‘Tis the season for Mother Nature to once again renew herself with bouts of rain and hints of warm sunshine to supply us with spring’s bounty. In the Spring, which starts today (hoorah!), we start to see sprouts and berries on trees and bushes…but what does this mean for what we should be eating now and why?

Seasonal eating simply means eating foods as they become available. This is how it always worked in the past and following some simple guidelines can assist us all to be more in flow with nature and less likely to be getting colds and flus.

Plus, eating in season means we are eating from our local farms. Supporting local agriculture and requiring less transport for our food is always the healthiest way to go.

Spring is all about, you guessed it, cleansing. After the cold winter months where the body has craved breads, meats, nuts and oils, the body is in need of a jump-start to prepare for summer’s long days. This means a low-fat diet by taking in salads, veggies, leafy greens, sprouts, beans and berries. Below is a general list of foods that should be increased and foods that should be avoided for optimal spring-cleaning. Enjoy!

Increase
Sprouts: These are great for detoxifying. Look for Sunflower, Alfalfa, and Bean Sprouts.
Green Veggies: Detoxifying and assist to bring more oxygen to the blood as we need more energy as the days get longer. Best for spring: asparagus, brussel sprouts, celery, peppers, kale, mustard greens, onions, peas, spinach.
Legumes: Goya, kidney (strangely enough-or not if you belief nature provides-this bean detoxes the kidneys well!), Lima, Mung

Reduce/Avoid
Dairy
Nuts-with the exception of Filberts
Wheat and rice
Red Meat
Pork