Eating with the Cycles of Nature

The term holistic revolves around treating the body as a whole on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level. One important aspect of holistic healing practices would involve eating with the seasons. Eating fresh, local produce in sync with the seasons is a great way to live a healthy lifestyle that is in balance with mother nature and the natural cycle of our bodies.

All of us feel these changes in energies with the shifts in the natural cycles of the earth, whether consciously or not. With the arrival of warm weather in the spring comes the feeling of new beginnings and a fresh start. We all start to wake up from our winter slumber and start living life more by the rising and setting of the sun. More and more we aim to spend as much time outdoors as possible surrounded by lush green plants and a sun kissed tan on our skin. It is important that we all aim to understand these natural cycles and live more by them in order to feel more connected to the Earth, balanced and in harmony. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the oldest forms of medicine in existence and is the only one of it's kind that has widely stood the test of time in practice and popularity over thousands of years. First Nations medicine has very similar principals to TCM despite having originated from different parts of the world. Both holistic medicinal practices have existed for thousands of years, use a cycle or wheel to understand the natural cycles of our bodies and the earth, and uses a variety of elements or animals to represent different aspects of our health.

According to Paul Pitchford's informative and highly recommended book on TCM, "Healing with Whole Foods," spring time is represented by the Wood element. It is a time when our diet should be the most light compared to any other season. It is a time of cleansing both the body, mind and spirit. The organs of the Wood element are the liver and gallbladder, which are the primary detoxification organs of the body. In spring we should naturally be eating less, eating slower, and cleansing the body from the heavy fatty foods of winter. Yang foods should be emphasized (the expansive qualities of spring) such as young plants, fresh greens, cereal grasses and sprouts. Salty and fatty foods should be kept to a minimum during this time since they hinder the livers ability to properly detoxify and have a strong component of shrinking or inward energy. As we approach the summer solstice we will begin to ascend into the Fire element of summer.

Foods become more colourful with fresh fruits and vegetables compared to the greens of spring. There is also more variety of produce available for harvest at this time and the diet should reflect this. Eating cooling vegetables such as cucumber, tofu, and sprouts in a shaded area can help combat the heat of summer. Combining hot-flavoured spices with meals is also recommended during this time since it brings heat outside of the body; even though their first effect is to increase warmth they will ultimately bring heat to the surface in order to be released. The Fire element rules the heart and small intestine for reasons both physically and emotionally. The heart governs the circulation of the body as well as holds a home for your emotional centre and heart Chakra. TCM recommends that we take extra care in the practice of living with an open heart and aware mind during this time.

Once we have indulged in the pleasantries of summer and have a feeling of being established in the season we will begin to approach the relatively short and unrecognized "season" of late summer. The Earth element represents the last month of summer and the middle of the Chinese year. This marks the transition period of from yang to yin, or in other words, the masculine expansive energies of summer into the internal feminine energies of winter. It is quite fitting that the middle of the Chinese year would also emphasize an importance on the middle or centre portion of our bodies, with the elemental organs being the spleen and pancreas. Foods should be balanced and harmonized with the centre of the body, such as mildly sweet flavours, yellow or golden coloured produce (also the colour of the centre third Chakra), as well as round foods. Examples of such produce that are also in harvest during that time would be corn, squash, yams, millet and amaranth. With the completion of the middle of the year comes the arrival of autumn, or the Metal element of

TCM. During this time everything in nature and in our own bodies will begin to contract, move inwards and downwards. It is a time to pull inward and begin to harvest and reflect on all of the experiences and knowledge gained from the expansive months of summer. In order to eat in harmony with this season we must be aware of the abundant yet contracting nature of autumn. Cooking methods should be more involved during this time compared to the months of summer, and the essence of food should me more received through smell, with the lungs being the organ of this element. To begin the process of contraction, one must add more sour flavoured foods to the diet. Such foods would include sourdough bread, sauerkraut, olives, pickles, sour varieties of apples, vinegar and yogurt.

The year will then be completed and finalized with approach of the Water element, winter. In order to become in sync with winter one must become more receptive and introspective, similar to the qualities of a hibernating bear in winter. According to Jamie Sams and David Carson's book on First Nations medicine entitled, "Medicine Cards," the strength of Bear medicine is introspection. With the arrival of the coldness of winter a bear will enter a womb-like cave to begin the cycle of hibernation. In this space the bear digests the year's experience and will reflect on the many questions of life. In order to do this bear must attune itself to the energies of the eternal mother, mother nature. According to many First Nations tribes each and every being has the ability to quiet the mind and enter the space of inner-knowing to help us on our pathway towards our goals. This is the power of Bear medicine as well as a similar perspective of the feminine yin aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine. According to TCM the flavours of winter should encompass salty and bitter tasting foods, as well as warm hearty soups, whole grains, and roasted nuts.