Living Well With the Fall Season: A Seasonal Product Highlight

The autumn equinox has come and gone, days are noticeably shorter, and your schedule is likely more packed than it’s been in a while with school/work activities and holidays just around the corner. Seasonal changes often feel refreshing, but can also be tinged with the anxiety we tend to feel around change. Conscious dietary and lifestyle changes are excellent ways to navigate these transitions with greater ease. Chinese medicine recognizes five seasons rather than four, including a transitional season pre-fall, known as “late summer.“ During this time, at least in Virginia, it still feels like summer. Now that the environment is starting to noticeably shift, our bodies can use some help to adjust from late summer into fall and all that awaits in the coming months. It’s beneficial for your health to eat with the seasons, and your palate may be ready for a change as well. Now is a great time to check out our local Polyface Farm meats and new selections of allergy-free foods. 

This time of year can also pose increased challenges to our immunity, as well as the arrival of seasonal blues thanks to shorter days. Unlike easing into summer or the welcome shift from winter to the softness of spring, we may feel jarred by the sudden amount of responsibility, stress, and welcome yet sometimes sudden shift to colder temperatures. Many love the autumn weather and harvest events and fall is a remarkably beautiful time of the year in Charlottesville, so you want to feel your best to make the most of it! Out with the watermelon, in with the gourds!

Read on for seasonal products to refresh your cupboards and refine your health routine for the fall season.

New autumnal kombucha flavors: For optimal freshness, we keep local kombucha from Blue Ridge Buchas on tap. Seasonal flavors include Jasmine Grape, Orange Blossom Honey, Cherry Root and Chai.

Boost your immune system: Fight any back any fall bugs with the many all-natural immune-boosting supplements we carry. Some of our long term favorites include Boiron Oscillo and Nature’s Way Umcka original, cough syrup, cold/flu and throat spray including kid-friendly items. Local Dr. Rydland herbal immune tinctures are great for all ages and safe from 5# up. Elderberry is also an excellent choice and can be found in syrup, caps, and gummies from various brands. A natural anti-inflammatory, elderberry is full of immune-boosting antioxidants and vitamins. We also carry zinc lozenges which are a great way to treat uncomfortable colds, as long as you take them with a bit of food to protect your stomach. Fight off cold and flu season with Andographis (KoldKare is Susan’s favorite brand). Many people also experience seasonal allergies this time of year. Bluebonnet’s Wellness Formula works wonders for both seasonal allergies and colds since sometimes it’s hard to tell which ailment is plaguing you. A cup of hot herbal tea can hit the spot and may cure what ails you. These are a mere sampling of our abundance of immune-boosting products.  

Fight sleep disruptions for all-around better health: As the days grow shorter and our schedules grow, well, busier, it’s normal to experience disruptions to your sleep. Stress is one of the biggest issues that plague sleep health. There are sleep remedies galore for acclimating to shorter days and increased stress: CBD, passionflower, L-theanine, Rescue Remedy, magnesium, and melatonin, to name a few. Come see us and we’re happy to show you our sleep remedies. 

Brain supplements for students of all ages: Feeling the back to school or increased work blues? Bio-hacking your brain is a great way to get a natural boost and shift into greater productivity. We carry many effective yet safe brain support supplements for focus and memory such as ginkgo, MCT oil, Lion’s Mane, and Bacopa. MCT oil pairs well with morning coffee to jump-start your day. 

Refresh your routine with exciting new products: We’re on the lookout for the best, most innovative natural and organic products on the market. Fall is a great time to try something new and we always introduce lots of new, exciting products after we return from the Natural Products Expo East buying show every fall. Come on in to learn about what’s new and right for you. As always, keep up with our Facebook and Instagram to learn about the latest, greatest and on sale products.

Some exciting new CBD lines include Inessecents CBD facial line. Try Danodan Hemp Flower single-serve or pump shots to add to your favorite beverage, SunGod Herbal/CBD blended tinctures or topicals based on Mythological legends, Papa & Barkley warming/cooling CBD balm, and new flavors from favorite CBD brands like Barleans and Lazarus.  

Throw on a stylish fall hat from our Flipside Hat collection and check out fun new socks to warm your feet from Maggie’s Organic Cotton, Blue Q (we dare you not to laugh at their cheeky socks), and/or Incrediwear socks that enhance circulation and injury recovery. Pull-on some of these new socks to get active in the lovely Albemarle fall weather!

Physical activity: Take advantage of crisper temperatures and a respite from our Virginian humidity with outdoor activity. Fall is a great time to take to our trails and mountains. Observe the leaves as they peak and let physical activities help bring you into the present moment, which helps ease anxiety. Enjoy the crunch of leaves under your shoes in the coming weeks, the smell of fall air, and other fun fall activities such as apple picking at Carter Mountain and pumpkin picking at a variety of local pumpkin patches.

Happy Fall!