September 24, 2025

51. Fall Foods That Strengthen Digestion

32 minutes

As the season cools and dries, your body changes too. Kate shares exactly how to pivot your meals toward warm, moist, grounding foods, plus easy spice pairings and a gentle two-week transition mindset that protects digestion at the seasonal “joint” (the ṛtu sandhi). Expect soups and stews, cooked fruit, warm water rituals, and smart use of fat and seeds. If you’re feeling the first signs of dryness—skin, eyes, stools—this episode gives you simple, delicious ways to respond.

What You’ll Learn

Why fall is naturally “cleansing” and how a short, simpler diet window helps digestion recalibrate.

Core fall cooking shifts: soups/stews, cooked fruit, warm (not cold) drinks, and more oil.

Spices that stoke agni (digestive fire) without overheating: ginger, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, fennel, turmeric.

When to avoid potential irritants (e.g., caffeine, nightshades, nuts during a cleanse window).

Moisture matters: adding ghee, olive, coconut, sesame, flax, or hemp (used appropriately).

Practical pantry habits: toasted seed toppers, a go-to dressing or tahini sauce, and a thermos of hot water.

Mindful eating cues: sit down, breathe, and let the nervous system settle before meals.

Episode Highlights (Breakdown)

Seasonal logic: Cold + dry outside calls for warm + moist in your bowl.

Soups & stews: Blend greens with veggie broth, coconut milk, ginger, and cumin; add a scoop of cooked grain for texture.

Beans for gentle detox: think mung beans (and classic kitchari) cooked very soft.

Cooked fruit > raw fruit in cold weather: sautéed apples with ghee + cinnamon, stewed pears, stewed prunes.

Warm water ritual: swap the water bottle for a thermos; consider plain hot water between meals.

Fats & oils: increase slightly if you notice dryness (skin, eyes, stools).

Seeds = mineral boost: toast pumpkin/sunflower; finish with ume plum vinegar or tamari as a daily topper.

Dressings you’ll use: olive/hemp/flax oil with ume plum or balsamic, herbs; or a lemon-tahini drizzle.

Root veg & squash love: carrot, beet, fennel, kale, collards, winter squash + coconut milk + red lentils + ginger = fall gold.

Eating posture: sit, slow down, and skip screens to keep wind (vāta) from spiking.

Mentioned in this episode:

Kate O’Donnell / Ayurvedic Living Institute: healwithkate.org

Kate’s cookbooks & fall recipes: https://healwithkate.org/book-tour

Fall Community Cleanse: https://ayurvedicliving.institute/kitchari-cleanse-ayurveda-fall

Call to Action

Join Kate’s Fall Community Cleanse (10 days of gentle transitions, spices, and guided routines).

Grab the Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook for the fall section (soups, stews, cooked fruits).

Try the thermos swap: carry hot water for one week and notice the difference.

Share your fall bowl: Tag @healwithkate with your soup/stew and seed topper!

The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or wellness routine.

Connect with Kate: https://www.healwithkate.org

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By Kate O’Donnell

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