Spring Upon Wellness
Spring is upon us, and we can feel the buzz of excitement. The buds of perennials beneath woody branches promise longer days and color amongst the landscape. I can feel the pull to be outdoors welcoming the sunrise within moments of waking. Spring warmth fuels our productivity as our bodies emerge from the slow state of winter.
Although we daydream of our meals filled with the goodness that summer brings, we must remember we are not quite there. Yet, grocery store isles tantalize our minds with mediocre greenhouse grown “summer” fruits. We are still amidst the season of nutrient rich greens and roots. It's the season of waking up, a little house cleaning if you will. As we spoke in the previous post of falling into the slow of winter, we find ourselves on the other side now.
Spring is the peak season for delicate greens like lettuces, spinach, arugula, and mustards as well as roots such as beets, turnips, carrots and radishes. Each supplying our bodies with minerals, fibers, and stimulating bitters for the nudge our bodies need to remind it of the season. With these in season foods, we are asking our system to step up its pace. We are prepping for the warmth of summer by nourishing our liver into detoxification and removal, producing more enzymes, and lightening its load. Stimulating digestion and motility. After all, we are anticipating the upcoming days with extended UVB exposure from the sunlight. We need our liver and kidneys to be up to the task of the synthesis of vitamin D through the months of summer. It is the creation and storage of D that will keep us well through winter. The sun is not to be feared and is a vital part of our physical and mental health.
We tend to grow exhausted from eating greens before too long, when we know what is around the corner. I urge you to stay present in the season and get creative. This spring’s abundance is really very versatile. Greens pair well with most all proteins. If eating raw, make sure to prepare with an acid and a fat. This is to aid in the digestion and absorption of all that these foods have to offer. Doing our best to eat as local as possible keeps us a bit more conscious of the season we are in. Depending on the practices of your local farmer will depend on the density of its nutrients. We always encourage you to create a relationship with your farmers, to know these practices. This inturn is a piece of community.
We would love to recommend two books we find ourselves constantly reaching for that offer great inspiration for seasonal eats!
- Six Seasons, a New Way With Vegetables by Joshua McFadden
- Ruffage, by Abra Berens
