderate oven till baked and ready to eat
• We suggest, serve with coconut milk custard

• The lungs and the large intestine are a major pathway of elimination and related to a healthy immune system.  Problems in this area are a clue that all is not well.
• The Lungs and Large Intestine are also related to exhalation, sweating (excessive and insufficient), elimination of toxins (through the skin and bowel) and elimination of urine.
• Issues with the large intestine, will often appear in the skin as issues of rashes, itching and irritation.
• When the lung energy is out of balance, we tend to be inflexible in our ways and stiff in our bodies.   

• Eat pungent foods such as garlic, onions, ginger, mustard, horseradish and watercress generate warmth, supporting the Lungs and Large Intestine. 
• Pungent foods are often rich in sulphur which can aid in restoring energy, have anti-parasitic properties and clean the blood. So enjoy that wasabi with your sushi.

• In TCM, Lung energy is also associated with the emotion of "letting go" or grief. We've all experienced loss, separation, “letting go" and feeling grief at such times. Grief cleanses us of what is no longer needed in our lives. It is important then to look after our Lung and Large Intestine to maximise their function of elimination (think "letting go") of that which no longer serves us. 

• Declutter - let go, donate, sell, get organised, make a task list...
• Reflect on your perspective and attitude - resolve where possible and/or it let go, forgive, accept; focus on the positive aspects in life...
• Breathe - slowly and deeply, inhaling the clean autumn air, feeling yourself energised and purified.
• Keep hydrated...
• Eat foods that are local, spray free and in season.

• Eat Homemade Soup: Soups are nourishing and warming and can be packed full of meat, vegetables and nutrients.
• Eat Fermented foods: eg. sauerkraut, kim chi, miso, kombucha, rejuvelac, fermented soda, yogurt, or kefir. Fermented foods support your immune function. Supplement with probiotics such as acidophilus.
• Get enough sleep: Sleep is regenerative and keeps the immune system strong.
• Exercise: Keep the lungs strong and mood stable by exercising during Autumn.
• Manage stress: through meditation, qi gong, art or music, laughter, taking up a hobby, enjoying time with friends and family, and gardening… just a few suggestions to manage stress which can deplete our immune system.

• Letting go activities: have a clean out physically and mentally. Get rid of things you no longer need - the element of Metal relates to organisation, order and stability. It can be a great time to go through your home or work space and clear out what’s of no use to you and re-organize. Let go of emotional factors associated with the metal element – be in touch with issues of grief and sadness so that you may process them and let them go.