Feel Good Monday Post: Spring Cleanse & Renewal Time!

Hi Everyone,

Spring is here! In Chinese Medicine, spring is correlated with the Wood element, which is in charge of the gallbladder and liver, two important filtration systems for the blood.  Giving these organs a break by avoiding foods that stress them out, is a gentle way to cleanse your body.

Here are a few recommendations I found from a Chinese Medicine site:

• Get outside! Helps to push through irritability, lethargy and the feeling of being "stuck"
• Express yourself- dancing, cooking, writing, making art or music, helps to channel Wood energy
• Eat GREEN food- especially leafy greens (I am not making this up!)
• Add sour tastes- helps to smoothe and soothe the liver energy.  Add lemon to your water, pickles to your sandwich, vinegar dressings to your salad
• Stretch  

Above is from Marilyn Yohe, acupuncturist- "Spring in Chinese Medicine"

Here are some foods that are suggested for spring:

Fruits: kiwi, valencia oranges, limes, grapefruit, lemons.

Vegetables: asparagus, beets, sprouts, dandelion, chickweed, chicory, spring greens, parsley, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, daikon, wakame, sea palm, umeboshi, and sauerkraut.

Grains: Barley, quinoa, wheat, millet and rye.

Foods that stress these organs: sugar, honey, fried foods, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, excessive dairy and red meats.

The above information is from the book "The Seasonal Detox diet-  Remedies from the Ancient Cookfire" by Carrie L'Esperance

Here is a green dressing for you to try from"Staying Healthy with Nutition", Elson M. Haas, MD.

Avocado Dressing:
2 medium avocados
1 lemon, juiced
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or a tiny pinch)
1 clove garlic

Blend well and toss with salad.
Enjoy!

Also, I would like to share a quote from a book that I really love and highly recommend, "The Book of Awakening" by Mark Nepo.

"From the beginning, the key to renewal has been the casting off of old skin."

Cast off your old skin and make way for the new!
If you would like to experience an afternoon of learning how to cleanse your body through food and yoga, please join my friend and yoga instructor, Lisa Preston and I for our "Spring Cleanse and Renewal workshop on April 13th, at the Woodstock Physical Therapy Studio from 3-5:30pm.  To register, please email Lysa.Ingalsbe@gmail.com  .

Be well!
Lysa