I am a huge supporter and advocate of eating seasonally, eating organic, and eating locally. This type of eating lifestyle and dietary consciousness is not only about what is good for our bodies; it is about what is symbiotically beneficial to the environment as well. Eating seasonally appropriate foods gives our bodies optimum nutrition and energy. It cools and heats our bodies according to our changing environment and helps us detox and cleanse our body organs so we are lighter, more resilient and stronger than last season. Want to have more spring in your step and save money on foods that are plentiful and less expensive?
The following are seasonal foods for the spring that has sprung!
For its alkalizing, detoxing, cleansing, immunity boosting effects, dark leafy greens offer a certain astringency that help detox the body and flush out mucus accumulated over the winter and flu season These plants grow upward and outward offering light and flexible energy. (For the Eastern Asian Medicine enthusiasts out there, a rule of thumb when differentiating between cooling and warming foods is the time required to grow. Foods that generally take longer to grow have more of a warming effect. Depending on your body’s constitution, if you need more cooling or warming foods, eat and nourish your body accordingly).
Best from the green pile? Kale, Swiss chard, spinach, Romaine lettuce, fresh parsley, and basil (mix them together in a juicer; add lemon and ginger for a mean and incredible green juice).
Powerful smell, but power food for the body: Asparagus. Unless you live in Stockton, California (asparagus capital of the world), it is during the end of March and beginning of April, that the liver and kidney detoxifier super power food, asparagus. begins to rear their stalks, leading to the lettuces next. These are all light foods (your body will naturally gravitate and crave these) with quicker, cooler-digesting properties, and are also top on the alkaline and weight-loss pyramid. Peas and berries shortly follow, providing light, quick-energy giving calories.
Apricots
Artichokes
Avocados
Carrots
Chives
Fava Beans
Fennel
Leeks
Mangoes
Morels
Peas
Pineapples
Potatoes
Rhubarb
Watercress
1. Learn where your food comes from–support your local farmer’s market. Go to www.thelocalbeet.com to find a Farmer’s Market near you.
2. Eat in season vegetables when eating out–opt for a seasonal menu and ask the chef where the food comes from. Support local eateries that buy and serve from locally sustainable and organic farmers.
3. Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) like www.doortodoororganics.com
4. Grow your own garden–People with no yard or patch of grass are successfully growing seasonally foods for their whole families in plantar boxes or garden towers (think Juice Plus). Even just starting by growing a few herbs on your kitchen sill with your children is a step to eating healthier because you know how your food is being grown and you have the control.
Sources: Pureproactive.com, nursetogether.com, whfoods.com, foodandwine.com
