Mindful Monday: Transitioning to Spring

Hello :) Today on the first day of spring (!!!) it seemed appropriate to talk a little bit about mindfulness through the transition of seasons. Peter, a friend and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, describes both autumn and winter as the yin seasons while spring and summer are depicted as yang seasons. While yin seasons are cooling, contracting and passive, the yang seasons which we are transitioning into, are warm, expanding and dynamic. Both yin and yang are constantly ebbing and flowing - and this generally dictates our health, mood and energy.

It's important to become aware of the seasonal changes we should make that accompany the warmer weather. So I thought I'd write a nice list of things to consider as we make this transition to a season full of renewal and rejuvenation.

a gorgeous bunch of ruby chard

- according to TCM, it is the liver and gallbladder that are the organs of focus for spring. The liver, amongst other roles is responsible for moving the qi (energy) around the body - so stretching, exercising in the outdoors and eating green vegetables are all excellent ways to improve the liver's qi. I think I'm going to start swimming laps once a week, with the promise of a cold brew coffee afterwards ...

- start to embrace cooling, raw foods. In winter I made a lot of slow cooked stews, added ginger to my dishes and steamed a lot of veggies. That isn't to say we shouldn't have any more of these foods (in fact I'm making osso bucco tonight with homemade beef broth), however as it warms up, it makes sense to eat more raw, enzyme-rich vegetables and enjoy lighter meals. I have been making green smoothies (spinach, kale, frozen banana, green superfood powder, coconut milk, water) which I think is a nice way to transition into eating more raw veggies.

my green smoothie 

- for optimal digestion remember to soak your grains before cooking. Grains are perfect to add into salads and Sally Fallon, author of nourishing traditions writes that the best way to soak your grains is with warm water and salt, which can remove phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. I usually soak grains like barley and brown rice for a few hours or overnight, and less for smaller grains/seeds like quinoa and millet. 

A salad I made for lunch today - it had barley, lettuce, ruby chard, radish and raw golden beets finely sliced as well as boiled eggs (inspired by heidi) There is also a serving of fermented beetroot, apple and inca berries - from a local company called ferment it. 

I have actually started working with them on Sundays at a new market ... Woollahra Artisan Market. It only started yesterday and is on every Sunday till December, with the hope it'll start again in the new year! There are only 30 stalls, so it's small (just in a carpark on queen st) - but I had fun on the first day learning about fermented vege and then talking to people about all the benefits. It's a pretty amazing product - I'll talk more about it in another post.

How are you making the transition to Spring? What are you excited about eating?

Hannah x