Fall into a new routine

By Miranda

Hi everyone!

The blog has been quiet for a while, as has Radiant Family.

For those reading who may not know us personally, Jason (the co-creator of Radiant Family) and I were married in late August. Hooray! And since then we've been vibrating along the thread of new-marriedness, honeymooning, and now getting settled back into the office. Like it was for many others, the end of summer and start of Fall was a whirlwind of activity.

And now the calm months of transition into cooler climate, shorter days and indoor hibernation are on their way.

I love autumn, especially in beautiful Oregon. This will be the first time in a few years that I have been living in Oregon through Autumn and am looking forward to feeling the seasons do their shift.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I am accustomed to feeling the seasons change. As a student and busy do-too-much-er in the past, I've felt that shift in my sore throat and stuffy sinuses. As a healthcare practitioner, I've seen it come into the office as seasonal allergies, asthma, cold and flu, bronchitis and even pneumonia.

The seasonal illness part of Fall has never been a friend of mine. In years past, I was down with a cold as often as twice a month. And at a 10-12 day sickness spell, that meant months passed with rarely a well day.

That has changed in the past handful of years. I still get a cold, but possibly only one or two a year. And never for more than two or three days, as I promptly turn to the magic of Chinese herbs if I do fall ill.

If any of you that frequent our clinic for other reasons do come down with a contagious illness, please PLEASE come get some herbs from me as soon as possible. I hear of many people struggling to shake off a cold, flu or respiratory infection for weeks and wish everyone knew how helpful a few doses of herbal medicine could be!

But prevention is the best medicine.

Through study and self-experimentation, I've found a number of interesting habits over the years that have helped to keep myself healthy and prevent illness effectively. Such a large number of habits, in fact, that it's too much for one article.

So for the next few weeks, I'll touch on these habits a few at a time. I hope they can help you enjoy the beauty of the autumn and winter months, and prevent the lengthy illnesses that so many of us easily succumb to this time of year.

Until next time, enjoy this beautiful October!