Spring clean your health, in chinese medicine terms
Spring in Chinese Medicine represents the changing of Yin Qi of Winter becoming more Yang.
Yin and Yang being the polarised opposite energies creating the necessary duality of all things. Where Summer would align to Yang and Winter would align to Yin. Spring is characterised by the Wood phase of the 5 element cycle. The five elements: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. These elements (or phases) represent the cycling of Yin and Yang from start to finish. Much the same as the phases of birth, renewal and death. The bodily organs each have qualities which align more with certain elements, allowing them to function smoothly together in the body.
Spring is aligned with the Wood element.
The Wood element gives us the energy for planning, making decisions, and to be assertive. Also, allowing us to have vision and be receptive to inspiration.
Spring is the quintessential time of year for cleansing and creating.
Where the days get a little longer, and a little warmer. Where, we emerge from our period of going inwards in winter. The energy of Spring is about expansion, renewal and regeneration where we reap the benefits of our hibernation over winter.
The organ systems associated with the Wood element, and therefore spring, are the Liver and Gall Bladder. The Liver is responsible for ensuring the smooth flow of qi throughout the body, and is associated with the emotions of anger, frustration and irritability. The Gall Bladder is associated with design making and assertiveness. We can be most vulnerable an imbalance of these feelings in the Spring.
If there is excessive anger, stress or frustration (or these feelings are held onto), this can lead to an unhealthy stagnation of Liver Qi. If the Liver qi becomes stagnant the whole body may be impacted. These feelings must be expressed and released more so in Spring avoid illness. Unprocessed emotions are one of the main causes of disease in TCM and must be acknowledged, felt and moved through as a part of a healthy life.
Wood governs the sinews, connective tissue, eyes, peripheral nerves and genitals. Liver Qi stagnation especially contributes to headaches, mood disturbances, PMS, eye issues, digestive problems and sleep problems.
We must keep our qi flowing smoothly. Activities such as stretching, yoga, martial arts and active meditation aids with moving stagnant Liver Qi.
If we are stuck and unbendable we must work to become flexible, emotionally and physically. Like a tree in the wind, we must remain engaged but flexible to thrive.
Spring and the wood element encourage growth, expansion, change. Time outside and stretching. We should have more energy in spring for more exercise and activity.
Spring diet
We can tolerate a little more raw or cool foods in the Spring, though our body still functions best with mostly cooked and warm foods.
Along with energetically warm foods, where the warming aspect comes into play when assimilated into the body. We can need to be somewhat gentle with our digestive fire in Spring and avoid burning it out with too much raw or cold foods. We can tolerate lighter cooking methods in Spring, such as steaming.
More sprouting vegetables and sour foods are recommended in Spring. Citrus, leafy veg, sprirulina, chlorella, parsley, wheat grass, kale, radishes, citrus fruits, lightly sweet vegetables like carrot and beetroot
Drink lots of filtered water; room temperature is best.
Avoid or minimise: excess salt, heavy food, uncultured dairy products, simple carbs such as noodles, bread, sugar.
Avoid anything ice cold which can abruptly disturb the stomach’s digestive energy.
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can help to rebalance the body to flow with the seasons and maintain well-being.
To be more aligned with nature and our body’s natural flow, it is best to eat seasonally where possible.
Perth’s seasonal Summer produce:
Fruit - Bananas, blueberries, avocado, currants, figs, limes, loquats, mandarins, mangoes, honeydew melon, mulberries, nectarines, oranges, passionfruit, pawpaw, strawberries
Vegetables - globe artichoke, asparagus, broad bean, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrot, celery, garlic, kohl rabi, lettuce, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radish, rhubarb , silver beets, spinach, spring onions, squash, swedes, turnips, zucchini
Herbs and spices- basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage, thyme