What to Wear and What to Eat For Good Health In the Springtime
Wind is the element of the spring season. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), wind is one of many causes of disease. Wind illnesses occur most often in spring. Common wind related conditions in the spring include a sudden stiff/achy neck, headaches and migraines affected by windy weather and common colds. In order to prevent diseases of wind in the spring, wear a scarf with a jacket, fleece or sweatshirt in order to protect your body from the wind, particularly on windy days.
Spring is also a great time to eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruits in order to optimize the function of your liver, the organ associated with spring. Green is the color associated with the spring, so try to consume more naturally green vegetables, legumes and herbs such as collard greens, swiss chard, bok choy, spinach, lettuce, kale, pea shoots, sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, green lentils, mint, basil, thyme and parsley. The diet should consist of at least 60% of cooked foods, and up to 40% of raw foods, unless your digestion is poor or weak, in which case eat mostly cooked foods and minimize the consumption of raw foods. Eat raw foods at room temperature, rather than cold/refrigerated.