What does that mean for our plates?

Well, plenty of delicious leaves and colourful fruits – not so much as you find in abundant summer, but still enough to satisfy a broad palate. Vitamin C rich food are all around – citrus, pomegranates, cumquats, etc – which are perfectly timed for a pre-winter boost. Root vegetables are also starting to make an appearance. So… get to the markets and get yourself some!

Rest is a crucial factor in staying healthy – it allows your body the time to restore, replenish and recuperate. I’m not just talking about sleep here either – although, yes, that is definitely important. I’m talking about proper, bona fide, time out i.e. less or no work, no heavy exercise, no socialising, no crazy late nights and (hooplah!) no chores.

Many of us have been guilty of pushing through the start of an infection, or even full-blown illness, often finding that symptoms hang around much longer than we’d like and invariably recur over a period of weeks.

Why do we do this to ourselves? Usually because life feels too busy to take time off that hasn’t been scheduled. People, don’t get caught up in this! Your health, for better or worse, won’t adhere to a strictly controlled itinerary.

No matter how much vitamin C or cold & flu medication you slam down, your immune system won’t work as well if you don’t take some pressure off the rest of your body. And it doesn’t have to be drastic either, sometimes all you need is a day or two at half-speed to feel whole again … although sometimes it’s nice to take a little longer.

Soy products e.g. tofu, tempeh, edamame, TVP (textured vegetable protein), soy milk.

TVP and tofu are extremely versatile – eat them alone or incorporate into ‘mock meat’ dishes such as bolognaise, veg-meatloaf, lasagna, curry, stir-fry, stew, etc.

Edamame can be found in the frozen section of many supermarkets and in all Asian supermarkets – these are delicious steamed and eaten as a snack.

Nuts and Seeds e.g almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), sesame seeds, etc.

These can be easily incorporated into snacks and main meals! For example: spread ABC paste or another nut butter on sourdough spelt toast; sprinkle sunflower seeds and pepitas over salads; or make a delicious smoothie incorporating almonds, banana, berries and soy milk.

Nuts contain many other beneficial nutrients – each one imparts a different benefit, e.g. pistachios are especially high in the amino acid lysine.

Legumes e.g. red beans, black beans, broad beans, kidney beans, lima beans, adzuki beans, mung beans, lentils, peas, sprouts, navy beans, etc.

People are sometimes wary of cooking with legumes, but nothing could be simpler! For example, chickpeas can be used to make falafel or hummus; and cooked lentils can be stirred through a soup or salad.

Grains e.g. rice, wheat, corn, rye, bulgur, oats, millet, barley, buckwheat, spelt, kamut, quinoa, etc.

All of these – not only wheat – are available as a whole grain flour, bread or pasta and noodles. There are many ways to incorporate a variety of grains into meals, such as using millet, polenta, or brown rice to accompany main meals; making sandwiches with spelt or rye bread; mixing quinoa through salads; or just a bowl of oats for brekky.

If you eat a variety of vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds every day you can be sure you’re getting plenty of protein (and many other beneficial nutrients!) in a vegetarian or vegan diet.

The quality, quantity and variety of food eaten every day is one of the most important factors in staying healthy – food is the fuel our bodies’ use to function!

Fresh, seasonal wholefoods will be nutrient-dense, high in fibre and good fats, easy to digest and almost always delicious. Whereas processed foods are often lacking in fibre and nutrients; also containing unhealthy levels of saturated fats, sweeteners, salt and preservatives – all of which do us harm.

The environment in which food is consumed also affects our health. For example, eating on the run, while working, or in front of a TV /computer will stress the body and hamper digestion. While eating in a more relaxed environment will encourage better digestion and prevent problems such as reflux and bloating.

The amount of food we eat is another factor that will impact upon health. Eating too much, particularly in one sitting, will place strain on the digestive system and often result in bloating and discomfort. This will also compromise the body’s ability to best absorb all the nutrients present in the food eaten.

Lastly, the most important aspect of good nutrition is the overall enjoyment of eating a delicious meal.  That’s what eating is all about!

What’s more, by taking an interest in what you eat every day, you are choosing to take an interest in your long term health and wellbeing. An absolutely invaluable cause.

Farmers' markets are an excellent place to source delicious, fresh, seasonal produce

Our health is influenced by a number of inter-linking factors. For example, chronic skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis are often more than skin inflammation alone – they may be exacerbated by stress, allergies or poor diet.

For this reason naturopaths always consider the bigger ‘health picture’ when looking to treat a condition. Treatments – which include recommendations for diet and lifestyle – are tailored to each individual. There is no ‘one size fits all’ remedy!

In order to create the best possible treatment, it’s important for the practitioner to understand all the elements that may be affecting their patients’ health.

This holistic approach to health is what underpins natural medicine.