By Kate Barton, Lac

It is a big part of Traditional Chinese Medicine to try wherever possible to eat with the seasons. Like most of us, I look forward every year to partaking in the fresh fruits and vegetables that grace us with their presence in the Springtime.

However, it can be easy to try to move away from the warmer, heartier, more well cooked foods we typically eat in the winter too quickly. Especially living in the Northeast, where Spring tends to come as a crash of cymbals rather than a long crescendo into summer, it can be easy to forget that there is still an element of warming that is taking place in the spring; in the environment and in our own bodies.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a salad of fresh, local greens as much as the next person, but rushing into raw and cold foods too quickly can result in digestion becoming sluggish, difficult, and downright bothersome. Lightly steaming vegetables and greens in the spring can help to bring out the fresh flavors of the vegetables without being too taxing on the digestion.

And, since the flavor of Spring in Traditional Chinese Medicine is sour, incorporating sour foods into your diet can also be extremely beneficial during this season. Fresh, foraged greens such as leeks, ramps, and fiddleheads all have a component of sour flavor to them, making them excellent choices for consumption in the spring. Fiddlehead ferns with a generous helping of apple cider vinegar is something I have always enjoyed in the spring since I was a child!

Give it a try and let us know how you liked it at your next appointment.