Element: Wood
Direction: East
Yin: Liver
Yang: Gallbladder
Emotion: Anger
Color: Green
Flavor: Sour
Harvest Time:
The season of Spring is the signal of new growth of plants, birth of wild animals and the unfurling of renewal. Early Spring is when we begin to plan and organize, design our gardens, start planting seeds and move outward. This surge of energy and force can be confronted with obstacles leading to emotions of frustration, anger and depression. Take note of what is growing around you and how the vibrant greenery of this season offers itself to your diet and well-being. Spring asks us to take a walk outside, move with our manifestations and observe the emergence of new growth.
March- Early Spring
April- Mid Spring
May- Late Spring
What to Harvest:
Roots
Sprouts
New, fresh leaves
Herbaceous plants
Bark
Blooms
Flowers
Pollen
Pitch
Plants:
This list is according to the time when to begin your harvest.
Early Spring
Blackberry root
Cascara bark
Cattail
Cherry bark
Douglas Fir pitch, bark and needles
Horsetail
Maple sprouts and blossoms
Red Cedar
Western Hemlock pitch, bark and needles
Mid-Late Spring
Blackberry leaf
California Bay leaf
California Poppy
Cattail pollen
Cleavers
Fiddleheads
Highbush Cranberry (Crampbark) bark
Hyssop leaf
Lomatium dissectum root
Mallow
Oak bark
Pineapple Weed
Raspberry and Thimbleberry leaf
Red Alder bark
Salal leaf
Sitka Spruce needles and pollen
Shepherd’s Purse
Strawberry leaf
Food as Medicine:
Spring gives us the power in the growth cycle to overcome obstacles. Shoots burst out of the ground reminding us of life’s power to move out of the depths and into new vision. They also offer themselves for optimal nourishment for our Liver and blood while aligning us with the seasonal energy.
Think green. The new greens revealing themselves are the ideal food to incorporate for reducing Liver stagnation and repressed emotions. Young, tender greens such as sprouts, mustard greens, osoberry leaves, dandelion leaves, chickweed, radishes and lamb’s quarters leaves in combination with pungent herbs of ginger, basil, cilantro and mint are invigorating for the body and mind. Add an herbal infused vinegar and a splash of olive oil for a sour addition to further support your liver health.
It is also important to incorporate seasonal foods that are bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty along with our sour spring greens. We still need to balance our diets and nourish our entire system.
As the light and temperature shift, this is an invitation to eat less food. Reduce foods high in saturated fats, meats, dairy, eggs, refined oils, excess nuts and seeds, rice, wheat, processed foods and intoxicants. However, if you feel depleted, continue eating more protein and meat. If you feel malnourished, continue eating more frequently.
To stimulate the liver and move stagnation incorporate foods that are dry and light, with pungent, bitter and astringent tastes. Apples, pears, pomegranate, artichoke, radicchio, broccoli rabe, brassicas such as kale, mustard greens, collards, and sprouts are all good spring foods. Choose grains that are drying to remove water retention from winter diets such as barley, quinoa, buckwheat, rye, millet, soba noodles and corn.
how to prepare your meals
Pay attention to the environment of where you live. Nature will let us know when it is warm enough to eat the young, tender shoots and embody this refreshing energy. The optimum cooking method for this season is quicker than winter, yet use discernment. Spring fluctuates with temperature– if the weather is still cool, consider eating lighter soups full of greens so you can keep your body warm while moving towards high-energy cleansing foods. Steaming is a great cooking method as the weather warms. And as the weather gets even warm, you can lightly stir-fry your food for more raw, fresh tastes.
