‘Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.’ –  F. Scott Fitzgerald. 

As the leaves fall in all their glory, they usher in a season of beauty, rejuvenation, and hope. 

Fall offers you a chance to wipe the slate clean and set new goals you can accomplish by the end of the year. 

Fall is also the ideal time to make small but significant changes to your lifestyle, yielding big health results. On the flip side, it is also the start of the cold and flu season. 

But, before you can transition and enjoy Fall this year, you’ll want to stay as healthy as possible amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent wildfires. 

While we were told to shelter inside when the pandemic hit, gradually outdoor activities were encouraged to maintain our calm and sanity. But with the recent wildfires in the Bay Area and beyond, planning outdoor activities is not just difficult but can also be dangerous for even people without preexisting health conditions.

As many of us are going through a period of uncertainty and adjustment as we head into the fall season under the current pandemic and effects of wildfire, there are things we can do to stay healthy even with the challenges we face today. 

We are here to help you with our top tips to stay healthy this Fall in the midst of the pandemic and wildfires. 

1. Get Your Flu Vaccine in the Fall & Maintain Good Hygiene

The flu vaccine is one of the most essential preventive steps to stay healthy during the season. It helps reduce flu-related illnesses, missed work, and emergency visits. Get the once-a-year flu vaccine before October end as recommended by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

While the flu vaccine is recommended every year, getting your flu vaccine is especially recommended this year to avoid a bad flu season in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The overlapping of the flu and coronavirus complications could impose a tremendous burden on individual health and the public health systems. 

For the 2020-2021 flu season, the CDC recommends “annual influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months and older with any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine.” For those 65 years or older, a new quadrivalent high-dose vaccine licensed is available that provides protection against 4 strains of the flu virus.

Dr. V at Los Gatos Doc recommends that you reach out to your local pharmacy now and find out when you can schedule your flu shot this season. 

In addition to getting the flu shot, maintain good hygiene. Sterilizing your most touched items such as your cell phone, keyboard, TV remote, and tablet and all germ habitats weekly, if not daily, is a good habit during the flu season. 

2. Bask in the Beauty of Fall, But Venture Outside with Caution

There’s no better time to enjoy the outdoors than Fall. Immerse in the beauty of the changing leaves, the crisp air, and the sounds of nature. A walk in nature in this season will boost your mood and creativity. Remember the many fun activities you can do in the Fall — apple picking, corn mazes, and fall festivals. 

But, we suggest you tread with extra caution this Fall when you venture outside.

Get familiar with the air quality index (AQI) and check the air quality data where you live on the Air Now website. The AQI is the way to assess how safe the air quality is. It is a measurement system from 0 to 500 that categorizes air quality into the following color-coded ranges: 

• The green zone from 0-50 AQI indicates good air quality. Everyone can venture outside safely.
• The yellow zone with an AQI of 51-100 is moderate air quality and means almost everyone is fine to resume normal activities outdoors. But, those who are sensitive to air pollution should be cautious with exercise.
• The orange zone with an AQI of 101-150 indicates unhealthy air conditions for sensitive groups, such as individuals with heart and lung disease, older adults, children, and teens. These groups can continue to be active outdoors, but with extra precautions such as taking breaks in-between, and reducing intense activities. You can take children to the park when the AQI is up to 150. But remember that children aged 0 to 4 are especially sensitive to air pollution. When AQI is in the orange zone, infants should stay inside, but older kids can go outdoors with precautions. 
• The red zone, with an AQI between 151-200, is unhealthy for everyone. Venture outside minimally and, if necessary, if you are an otherwise healthy person. However, we do not recommend exercising outdoors when the air quality is above 151.
• The purple zone with a range of 201 to 300 indicates that the air quality is very unhealthy. Everyone should avoid all outdoor activities and stay indoors.
• The maroon zone of  AQI 301 or higher is considered hazardous.

When the air quality is bad, the best advice is to stay inside with the windows and doors closed. Experts also recommend running recirculated air when driving in the car.

A mask can never replace you staying indoors when it is recommended to do so. If you have to go out, continue to follow health guidelines like washing your hands or using a hand sanitizer, keeping a physical distance between yourself and others and wearing a mask in public spaces. 

3. Have Fun with Your Fitness Routine

When you usher in something new at the beginning of a season, it’s bound to energize you and bring in higher motivation levels. 

Try something different if you are stuck in a fitness rut. You can do a mind-body workout like Tai chi, Pilates, or Yoga. Or get your cardio fix with kickboxing or salsa. Think about fun and effective ways to bring your workout indoors by opting for online yoga classes, downloading a fitness app, or doing some YouTube workouts.

If you want to exercise outdoors, please check the AQI of where you live before you do so. 

4. Lean Towards a Vegetarian Diet

One way to improve your diet this Fall is to lean in towards a vegetarian diet.

Consume in-season foods as Fall is the time for bountiful vegetables and fruits: butternut squash, brussels sprouts, cranberries, crab apples, and turnips. 

Beans pack in a lot of flavor and texture that can be added to your soups, casseroles, chilis, and salads. Beans are a rich source of protein, folic acid, iron, potassium, and fiber. You can take your pick from lima, garbanzo, pinto, black, and more. 

Include immunity-boosting foods to fight the cold and flu season such as foods with vitamin C (oranges, clementines, and limes) garlic, ginger, spinach, and almonds. 

Who can forget the star of the season? Pumpkin is one of the best sources for beta-carotene and is converted into vitamin A in the body. Go for the real deal and avoid the sugar-laden canned version of it. 

You can opt for smart swaps on traditional comfort foods. Have a nourishing fiber-rich veggie soup instead of a creamy clam chowder. Use coconut oil instead of butter. 

Pay attention to your Vitamin D levels as daylight is less available during the season. You can have salmon, tuna, cod liver oil, milk, or supplements, as suggested by your doctor to get enough vitamin D.

A warmer alcohol drink will take the chill off the season. Red wine has heart health benefits and is an excellent choice for this season. Pregnant women and others with health reasons, however, should abstain. 

Maintain an appropriate water intake and keep your skin supple as the weather gets drier. 

5. Get Social

Having people we can talk to and a community to support you helps during the current pandemic times.

Fall is the perfect season to connect with your friends, and family and keep stress at bay. Whether it is a phone call, video call, or text message, make some time in your schedule for nurturing healthy relationships. 

Have one family meal at the table together and speak your hearts out. Dining together strengthens family relationships and helps you eat slowly and appreciate food more.

6. Synchronize Your Sleep

The changing fall schedules demand synchronizing your internal sleep-wake clock to the external environment. With the sun going down earlier, it can throw off your circadian rhythm.

Rising and shining at the same time every day helps immensely. Aim for a sleep schedule of at least seven hours during the night. You can soak into a relaxing hot bath with Epsom salts before bedtime. Epsom salts contain sulfate and magnesium, which help remove toxins from your body and ease arthritis pain that can flare up in the cold season. 

7. Know Your Numbers

Give your health a boost this season, and focus on prevention. Knowing your numbers will help you figure out your risk for heart disease.

Fall is the ideal time to set-up your annual physical you’ve been putting off all year. Get your bloodwork and all the other related tests done to maximize your healthcare benefit.

You can schedule an appointment with Dr. Arun Villivalam, best primary care physician in Los Gatos, to get your cholesterol and blood pressure, and blood glucose levels checked. 

Final Thoughts 

As the wildfires extend into the Fall, it’s important everyone stays vigilant about air pollution, not just people in the sensitive groups. Check the air quality in your area every day, throughout the day. We recommend checking the Environmental Protection Agency’s Fire and Smoke map on the airnow.gov website. Also, remember to use your instincts. If you’re outside and smell smoke, you should head indoors. Continue to practice all recommended COVID-19 safety precautions as well. 

Despite the challenges we all are facing with the pandemic and the local wildfires, Fall is the perfect time to slow down and focus on your health and wellness. Our tips are aimed at helping you have a healthier Fall. We understand that change can be hard. So, try incorporating one tip a week, and add to it as you progress. Eating healthy, keeping up your exercise routine, and resting well can boost your immune system and keep your health on track. 

If you have any questions or concerns, our team at Los Gatos Doc is always available to support your health needs. Call us at 408-520-6040 or schedule a visit at visitlosgatosdoc.com