I’ve been carrying this text within me for several days now. I think it’s time to let it out—why keep it bottled up inside? 🙂 Seasonal transitions bring unique challenges to our bodies, requiring extra care and awareness. Did you know that we have a built-in system for adapting to the changing seasons? It’s a distinct hormonal mechanism that helps us adjust quickly and efficiently. Fascinating, isn’t it?
The Body’s Natural Rhythm
Let’s start at the beginning. Around February 18, the body tentatively activates its seasonal transition program, which lasts about a month. This process is hardwired into us, operating beyond our conscious control. That’s why awareness is key—each seasonal shift requires extra resources from the body.
On February 21, I took a short flight to visit a friend. As we all know, even brief flights are stressful for the body—pressure changes, travel fatigue, and overall disruption take a toll. So, in addition to seasonal transitions, my body also had to cope with travel stress. Upon returning, I jumped straight back into work. My body kept whispering, “Rest, you need to rest.” But I didn’t listen. More tension, more stress. Three days later, I felt a sore throat coming on.
I immediately turned to sage tea for gargling and drank a blend of linden blossom, rosehip, elecampane root, and raspberry tea. I felt fine, so I kept pushing forward. Day three—still running.
By day six, congestion (a sign of lymphatic stagnation) blocked the right side of my head and face, though not severely. I added marigold and cleavers to my regimen. But I still didn’t rest. Still running.
On day seven, I woke up feeling okay. I went out to gather willow bark for a tincture—because the moon phase was right, the plant was at its peak, and there were plenty of reasons why it had to be done now. But after bringing home my willows, my body said, “Enough.” My strength drained, my head buzzed, and my energy plummeted. I lay down. I tried to rest, but I kept getting up—there was so much to do.
By the afternoon, my body gave me a clear ultimatum: either lie down properly or I’ll make you. 😀 So, I finally rested. To ensure I stayed put, my temperature rose slightly—37.6°C. I drank about two liters of tea throughout the day.
On the morning of day eight, the congestion was nearly gone, my head was clear, my temperature was normal, and my energy was fully restored.
The Lesson:
Had I allowed myself to rest after the trip—as we should after any travel—this whole episode of sore throat and congestion likely wouldn’t have happened. Seasonal transitions require mindful adjustments to avoid unnecessary stress on the body.
Rethinking Illness
For a long time, I saw illness as an enemy—something to avoid at all costs. But the more I study the human body, mind, and our relationship with nature, the more I realize that illness is not the enemy. It’s a message. It’s a gift.
When we live in tune with our body’s and soul’s rhythms, we experience balance. The body’s needs are simple:
- Align with nature’s cycles (day-night and seasonal changes);
- Provide proper nourishment (clean, high-quality, and minimally processed food);
- Maintain energy balance—what we expend, we must replenish.
The body communicates these needs clearly, but we’ve become accustomed to ignoring them.
The Rhythms of Nature
Nature’s cycles are everywhere. The most obvious is day and night. Our hormones and overall health depend on this rhythm. When we follow a natural daily cycle, everything stays in harmony. But when we start identifying as “night owls” or “early birds” to justify poor sleep habits, we disrupt our hormonal balance, which affects the entire body.
Seasonal transitions are just as crucial. As the balance of elements in nature shifts, it changes within us too. In winter, cold and dampness (Earth and Water) dominate. Those with these elements in their constitution (heavier, slower, introverted, prone to melancholy) must adjust their diet and lifestyle by incorporating more Fire and Air—spicier, warming foods and activities. In summer, when Fire and Air take over, we naturally crave salads and swimming in lakes to cool down. But for those already dominated by Fire and Air, summer can be overwhelming, requiring extra cooling measures.
Energy Balance
In modern life, we experience an internal energy deficit and external energy overload. Humans are the only creatures on Earth that consume far more external energy than they generate internally. What is external energy? Anything that reduces our own effort—washing machines, dishwashers, cars, blenders, etc. The more we rely on these conveniences, the less we engage our own energy systems.
This applies to mental energy too. Relying on GPS for navigation weakens our natural sense of direction. Storing all phone numbers in our devices deteriorates our memory, despite its incredible capacity. Instantly Googling answers instead of thinking critically means skipping the entire intellectual process—questioning, analyzing, and forming conclusions. In short, we outsource our energy instead of developing it.
What Matters Most
Key takeaways about seasonal transitions:
- The state we enter a seasonal shift in determines our well-being during the transition. If we’re exhausted, stressed, or tense, we’re much more likely to get sick.
- The body has a limited energy reserve, managed by the endocrine and nervous systems. When seasonal adaptation begins, the body activates a special hormonal pathway that demands extra resources.
- If we enter this transition already depleted or experience additional stress, we risk not just getting sick but developing chronic imbalances. The body prioritizes survival, redirecting energy from less critical functions, which can lead to brain fog, memory lapses, and a loss of joy in activities we once loved.
How to Stay Balanced
To maintain balance in life and health, I believe in:
- Living in sync with nature—going to bed before 11 PM, waking up with the sun, observing seasonal transitions.
- Eating seasonally—choosing foods that grow naturally in our environment at the right time of year.
- Balancing daily life—equal parts work and rest, movement and stillness, thinking and creativity.
- Doing what brings joy and letting go of what doesn’t.
Final Thoughts
Illness is simply a signal that something in our life is out of balance. Serious illnesses indicate a significant misalignment between the body, mind, and soul. The body is governed by the mind, and the mind by the soul—so all diseases begin at a deeper level. Treating only the physical symptoms ensures the problem will return.
I now see colds and viral infections as immune system training. If immunity is left dormant, it may later overreact, leading to autoimmune issues. Mild illnesses help keep our immune system in check. The real challenge? Our minds—always filled with more plans and tasks than truly necessary.
Before seasonal transitions, it’s beneficial to strengthen the body—calming the nervous system, balancing digestion, and nourishing ourselves with fresh, living foods. Trendy seasonal detoxes are often counterproductive. Instead, I wish it were fashionable to simply listen to our bodies—then we’d all experience better health.
What are your thoughts? Share your experiences in the comments!
