"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" ~Hippocrates
Living in tune with nature's rhythms, we become more aware and appreciative of the beauty that surrounds us. As the seasons change, we begin to crave different foods naturally. In the summer we typically want fresh, lighter foods; varieties of melons and berries, fruits and veggies that keep us going, don't weigh us down, and will keep us hydrated. In the fall we begin to look to more root vegetables and gourds, stuffings, and stews. Slowing down with the slow cooker; warming up with wine. The melons and the berries are canned making wonderful toppings for our seasonal cakes and pies. We begin to prepare for a large feast, family gatherings, and football. This is preparing us for the slower pace of the season. Winter enters with heavier cooked, warm and satisfying foods, hearty and fulfilling. This is the type of food that adds meat to the bones! Comfort food is in full effect. Hearty casseroles, backed pastas, warming stews and chilis, we have an affinity towards anything that gets slow-cooked, roasted, or baked for maximum coziness. Then there comes Spring. Reawakening our tastebuds with vibrant living things we begin to tuck away our slow cookers. We look to the garden for inspiration visiting local fresh markets, greengrocers and farmers markets for things that snap and crunch (asparagus, snap peas, salad greens), lightening up the weight of the winter. Why is this important to recognize? 1) Eating whats in season increases our ...plants receive their nourishment from the sun and soil and we receive our nourishment from the plants. Seasonally fresh produce is picked when it's ripe and fully developed meaning higher level of antioxidants, (the good stuff). 2) Seasonal food is more likely to be locally produced reducing the load on the environment due to transportation (food mileage), as well as lighter on our pockets (its less expensive when grown in season and in your city/county/state.) 3) Organic and Free of harmful pesticides! (I call that a WIN). Food grown outside of their season/natural environment is going to need a lot more human assistance in forms of pesticide, wax, chemicals, and preservatives to look appealing to us. In choosing local and seasonal foods, we are more likely to get cleaner and organic products. (Many smaller farms cannot afford organic certifications, however, they follow natural and healthy growing practices meaning less harmful stuff in our food, in our bodies, and in our environment/soil/water.) So support local! 4) Supporting your seasonal needs. The cycles, phases, and transitions are all here to support our growth. The seasonal selection of produce is designed to support our health. Apples grow in the fall and are a perfect transitioning food for helping our bodies get rid of excess heat and cooling down before winter. With the abundance of leafy greens in the spring, we are alkalizing, detoxing and loosing some added weight after a long winter with heavier foods. Summer time is for cooling foods and staying hydrated. Eating more fruits, berries, cucumber, melons are all hydrating foods to keep on hand. In order to facilitate the body's natural healing process, we should look to whats in season. Find out what's in season in your region here.
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AuthorYoga Certified, C-PT, Holistic Chiropractor providing a path for peaceful healing. Archives
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