The first day of spring is quickly approaching, we've already "sprung ahead" with the time change and it seems as though the birds are chirping away trying to wake the earth back up and make it warm again. In Chinese Medicine spring is the time when the liver is most active and is why its a great time to do some spring cleaning in your house and in your body.
Chinese Medicine does not advocate heavy duty cleanses because so often what this does is swing your body out of balance in the other direction. Instead do some mild cleansing through your diet. Our bodies no longer need rich meats and heavy foods to stay warm like they do in the cold winter months. Start to replace red meat with more fish. Now is the time to start eating lighter foods so that they body can in turn feel lighter and more energized. The color of the liver is green and the taste is sour, so leafy greens and other green veggies as well as sour foods like apple cider vinegar are great to eat during the spring.
The liver is also associated with the tendons of the body and the eyes and the body is more susceptible to wind attack. The spring is a great time to rev up your exercise routine and spend some extra time stretching. If you know of anyone that complains of eye disorders in the spring such as dry eyes, allergies, sinus problems etc the liver might need a little help. Wind can manifest in the body as rashes, itchiness, colds, and pain that moves around the body so make sure to take care when outside in the wind to keep your neck covered. Seasonal changes are always a great time to get an acupuncture treatment to adjust to the changes in the environment.
This week our produce box from Crystal Lake Health Food Store had dandelion greens and leeks. Dandelion greens are great for the liver but they can be a little bitter tasting. Here is how I turned dandelion greens into a delicious dinner dish.
If you want the benefits of dandelion greens but are concerned with the taste mix a little spinach with them.
I started with this recipe for Bacon and Kale Adobo but as you can see I didn't really stick with the recipe.
What I used:
1 leek chopped
whole bunch of garlic
tomato cilantro seasoning
splash of soy sauce
couscous-quinoa mix
1 bunch dandelion greens chopped
1/2 bag of baby spinach
bacon (as garnish)
I started by lightly browning the chopped leeks and garlic. Then I added a 1/2 cup of water, the tomato cilantro seasoning and the dandelion greens and spinach. I cooked on low until the greens wilted with a splash of soy sauce. Meanwhile I cooked the bacon and couscous-quinoa mix. Once everything was cooked I mixed the greens and couscous together and crumbled the bacon on top as a garnish. It was a quick and easy dish to prepare and it tasted wonderful. You could easily turn this into a vegetarian dish by taking out the bacon and using braggs amino acid. I didn't let my dinner guest know what the greens were until he decided he liked them and he was surprised how flavorful the meal was.
Tonight we are having chicken, parsnip and apple stew. The granny smith apple is both green and sour, a nice little treat for the liver.
Sarah Zender LAc
Neighborhood Acupuncture Place
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.clnap.com
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