If you have been indulging in too many of the ‘wrong’ foods during winter or not getting out and exercising enough, you might find that your body is feeling sluggish, slow and not very
vital.  It is now a great time to cut out a few foods to allow your digestion to have a rest and to stimulate your liver to cleanse and detoxify from the fats and heavy foods of winter.

Cutting out wheat, sugar, dairy, caffeine, junk food/processed food and alcohol for 10 days, a month or 40 days is a great way to feel lighter and healthier.  If this is too much, simply choose a few of these foods that you feel you eat too much of and start the day with some lemon in hot water.

As you cut down on Liver-stressing foods start adding detoxifying spring foods or see your health practitioner for advice or a treatment plan.

Foods for Spring
Spring is a good time to eat foods that move our energy up and out, helping to detoxify and cleanse the liver and support the spleen (digestion).

Strawberries ripen early in spring and help to detoxify the body.  Other foods include fresh greens, sprouts, cereal grasses and a little protein such as eggs and fish.

In early spring eat beetroot, cabbage, carrot, chick peas, fennel, parsnip and sweet potato.  As the weather gets warmer eat more fresh greens, mint, sweet rice, shiitake mushrooms, sprouts, peas, pine nuts and sunflower seeds.

You may even want to try adding a few Chinese red dates to teas, rice congee or soups as they are an excellent support for the spleen during spring & act as a sedative to calm the mind and spirit.

It is also good to eat pungent flavoured foods in spring because they too stimulate circulation and move energy up and out, improve sluggish liver function, enhance digestion & regulate Qi.

Pungent foods include bay leaf, basil, black pepper, caraway, chamomile, dill, horseradish, garlic, ginger, grains, mint, marjoram, legumes, oregano, rosemary  and spring onion.

But most of all enjoy the new growth and celebrate Spring!

Written by Kundalini House