Eating with the Seasons: Spring
Spring is the time of re-birth, creation, development, movement and creativity. With equinox, yang and light start to dominate. In nature, seeds begin to sprout, trees bud and nature awakens with green. Keep Wood element in best possible shape with new attention to nutrition, exercise, self-awareness and self-expression. It is important to clear out the past to create space for new.
WOOD ELEMENT CHARACTERISTICS:
Direction: East
Climate: Wind
Organs: Liver and Gallbladder
Emotion: Anger
Taste: Sour
Tissue: Muscles/Ligaments/Tendons
Sensor/Organ: Sight/Eyes
Fluid: Tears
Colour: Green
Quality: Growth
Regulates: Detoxification/Muscle strength
In spring, seeds begin to sprout, trees bud and nature awakens with green.
ORGANS AT PEAK:
Liver stores and distributes nourishment, is involved in the formation and breakdown of blood, filters toxins and aids in metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It stores vitamins and produces important proteins. Also produces bile that is stored in the gallbladder, needed for emulsification (digestion) of fats.
Compromised liver may manifest in lack of enthusiasm, difficulty in waking up, inability to make decisions, inability to rest and neck tension and headaches. Many may experience allergies, hay fever, skin rash, hyperactivity or nervousness.
CHANGES IN EXERCISE:
Increase your exercise routine by adding outdoors activities, such as hiking, jogging or playing tennis to encourage sweating. Allow for sufficient rest and deep breathing exercises.
Soak up the green colour of grass and young leaves – they calm down and help to nourish the liver.
SPRING NUTRITION:
It is a good time to fast or introduce a liquid cleanse. Meals should become lighter with plenty of greens and lightly cooked veg – sprouts, salads, seasonal fruit. Add nuts, seeds and grains but fewer meat or diary. Cook soups, casseroles and slow-cooked meats. Avoid excess sour, cold and raw food, as well as processed food, chemicals, drugs and alcohol.
VEG AND FRUIT IN SEASON:
Fruit: rhubarb.
Veg: chicory, dandelion, spring onions, lamb’s lettuce, rocket, leeks, cauliflower, savoy cabbage, kale, cucumber, asparagus, spinach.
Meals should become lighter with plenty of greens and lightly cooked veg .
TOP TIPS:
- Consider 5-10 days of juice cleanse and introduce daily fasts of min. 12 hours between dinner and breakfast.
- Include greens in every meal – add to salads, soups, smoothies, stir-fries etc.
- Slowly reduce consumption of meat and dairy, switch to beans and fish instead.
- Avoid processed food, household chemicals, prescription drugs and alcohol.
- Use plenty of fresh and dried herbs.
- Cook with a lid half-way on.
- Use cold-pressed, organic olive oil.
- Drink plenty of fluids and start your day with a glass of lukewarm water and lemon juice.
- Spend more time outdoors and expose your skin to sunlight.
Enjoy the explosion of colours, fragrance and singing birds!
Emilia
RECIPE: Asparagus soup with feta.
