October starts today, and with it comes a seasonal menu change. Isn't it amazing that God changes our menu seasonally, because food is medicine, and He designed our food to match the nutritional needs?
Turning leaves, schedules settle, and pots of soup find their way back to the stove. October invites us to slow down and notice God’s generous hand at work throughout creation. This is a season to receive harvest foods, fresh air, golden light, and to give thanks for the body’s God-given ability to heal.
"...a time to plan, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;..." Ecclesiastes 3 2b
God’s Provision in the Fall Harvest
Walk the produce aisle or a farmers’ market this month, and you’ll see crisp apples, butternut and acorn squash, sweet potatoes, cabbage and kale; onions and garlic; pumpkins in abundance. These foods aren’t trendy; they are timely. They arrive when our bodies naturally crave warmth, fiber, minerals, and steady energy.
Apples offer pectin (a soluble fiber) that supports digestion and blood sugar balance. Slice one with almond butter for a steady snack.
Winter Squash provides beta-carotene and comfort. Roast cubes with avocado oil and cinnamon; purée with broth for a simple soup.
Dark Leafy Greens deliver minerals our adrenals love. Add chopped kale to soups and stews for a nutrient boost.
Alliums, such as onions and garlic, bring flavor and compounds that support immune resilience. Sauté in butter and stir into everything.
Pumpkin is more than pie. Stir canned pumpkin into the pancake batter with spices; bake muffins sweetened with a bit of honey.
“Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed… to you it shall be for meat.” Genesis 1:29
Herbs and Teas that Soothe
When the mental stress of the day is loud, gentle botanicals can help quiet the body. A warm mug of chamomile can signal sleep. Peppermint may soothe occasional digestive upset. Ginger warms and helps with queasy days.
A teaspoon of local honey adds comfort to the throat. However, the growing things in God’s world often partner with the healing design He has placed within us.
Gratitude as Medicine
Gratitude shifts our physiology by slowing the stress response and calming our focus. Similar to the box breathing, it calms and refocuses the mind.
Keep a fall gratitude note pad on the fridge. Invite your family to add fall blessings like raining leaves, a hayride, or a warm loaf of sourdough bread on the table.
”giving thanks always for all things”... Ephesians 5:20
Your body is not fragile; it is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Healing often occurs quietly through faithful daily routines, such as good sleep habits, consistent decluttering, and eating homemade meals instead of drive-thru windows. Gentle movement that keeps joints happy and bones strong. Stewardship is key to the miracle of health.
Harvest Hash and Eggs Breakfast
Enjoy one of my favorite fall breakfasts. It can be easily made and adapted for the season produced.
I'd love to hear about how you're incorporating the fall harvest into your meals this month. Please share your ideas in the comments so that others can try them.
Have you swapped out your artificial scents yet? Get one of the Autumn Edit starter kits to awaken autumn at your house!
