Springtime Nourishment

Springtime Nourishment 🫐

This time of year, our wood element is most active, and its corresponding organ pair, Liver and Gallbladder, should be taken extra care of. Spring is about new growth, movement and fresh perspective, similar to the functions the Liver performs in the body.

To keep your liver and gallbladder clear, try to keep your diet light and include foods that emphasize the yang, ascending, and regenerative qualities of spring. Too many rich, heavy, greasy foods can cause congestion within this organ pair and impair their ability to circulate qi and blood.

Principles of a Spring Diet:
→ Green & sour foods!
→ Cooking methods: steam, saute, short cooking time at high temperature
→ Eat less: lightest diet of the year
→ Foods that emphasize the yang, ascending, expansive qualities of Spring - young plants, fresh greens, sprouts, immature grasses
→ Blood nourishing: beets, zucchini, broccoli, leafy greens, watercress, berries & grapes
→ Liver detoxifying: brussels sprouts, spinach
→ Avoid salty foods and sodium-rich meats (sinking energy)

Foods to Include:
→ Fermented: sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha
→ Fruits: berries, cucumber, grapefruit, grapes, kiwi, lemon, lime, olives, papaya, pickles, plums, prunes
→ Vegetables: green (alfalfa, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, leafy greens, zucchini) beets, carrots, celery, parsnips, radish, sea veggies
→ Spices: basil, bay leaf, caraway, cinnamon, cumin, curry, dill, fennel, ginger, lemongrass, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon
→ Pistachios, pecans, flax seeds, sesame seeds, lima/butterbeans
→ Beef, buffalo, crustaceans, deer, lamb, quail

Check out our list of delicious Spring recipes!

As with any medicine, everyone has a different body type, so schedule an acupuncture or health + wellness coaching to find out what foods would be best for you this season. ✨