When you decide to eat with the seasons, you make a conscious choice to only pick those foods that the season naturally produces. Fruits and vegetables are at their peak, both in flavor and availability. This may mean sweet gourds in the fall, hearty greens in the winter, watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers in Summer, and berries, asparagus, fresh peas, avocados, and sweet onions in the Spring!
Nutritional medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and Chinese medicine all tell us that we can prevent disease before it begins by using seasonal foods to balance the body.
Common imbalances and ailments that can occur in the Spring are:
- Allergies
- Sinus infections
- Migraines
Spring is also the perfect time to do some gentle body cleansing to prevent these and other ailments from even occurring by increasing plants and teas while temporarily removing the insulating foods we can sometimes overdo during winter like grains, sugar, and meats. Spring is a great time to eat lighter and more plant dense to give the body a rest and reset from the indulgences of winter.
Optimal Spring foods to look out for in the Spring to help prevent and heal these common ailments include:
- Berries (antioxidant, cleansing)
- Asparagus (kidney support, glutathione)
- Artichoke (liver cleansing)
- Sweet Onions like Vidalia Onions (natural anti-histamine, cleansing) are so uniquely delicious, a must-try!
- Fresh peas (great source of vitamin C, cleansing)
- Avocado (plant source of beneficial fats while taking a break from animal fats)
- Watercress (cleansing, Iron)
- Spinach (cleansing, magnesium)
These foods happen to be rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, Quercetin, and Glutathione, all key to supporting the immune system, reducing histamines and inflammation, and supporting nasal and respiratory passageways. Spring is an excellent time to cleanse when there are fewer extremes in weather, Winter is too cold, summer is too hot and Spring is just right!
Asparagus is a master kidney cleanser, Artichoke a master liver cleanser and all the fresh spring greens of spring are all great foods as medicine to cleanse the body.
The Power of Sun Teas in Spring and Summer
If you enjoy herbal teas, I recommend homemade sun teas. Sun teas are such a great thing to make during the spring and summer. A really great sun tea is a nettle mint combination. For example, using nettle during the spring and summer is a great way for a lot of people to mediate allergies. The sun tea I recommend for spring allergies consists of nettle, chrysanthemum, and mint.
Allergy-Free Sun Tea Recipe:
- Add 1 tablespoon of each herb to cheesecloth. If using fresh mint, add a handful to the cheesecloth or metal tea ball.
- Tie cheesecloth and place it into a 2-quart clear glass container filled with water.
- Set your brew out in the sun for at least 2 hours. Better yet, set the tea out in the morning and bring it back indoors at sunset.
The Takeaway!
When you eat with the seasons, you can enjoy naturally produced fruits and vegetables in peak flavor and availability. Just like the natural world, the human body changes with the seasons.
You can support your health by eating seasonally to balance the body. Spring is also the perfect time to make homemade herbal sun tea for a potent dose of nutrients and health benefits; nettle, mint, and chrysanthemum sun tea can be used to combat spring and summer allergies. Spring is also a great time to cleanse the body with nutrient-dense and naturally cleansing, immune-boosting, and naturally anti-histamine spring foods.
Leona is a family practitioner trained as an Integrative Functional Nutritionist. She helps her clients cut through the many conflicting trends and get to the heart of what is key for their own health in a practical, positive, and supportive space.