How and Why to Welcome Spring

This year's relatively mild winter is coming to an end and that means spring is on the way.  Nature is getting ready to go through yet another cycle, and it isn't out of the realm of possibility to start seeing some buds poking through the dirt even now, with several weeks left until the official start of spring.

What many of us don't realize is that humans are also a part of nature, and so we were made to flow with the seasons and to change our eating according to what is coming out of the ground.   

Pretty soon, we will start to see sprouts, shoots and dandelions, which just happen to be the perfect foods for naturally detoxifying the body after a long winter of hibernation and warming foods.

When we eat with the seasons, we flow with the cycles of nature:  winter beans and stews keep us warm; high-antioxidant spring greens support the liver and naturally clear out winter stagnation; and summer fruits and berries give us more energy for outdoor activity and longer days.  

The system is perfect, yet many of us eat the same way all year long.  Since most of our food comes from a supermarket, we are somewhat disconnected from our Mother Earth, with all of her healing and balancing offerings.

I encourage all of my clients to eat with the seasons and allow their bodies to reconnect to their natural state of well-being and balance.  With spring just around the corner, you can look forward to enjoying these naturally cleansing and detoxifying foods through the early summer months:
 

arugula
asparagus
broccoli rabe
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
celery
collard greens
dandelion
endive
garlic
ginger
green beans
kale
lettuces
lentils
mushrooms
mustard greens
onions, scallions
parsley
peas
peppers
potatoes
radishes
sprouts of all kinds
swiss chard
turmeric
turnips
watercress

Interestingly, almost all of the naturally bitter foods are spring foods - which makes perfect sense, as bitter foods clear heat (inflammation) move energy in the body downward (for elimination).  The system is perfect.

So what can you start to add in?  During the early days of spring, when the weather is still a bit chilly, why not try a spring vegetable soup, such as pea-potato-arugula? Or a warm spring greens dish like creamy sesame dandelion, or lentil sliders? 

The best part about eating seasonally is that you never really get tired of anything, because before you know it, a new season is just around the corner.  

Happy spring!