Happy Labor Day, to those who are resting or taking the day off, and happy September no matter what you’re up to.

September! I’m feeling so mixed about it. There’s nothing like summer, and of all the seasons I think it passes most quickly.

Beyond that, I’ve been having a very cozy August. Hunkering down at home is usually a winter activity for me, but it’s what I needed this month.

It turns out that summer retreat is lovely in its own way.

Late sunsets on the roof of my building, quiet mornings with light streaming in, eating simple dinners from my pantry: these moments have felt like medicine.

I was prepared to feel the farewell-to-summer unease and wistfulness yesterday, on September 1st, and I did have moments along those lines.

Much to my surprise, though, I’m also feeling some hopeful energy around the fall.

As I emerge from this period of being domestic, I’m excited for some fall organization and cleaning projects in my home space.

Some of my nutrition clients who’ve been traveling will be back, and I look forward to regrouping and strategizing with them.

I’m excited for opera season, for dance, and for music.

And, having rediscovered my rooftop this summer, I’m realizing how nice it’ll be to bring hot cups of coffee up there on brisk mornings.

Basically, I’m feeling a lot of duality, which I think is appropriate for autumn. On the one hand, it’s a season in which things start to die, the days get shorter, the weather turns cold.

On the other hand, fall is full of new beginnings: the start of a new school year, the sense of returning to reality after summer hiatus (actual or energetic), the last push of a calendar year.

In the cooler and drier air, my senses always feel sharper, and in spite of being a fall allergy sufferer, I have more energy.

So farewell to summer of 2024, which itself was full of contrast and duality, for me: a wonderful trip and memories made with loved ones, followed by a difficult July and a self-caring August.

I’m proud of myself for having put aside a lot of time to prioritize my well-being this past month, and I don’t intend to stop doing that. It’ll just be interspersed with a little more activity, a little more buzz, a little more looking forward.

September is a bridge, and I’m staying open to whatever comes next.

Happy Monday, friends. Here are some recipes and reads.

Recipes

1. Oatmeal season is on the way back, and I love this recipe with stewed prunes.

2. Everyone’s eating whole cucumbers lately, so here’s a peanutty, savory salad to make with yours.

3. I’m all about roasted cherry tomatoes right now, but I’m also eyeing this cherry tomato salsa.

4. Excited to make this corn gazpacho with cashew cream in place of yogurt.

5. It wouldn’t be September without that first pumpkin spice latte.

Reads

1. How to address the loneliness epidemic? The New York Times Magazine examines this question.

2. Learning to distinguish between types of depression may improve how we offer treatments.

3. So much is written about codependency, but I think this is a particularly good, succinct take on how to identify and address it.

4. Clients ask me about whether they should take probiotics all the time. My response is usually to ask a lot of questions.

What makes you ask? What are you hoping to treat? Can you tell me more about your GI history? Which probiotic were you curious about?

This leads us into a conversation about whether or not a probiotic supplement is likely to be helpful, and if so, which one it should be. But the truth is not not everybody should be taking probiotics, and not all probiotics are backed by research.

On that note, Self does a good job of critically examining the probiotic supplement boom.

5. Just what I’ve been looking for: a gentle approach to fall cleaning.

So far, I’ve had a Labor Day that was half productive, half restorative. I hope it sets a tone for the month ahead.

Till soon,

xo