Eat & Move for Spring
When you think of Spring, your senses come alive. You can smell the flowers blooming, feel the warmth of the sun after a long winter, taste the sweet strawberries, and hear the birds chirping. These are the beautiful products of nature’s shift into a new season.
Just like the earth adjusts to this shift, our body needs to do the same.
Changes in the seasons bring changes to our bodies. Seasonality not only impacts the environment (hello, pollen!), but also has a biological impact. Did you know that your DNA reacts to the seasons, changing your body’s chemistry depending on the time of year? A study published in Nature Communications revealed that “as many as one-fifth of all genes in blood cells undergo season changes in expression.”
In the Springtime, our body needs its own version of “Spring cleaning.” We are in need of detoxification (our body’s natural way of ridding toxins from the body and supporting our innate ability to heal) after a long winter. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Spring is associated with the Liver, which is the organ responsible for cleansing and energizing the body. We tend to store more toxins in our body during the winter months, so it’s important we give ourselves the opportunity to release and recharge. Luckily, your body’s detoxification pathways naturally open up more during this time in order to do this.
Here are some ways we can support our bodies during Springtime.
Start With the Sun. After winter, we are now able to experience more light in the day. Our days become longer, weather starts to warm up, and we are meant to get the benefits of the sun. Your body benefits the most from being in alignment with the sun’s patterns, so try and wake up earlier around the time the sun rises or just before.
Eat Seasonal Produce. Lean into foods like asparagus, mushrooms, artichokes, broccoli, peas, squashes, sweet potatoes, green onions, berries, radishes, and beets as you choose your meals. Eating seasonally this Spring will help you obtain optimal nourishment and an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help support detoxification from winter.
Add Functional Movement to your Day. Wintertime typically has us indoors more, which can mean a lack of functional movement. A long walk to the park, kicking a ball in the backyard, or even doing squats at your desk can help support your mobility, flexibility, and eliminate stagnant toxins in the body by supporting your lymphatic system. Your energy can become restored in the springtime, so take advantage of that boost through movement!
OG Spring Cleaning. There is a reason it’s called Spring cleaning! Getting rid of tangible items can be a powerful tool to feel lighter mentally.
Release Feelings. Use this season as an opportunity for a clean slate. If something or someone does not serve you and your overall wellness, consider parting ways. Make space for things, ideas, and people who fuel you and illuminate your path to feeling your best.
If you already have healthy habits in place, this shouldn’t differ too much from what you are already doing, so keep it up! If you feel far from this, then find a small place to start, like waking with the sun. Changes and transitions are meant to be gradual, starting with small stepping stones leading to long-term change.
Live Well - Mel and Mel
