Chinese medicine Nutrition for Spring
Posted by Tira Mills
Spring is the season of the beginning small yang and is characterized by growth, movement, and expansion.
After winter, the body’s qi energy begins to flow strongly again and seeks to expand freely. Food during this season should supplement qi energy, allowing it to course freely, and support Chinese medicine spleen and liver functional systems.
Recommended Spring Foods:
Mildly warming foods with upward movement: Fennel, rice, buckwheat; possibly pungent flavours (garlic, paprika, ginger) in case of accumulated dampness left over from the colder months.
Sour flavours, because they stabilize liver yin energy and can regulate upbearing liver yang.
Foods from the wood phase, green in colour with neutral, cool, or warm energy: Green tea, spinach, celery, a little more raw foods and sprouts.
Wind is often the dominating seasonal factor during spring and causes recurring external wind disorders (like colds & flus), which can be balanced with the mildly pungent flavours of green onions and ginger.
Foods to Avoid During Spring:
The following foods can block Liver Qi energy:
Energetically hot and fatty foods
Excess sour flavours
Tip:
🌱 Choose foods that are local and in season!
Source: Chinese Nutrition Therapy: Dietetics in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) by Jörg Kastner
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