Spring is almost here!
As we leave behind the cold and dark stillness of winter, a season that
demanded rest and reflection, we move towards a warm and brighter season that
inspires movement, activity, and a renewed energy for life. Spring is a time of rebirth and
creativity. It is a time of leaving
behind that which no longer serves us to welcome new ideas and different
perspectives.
Spring is a wonderful and joyous time, but if our bodies are
not attuned this seasonal transition, we can feel lethargic instead of
energized, irritable instead of inspired, and sickened instead of renewed. We must align ourselves with nature during
this time of transition. Failure to do so can leave one susceptible to colds,
allergies, and feeling out of sync with your body and life in general.
For thousands of years ancient medical systems like Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda have emphasized the connection between our health
and our environment. Chinese medical
philosophy believes that the cyclical climatic changes of the seasons have a
profound influence over human development and wellbeing. To experience vibrant health and ensure
longevity, one must learn to live in harmony with the changing seasons.
To help support your body’s transition from winter to
spring, here are three key practices that will keep you healthy and feeling
your best:
1) Acupuncture
Acupuncture can
prevent you from getting sick during the season’s transition.
According to TCM, transitions in our environment, like the
changing of the seasons, can exacerbate the imbalances that already exist in
our bodies, making us more susceptible to allergies, mood swings, and illness.
During the changing of the seasons, the energy frequency of
our environment shifts.
If, during this change, the body’s energy frequency does not
align with the changing energy frequency of its environment, the energy within
the body, or chi, can get stuck or blocked.
When chi cannot flow freely through the body, imbalances can manifest as
physical illness or emotional instability.
Receiving acupuncture during this transition can free up
stuck chi and bring the body back into balance.
When chi is free to flow through the body, the major systems of the body
function normally, including the detoxification the immune systems – two very important
and active systems during the spring season.
If you’re feeling lethargic, irritable, or depressed during
this change, chances are your body could benefit from a tune-up from your local
acupuncturist. Other signs that you
might need a dose of acupuncture this season include indecisiveness, problems
with the eyes, vision, or tearing, and muscular tightness or weakness.
2) Massage
Massage helps to
prevent injuries and relieve muscle tension and pain that result from new
exercise routines.
Spring brings about renewed energy and activity. As we emerge from winter’s slumber, we feel the
urge to get out and be physically active.
It is important to provide the proper care for our muscles, tendons, and
ligaments as we call upon them to reawaken and support us in our new workout
routines. Massage is an excellent way to
help the body recover from new demanding workouts, keeping us injury-free and
flexible.
Massage aids in recovery from workouts and enhances
flexibility by:
- Flushing out metabolic wastes from
the muscles and surrounding tissues that result from exercise and moving it
towards the lymph for processing and eventual elimination.
- Increasing circulation and the rate
at which oxygenated blood is delivered to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
- Encouraging relaxation, which in
turn stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. This branch of the nervous
system is responsible for tissue repair and recovery, digestion and absorption
of nutrients from food, and the detoxification of toxins produced as a result
of exercise as well as the processing of all things taken into the body.
- Breaking up adhesions in the
muscle fibers that result from repetitive movement or improper alignment.
- Bringing awareness to those areas
of the body that are in need of attention.
3) Eat seasonal and
locally grown produce
Spring is a time of awakening, cleansing, and renewal. We naturally tap into this urge to cleanse
by eating less and craving more raw and lighter foods with bitter and
astringent qualities. During this time it is important to encourage the body to
let go of any fat and toxins that may have accumulated during the winter in
order to prepare for the hot months of summer.
The spring’s harvest naturally provides a low-calorie, low-fat diet that
supports the body’s detoxification process, aids in healthy weight loss, and
encourages the elimination of stored toxins.
Cut down on:
meat
dairy
sugar
Eat more of these supportive seasonal foods:
- Young carrots and beets thinned from
the spring garden provide vitamins and minerals necessary for the body to carry
out its detoxification processes
- Fresh leafy greens like
watercress, dandelion, arugula, romaine lettuce, kale and chard are high in
chlorophyll, a powerful blood purifier.
Green leafy vegetables also aid in strengthening the immune system and
improving liver, gall bladder, and kidney function – all organs involved in the
elimination of fat and toxins.
- Sprouts – alfalfa, bean sprouts
like aduki and mung, and sunflower – are easily digestible sources protein and
enzymes. Protein is a necessary for the
body to carry out detoxification.
- Immature cereal grasses, like
wheat or barley grass, are high in chlorophyll, help purify the blood, and help
remove toxic metals from the body’s tissues.
- Lemons are particularly cleansing
to the liver and are high in vitamin C, potassium, and other minerals. Lemons are also astringent, meaning they
contract and tighten tissues, which loosen up and clear toxins from deep within
tissues and organs.
- The herbs basil, parsley, cilantro, peppermint,
marjoram, rosemary, caraway, dill, and bay leaf are high in antioxidants, have
anti-microbial properties, increase circulation, and stimulate the liver. Herbs like cilantro are natural chelators and help to remove toxic metals from the body.
- Onions and garlic, high in sulfur,
have anti-microbial and anti-viral properties, stimulate metabolism, promote
growth of healthy intestinal flora, and eliminate toxins form the body.
- Spring roots like burdock,
Jerusalem artichoke, and chicory root stimulate bile secretion, serve as excellent
sources of inulin, and help to cleanse and purify the blood.
- Daikon radish, which contains
diuretics, decongestants, and digestive enzymes, is well known for its fat
dissolving properties.
Other beneficial foods and herbs during the spring season
include: artichokes, asparagus, green beans, turnips, celery, Brussels sprouts,
Extra virgin olive oil, milk thistle, dandelion root, and raw sauerkraut.
And don’t forget to drink plenty of water – between meals
and after massage and acupuncture treatments.
Sources:
Haas, Elson, Staying Healthy with the Seasons. Berkley/Toronto, Celestial Arts, 2003.
Pitchford, Paul, Healing with Whole Foods. Berekely, CA, North Atlantic Books, 2002.
Wood, Rebecca, The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York,
Penguin Books, 1999.
