Spring Nutrition 101
Happy Spring Equinox! Longer and lighter days are upon us :)
Last week I wrote about how a change in season allows us to look at old patterns in our lives with new awareness. Naturally, we should include food as our most important energy source in our assessments. This is a time to let go of foods and eating habits that no longer serve us, giving our bodies a break to promote natural cleansing as we move into warmer months. The way we eat is a significant part of our well-being, so consider this a friendly reminder that the foods whose energy we extract the most easily are unprocessed, whole foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and beans. The more natural or whole foods are, the easier they digest and assimilate to provide the energy needed for our cells to work. Buy your produce at your local farmers market as they start to open up, supporting local growers and eating locally grown produce is a crucial element of working towards a sustainable food system which is best for our health and the planet. It’s also best for our bodies to eat in a relaxed, calming environment, free of distractions as much as possible. Taking a moment to pause and calm the body before eating activates our parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) and prepares your body to receive full nourishment. Breathe deeply, and chew well!
In addition to recommitting to the foundations of good nutrition, we should begin to lighten up our plates from the heavier, more heat-producing meals of winter. Start by reducing overly sweet and salty foods, dense proteins, cow dairy products and foods that are high in saturated fats. We should also try to refrain from snacking throughout the day and eating as a way to cope emotionally. In spring we naturally eat less to cleanse the body of all of the accumulation that served us in the winter. Spring is the purification season, as we typically eat more fresh foods as they become available, and take in more liquid. Our selection of fruits and vegetables should bring out our seasonal awareness, and our eating plans should reflect that we are shopping for fresh, local produce as much as possible.
Foods to Emphasize
Greens: They are plentiful at this time of year and their use has always been associated with freshening, cleansing, and building the body. Greens have a moderate amount of protein (10-20%), and many contain calcium and phosphorus plus the B vitamins, and vitamins C, E, and A. Reach for greens like sprouts, lettuce, kale, arugula, spinach, swiss chard, dandelion greens, mustard greens, and watercress. Tips for getting in your greens here!
Sweet and Pungent Foods: TCM recommends these flavours for their expansive, rising qualities as a means of creating a personal spring within. Most of the complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes and seeds have a primarily sweet flavour which increases with sprouting (soaking overnight), and young beets, carrots and other starchy vegetables contain this quality. It is also welcome to use a little honey in herbal teas as a seasonal allergy support. The pungent flavour is best acquired in herbs like basil, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, caraway, dill, and bay leaf.
Raw Foods: Food preparation becomes simpler in the spring, and raw fresh fruits and fibre-rich vegetables should be emphasized to stimulate the digestive system and support systems of elimination. They are also cleansing and cooling.
Other considerations:
Light-stimulating warming foods like mineral-rich broths, miso soups, and porridges.
Spices to support the circulatory system in staying warm: cayenne pepper, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, rosemary, sage, thyme and turmeric.
Cleansing herbs and lymphatic system herbs: burdock, chickweed, cleavers, nettle, red clover.
Cooking foods for a shorter time but at higher temperatures such as steaming, blanching, light simmering, or quick high-temperature sauteés.
If you are interested in further guidance tailored to your body and lifestyle, let’s work together! All of my 1:1 support packages come with a custom wellness plan including nutritional strategies, a grocery list, a seasonal meal plan, and supplement and lifestyle recommendations to support you this Spring.
Sources:
Pitchford, Paul, Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition, 1993
Haas, Elon M, Staying Healthy with Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Nutritional Medicine, 1992
Haas, Elon M, Staying Healthy with The Seasons, 1981
Benjamin, Sarah Kate + Singletary, Ashely, The Kosmic Kitchen: Everyday Herbalism and Recipes for Radical Wellness, 2020