Spring Cleaning For The Body

Dear Reader,

Tomorrow marks the first day of Spring (in the Northern Hemisphere)!

It’s a time for new beginnings…Can you hear the birds chirping?!

I would venture to say that most of us could use a fresh start after a full year of having our world flipped upside-down.

What if the fresh start that you’re looking for started with your fork?

If it’s true that you are what you eat, then it’s time to put down the processed,
non-organic fast foods and time to pick up the unprocessed, organic, clean foods.

When we’re in alignment during the springtime, we naturally eat less, to cleanse the body of fats and the heavy foods we ate during the winter (and the past year).

Even the foods you eat can represent the flavor of spring, such as young plants, fresh greens and sprouts, and even some young cereal grasses.

Food preparation can be lighter during this time of the year as well. Eating raw or sprouted foods will promote cleansing and cooling of the organs, especially if you’re one with a hot temper or if you notice an increase in body temperature due to more physical exercise or living in warmer climates.

Raw greens help to cleanse the body and can be increased during the spring or summer months. However, if you already have a weak digestive system, struggle with depression, or have a deficient condition then avoid raw foods.

Additionally, we recommend avoiding salty foods such as miso, soy sauce, and cured or processed meats during the springtime.

Sweet and pungent herbs like honey and mint tea will help support the Liver. Other beneficial pungent herbs that you can cook with are fennel, marjoram, rosemary, caraway, dill, and bay leaf.

Although it may cause some B.O. (body odor), doing a week long worth of eating intensely pungent foods like onion and garlic can help rid the body of parasites!

Complex carbs like grains, seeds and beans have a sweet flavor that promote sprouting of the Liver energy. Sweet potatoes, beats, carrots and sweet rice are a great addition to your plate as well.

Speaking of sweet potatoes and onions, in this week’s video we narrowed in on a yummy recipe of caramelized sweet potatoes (with sautéed onions) from my previous ‘Cooking with Chris’ episode, featuring Chef Andre Rush.

This recipe is a perfect spring dish to get yourself back into alignment and ready for a fresh start.

Try it out and let us know how it goes!

May the Qi be with you,
-Chris and Parisa

Foods Grown in Spring