Seasons

Eating Seasonally is an important

Spring

It is time for all things to come alive and thrive – Basic Questions

The natural world becomes vigorous and prosperous demonstrating orderliness, going upward and outward. Laying a foundation for growth in the summer. Liver focusing on the free coursing and dispersion. The liver and gallbladder house ethereal soul, regulate blood and govern free coursing of sentiment and will. Go to bet a bit later and get up earlier than usual. Acrid, sweet and warm foods to nourish yang Qi: foods that have properties of rising but not dispersing. Avoid Bitter and cold foods 

Recommended Foods: Liver Spinach Cabbage Fruits in season

Herbs:

Summer

 

Get up early and go to bed late and do not tire of the sunshine – Basic Questions (Su Wen)

Summer: Summer is a golden time for grown and development.  Pungent (cooling and warming) open the pores of the body to encourage sweating, helping us to cool off, while bitter flavors (cold and detoxifying) balance and drain the summer heat we absorb. Sour helps to keep us hydrated. Nourish yang: protective and maintaining. Centered on heart and spleen   Avoid electric fan and AC. Ideal temp is 78-84 degrees. Regular daily life Light and bland diet  Balanced mind Extroverted state Bitter in 5 flavors and red in five colors “Treat winter diseases in summer” Gua sha for summer heat 

Food Onions  Cucumber  Eggplant Celery Bell pepper Green tea Mung bean

Herbs Lian zi Bai he Yin er He ye Huang Qi Mint Chrysanthemum 

Fall

Autumn: Sour: stimulate the bodys natural hydration system

The most complicated climate changes. Lung protection Going to sleep early and getting up early Tolerating cold exercises. Adapt consciously to cold condition and conduct cold resistant exercises Moistening the skin Returning to nature to free the mind Fewer pungent foods and more sour foods to nourish lung Qi

Food: Oats Soymilk Sweet potato Beans Eggs Apples Pumpkin. Pears Grapefruit 

Herb: Lotus seed White fungus Yu zhu Sha shen

Winter

Tonifying a body in winter enables a man to fight against a tiger in spring. Winter is a time when everything stores – Yellow Emperors Inner Classic 

Winter: Salty: downward movement in body, store heat and warmth in body. Bitter: drains and clears out internal heat buildup and acts to regulate internal warming and cooling. Laying a foundation for generation in spring The whole universe is in a state of dormancy to preserve energy for the coming spring. It is the right time to recuperate and rebuild oneself in winter. A time for tranquility and storage. Supplementation in winter, protection of yin essence, reinforcement of healthy Qi and cultivation of primordial with enable the vitality in storage. Emphasis should be placed on kidney nourishment and cold prevention. In the natural world, winter stores essence, while in the body, the kidney stores essence or RNA/DNA. In basic questions (su wen) it is said that “One should go to bed early at night and get up late in the morning after sunrise.” Fresh air and constant room temp should be maintained. Ideally, at 64 degrees F. Great temp differences inside and outside induce externally contracted deseasss. Windows should be opened to keep air ventilated, decrease pathogen development and increase tolerance and adaptability to cold air. Protect roots in trees and protect feet in man. Foot baths before bed prevent colds. 

Food recommendations 

Yin supplementing : black sesame, pine nuts, duck, honey, mushroom, black beans

Yang supplementing: chicken, mutton, shrimp, walnuts, leeks

Qi supplementing: walnuts, chestnuts, yams, carrots, kidneys 

Essence supplementing: bone broth, beef marrow, mussel

“If you do not want to see a doctor, eat radish in the winter and ginger in the summer.” Radish can regulate Qi flow, promote digestion, arrest cough, dissolve phlegm, eliminate dryness, promote fluid production, dissipate stasis, resolve toxins and promote bowel movement. In winter, activities are reduced and wasted are accumulated inside the human body. Radish can clear the intestines. 

Herb recommendations: Ginseng Solomon seal Fleece flower Reishi Codonopsis 

(Health care with medicinal substances should adhere to syndrome differentiation. Used in the right time, at the right amount, otherwise, it may cause harm to the organism)