Spring Cleanse!

This moment in time, mother Earth is going through the transition from Winter to Spring. According to Hua-Ching Ni, “each climatic shift and energy variations are a part of Nature’s great metabolic process, which moves continuously in a cyclical and orderly way”.

We call this particular time the Equinox, a word derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day are approximately equally long.

It’s during springtime when we can observe growth and development in Nature. We don’t need to go far to see new shoots from trees and plants coming out of their hibernating state, the seed. It’s the wood energy moving through the Earth as it grows upward. It is a gentle energy, abundant with life.

How are we attuning with the Season?

In Chinese Medicine, Spring time corresponds to the Liver which element is Wood and its corresponding color is green.

This is a very propitious time to exercise equanimity and observe the sprouts of kindness growing from deep inside our being.

It is also a time in which anger may come out a little bit easier than at other times; that is why the ancient advise us to arise early and go walking (or in modern times, we may go jogging, cycling, rowing…) in order to absorb the fresh, invigorating energy of the season so as to be able to course the rising Yang energy that may sometimes express itself as anger.

Expressing ourselves both physically and emotionally is also a healthy way to course the Yang energy of a new sprout.

Spring Foods

As we said, this is the time to attend to the Liver and Gall Bladder. Good time to cleanse the body of the fats and heavier foods of the Winter.
Some of us will undergo some form of “flu” that will invite us to make a pause and allow the junk to come out in the form of phlegm, loose stools and a bit of more sweating.

This is a good time to go on a Cleanse (either a lengthy 21 days one or a more moderate one-day cleanse).

The diet should be the lightest of the year and contain foods that emphasize the ascending and expansive qualities of the spring like:

~ Young plants
~ Fresh Greens
~ Sprouts
~ And immature wheat or other cereal grasses.

Of course, always listen to your own needs, especially in cases where you may have certain food allergies!

Salty foods such as soy sauce, miso and sodium rich meats all have a strong component of sinking energy and it’s best to limit during this season. Instead, you can use pungent cooking herbs such as:

~ Basil
~ Fennel
~ Marjoram,
~ Rosemary
~ Bay leaf

Certain intensely pungent flavors are employed in the spring by Western folk healers as medicine: a week long daily dose of raw onions and garlic acts as a potion to rid the body of parasites (no romantic dates that week!).

Food preparation

Food preparation becomes simpler in the spring. Cook your food for a shorter time but at a higher temperature, in this way the food is not as thoroughly cooked, especially the inner part. If oil is used, a quick high-temperature sauté is appropriate. When cooking with water, light steaming or minimal simmering is ideal.

Treat yourself with a soothing and delicious tea!

Since coffee is not the most appropriate beverage for this time of the year, I suggest that you treat yourself with this “Liver calming” tea. It’s very simple to make; just gather the following ingredients and make an infusion.

* Mint leaves (fresh when possible)
* Goji berries (look for the ones that are red and not orange since the latter are treated with sulfur), and
* Rose buds

If you want, you may also add a few drops of fresh lemon to your tea. I truly enjoy this combination of herbs especially during Spring time!

In summary

According to Chinese Medicine, this is the most appropriate time of the year to reorganize our internal space by cleansing and detoxifying our bodies and mind. This invitation will create a “pause” in our habit-energy which will allow us to shed new light into old assumptions about ourselves and others. We also have the opportunity to re-visit the foods that we choose to eat and the way that those choices may impact our overall mental and physical health.

This is certainly a time for birth and renewal; may you enjoy every bit of it!

Want to read more about a more comprehensive Detox program? Just follow this link

To your Health!

Yamin Chehin L.Ac, Dipl O.M

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References
“Love of Mother Universe” Hua-Ching Ni.
“Healing with Whole foods. Oriental traditions and modern nutrition”, Paul Pitchford

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