In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. – Albert Camus
How often have you said that time was working against you or that time was not on your side? Too often we get caught in the trap of linear time and lose out on the magic of the cyclical. Linear time is marked by deadlines, prognosis, aging and calendars. Cyclical time is a series of infinitely repeatable patterns – like Spring follows Winter and Summer matures into Fall. Cyclical time allows us to feel like we are a part of something endless and beautiful. Linear time has us running, searching, doing – instead of being.
Spring is the perfect time to take a breath and remember our connection to nature but it is a connection we need to foster throughout the year. Ever wonder why you can’t seem to get the “holiday” weight off? The truth is that winter is working against this goal. The winter months trigger our bodies to keep us insulated so that we stay warm and have energy reserves to fight the infections so common during that time. So, while you are thinking ahead to your summer beach body, nature is working with the season to help you hold on to your reserves. If it’s you against nature, you are not likely to win. When we remember the ebbs and flows of the seasons and learn to work with nature, we can streamline our goals and make them more attainable. Instead of slashing calories and cleansing from holiday fare in the winter, regular saunas will work to feed your internal furnace.
Spring is the time when the world awakens and life begins anew. When we mark the passage of time in years and age, we somehow feel we are being left behind. In fact, we are all a part of the greater picture of time passing and when we embrace the birth of spring, the growth of summer, the ripeness of fall and sleep of winter, we feel our age just a little less literally.
One easy way to reconnect with nature and the cyclical nature of time is to eat seasonally. Modern food science allows us to eat what we want when we want it. We have lost the wisdom of eating according to what grows during each season but seasonal food is far superior.
Foods that are in-season generally have more nutrients. Foods that are out of season are shipped from afar and are picked green, before they are at their peak. Seasonal foods are picked at their ripest and get into your hands quicker, meaning healthier food for you.
Seasonal foods are not only better for you but they are better for the earth, too. When you buy and eat foods that are seasonal and grown in your community, they don’t have to travel thousands of miles and that means less environmental pollution. It also takes less energy and input to grow foods in their ideal climate and growing conditions, contributing to a smaller ecological footprint to your eating.
Seasonal eating can actually mean MORE variety. Think about it: We tend to get stuck in our food ruts, eating the same foods year-round. When you’re focusing on eating season fruits and vegetables, you’ll be eating new things every season. And they taste better, too. We have all been disappointed by a mealy, pale winter tomato and delighted by a sun-ripened strawberry in the summer.
Seasonal produce is also better on the budget, as well. Prices go down when foods are in abundance, and up when they are scarce, harder to grow, or are coming from the other side of the world. With just a little research on local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership and farmers markets, you can find an abundance of fresh, delicious food in your own community. You will be amazed at the variety and you’ll be supporting your local economy, too! Click here to find a CSA or farmers market near you.
By coordinating your diet with the cycles of the season, you effortlessly employ the earth’s medicine to help your body maintain balance.
Below are some of the best offerings of spring and you can click here to find out what bounty is available in each delicious season.
