Optimize Your Health this Spring with the Following Foods and Activities
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| photo thanks to Portland Farmers Market- a great place to stock up on fresh spring greens! |
The seasons are a changing. As the temperatures start to rise and the days get longer, our bio rhythms change as well. Our energy naturally increases and so does our interest in staying up staying up later and sleeping less. Our digestion and immune systems also take a turn. Spring cleanse anyone? Spring allergies anyone? The differences are palpable.
After a winter of eating squashes and sauces and heavy, rich foods, spring marks the time for eating lighter, nutrient dense foods.
1. #1 Spring food: Spring greens! Eat bitter greens like dandelion leaf, arugula, mustard greens. These nutrient dense foods stimulate digestive enzymes and are vitamin and mineral rich. Green salads mixed with some bitter greens are a great way to include these in your diet. Also, consider steamed bitter greens recipes as well.
2. Fruits that are in season like strawberries and kiwis are the best way to get your vitamin C at this time of year, a very important nutrient to balance the immune response associated with spring pollen allergies.
3. Spices: Turmeric as an antinflammatory is a great food for you any time of year, but especially in the spring when allergies abound.
4. Get outside! Breathing fresh air can increase oxygenation of your entire body increasing your energy and improving your mood. Open your windows and let fresh air into your house to get the air moving through your home environment. There are a host of bacteria and dust mites waiting to get outside. Let them out J
5. Let the sun shine on your skin (for 20 minutes and then put on your sun hat to avoid a spring sun burn). Our vitamin D-starved bodies crave the sunshine on our skin.
6. Move your body: As we move our muscles, bones and ligaments, our lymph moves which helps with detoxification and healing.
7. Consider brewing up a batch of a spring time herbal vinegar.
Spring Greens Mineral Rich Vinegar Recipe:
1 bunch nettles (In Portland you can buy this a People’s CO-OP or New Seasons)
1 bunch dandelion leaf
organic apple cider vinegar
Place greens in a wide mouth mason jar. Press the greens so they are crushed down in the jar. Cover in apple cider vinegar ( Bragg’s is one good quality brand of ACV). Make sure that greens are covered with the vinegar because pieces not covered may mold. Let sit for at least one week. Pour off the vinegar and store in a glass jar. Compost the left-over greens.
This vinegar is vitamin and mineral rich with vitamins A, B and C and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. It can be used as a salad dressing or in cooking, also as a tonic for sore muscles, and muscle cramps and as a great spring tonic.
Salad Dressing Recipe:
¼ cup cold pressed olive oil
¼ cup cold pressed flax seed oil
¼ cup spring greens vinegar
1Tbs mustard
salt and pepper to taste
garlic to taste
Spring Tonic Vinegar Drink:
1 Tbs vinegar
1 cup boiling water
honey to taste
drink 1-3 cups daily for improved digestion, increased energy and immune support
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| My nettle vinegar home brew. |
