Kitchari is a complete protein food- rice and pulses cooked together, making them easier to digest and more nourishing for all of the body’s tissues (dhatu). As a result, it’s the number one convalescent food in Ayurveda.

Moist but not too soupy, this particular basmati rice and split yellow mung bean kitchari is one of my go-tos, especially when the weather is windy, wet or cold, I’m feeling a bit anxious or flighty, or someone I love is coming down with something. It’s super easy to cook, and what’s more you only need one pot!

Porridge (or oatmeal as it’s known in some parts) is the perfect way to start the day once there’s a chill in the air. Tummy-warming, grounding, nourishing and filling, it can be changed up ever so slightly depending on your dosha, and keep you satisfied until lunch time.

Contrary to popular opinion, in Ayurveda an apple a day does not keep the doctor away. Instead, during this season of change, a bowl of stewed apple might just do the trick. Cooked apple has grounding, nourishing properties which- as previously discussed- are so important for us at this time of year.

Vata is the dominant dosha of changeable Autumn, and we already have enough background free-floating anxiety going on at the moment what with the cost of living crisis, energy bills, the death of the Queen, a new monarch, a new PM- you name it! So, try balancing yourself with more warming, sweet and grounding foods in order to remove excess Pitta and counteract rising Vata

Sattvic, satisfying, crunchy sunflower seeds are good for your blood, lymph system (immunity!) and are rich in good fats. They’re great for pregnant women but also just, well, anyone really! Especially those who have high Pitta or Vata.

During times of change, it’s even more important to eat seasonally, as nature provides what is necessary for us, and if we know our Ayurvedic constitution and imbalances, then it’s even easier for us to pick the right foods for ourselves.

I finally decided it was time to pull out the garlic big guns a couple of days ago, and I’m so glad I did as we aren’t the sorry bunch we were a few days ago now.

Garlic has been used in herbal medicine traditions all over the world for centuries and rightly so, as it is basically a herbal panacea!

Eat Spring greens to pacify Kapha during this cold, wet, Kapha season. This, in essence, is what eating Ayurvedically is all about. If you know what is likely to put your doshas out of whack, then food is a great way to pre-empt the attack! Yoga is another way this can be achieved.

Why eat oldskool pearl barley? If you have gut inflammation, IBS (often Pitta problems) or constipation, then barley is a great one for soothing your inflamed innards and ensuring that your bowels are cleared! If you’re trying to lose weight (often a Kapha issue), barley metabolises fat and keeps you feeling full. If you’re diabetic, barley reduces glucose slowly into the bloodstream, reducing blood sugar spiking.

Stomach satisfying, ojas-building, liver cleansing butternut squash in tiny little cheat-cubes from the supermarket. It’s the corner-cutter I needed!

Have you made space in your life for this tri-doshic tonic this Winter? A teaspoon a day can help alleviate a LOT of every day niggles, from coughs to heartburn, bad memory to clear skin. It’s an affordable elixir!

Got a cough or cold? Tulsi (holy basil) can clear congestion, relieve fevers and reduce headaches,. On top of that, it can also increase prana, aid digestion, and promote mental and spiritual clarity. So, here is the wonder herb in ice-lolly form!

Aromatic basmati rice with pine nuts, cumin, coriander, fennel, turmeric and black pepper. Add more or less of each ingredient, depending on your current dosha balance (vikriti).

Feeling tired? Honey can wake you up. Feeling snotty? Honey can clear you out. Feeling heavy? Honey can help you lose weight. Feeling pale, pasty or ashy? Honey can give you some colour. Oh hi there honey!

From an Ayurvedic perspective, farts are a strong signal that brussel sprouts aggravate the Vata in us (that which is airy and spacey).

Nightshades have a bad reputation in Ayurveda- some people can tolerate them well, but they may affect you in ways you hadn’t thought of before

It’s Halloween and they aren’t pumpkins, but they are orange, and they’re perfect for combatting Autumnal Vata

Fieriness, fightiness, forgetfulness, fatigue, flightiness: Reducing the Fs associated with being peri- or menopausal

I love them, and not just because of the way they sound when they pop!