Today it is my great pleasure to introduce you to my friend Kristin Misik. Kristin is an acupuncturist, herbalist and life coach in New York City. We go to the same CrossFit gym, and we share a passion for eating whole, locally sourced foods and living a sustainable lifestyle.
When we were talking about what sort of guest post she might want to do, Kristin suggested writing up some tips for how best to eat in the spring according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Since we do seem to be done with the very cold weather, I really loved this idea. So take it away, Kristin!
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a fundamental way to prevent illness and imbalance is to live in harmony with your environment. Depending on your locale, you may not yet see the evidence of new life bursting forth, but there is a distinct shift in our body’s energy as the hours of daylight increase and the earth starts leaning a little further south.
According to TCM, spring is the season of the liver and the gallbladder. These organs are in charge of regulating a smooth and soothing flow of energy throughout the whole person (body and mind). Unfortunately, they’re prone to congestion (aka “stagnation”) because most people take in too many poor quality fats and denatured foods, chemicals, medications, and intoxicants.
What happens when liver or gallbladder energy isn’t flowing properly? We can experience anger and irritability (and for women: PMS), depression, insomnia, and an inability to lead or make decisions. We are also more susceptible to problems like muscle pulls and strains, joint pains, and headaches when the liver and gallbladder are out of balance. The good news is there are many ways to alter your dietary and food preparation habits in order to prevent a major liver and gallbladder meltdown.
Springtime is the best time to start integrating the following changes, especially if you are a seasonal allergy sufferer: