Spring Energy

March marks the start of Spring, one of the most important times of year in the Chinese Medicine calendar, it is like the New Year’s Eve of the cycle! Spring is about new beginnings, setting goals and intentions for the year ahead, and bursting forth with new hope and energy.  

In nature, we see the buds sprouting up from the ground, new life being born in the animal world, and daylight saving signalling longer and brighter days. For so long, our bodies and mind lived in tune with nature, and we naturally fall in sync with the world around us.

Winter is Over!

This is the best time of year to burst forth with new energy for the year ahead. Winter is finally over, hibernating inside in the warm and the rich nourishing foods can start to be shrugged off. Instead of the heavy stews and warming soups, we can start to introduce lighter meals like stir fries and mixed grain salads. Instead of staying in and staying warm, we should start to move our bodies and wake up our energy with a brisk morning walk in the spring sunshine, or some yoga and stretching to get our energy flowing.

New Year’s Resolutions  

Many people make big New Year’s Resolutions on January 1st about work, health and other goals for the year. If you saw my posts back then, you may remember I said try to hold off on making big changes for the year. The depths of winter is when we have the least energy to make these changes. Now spring is here and it is finally time to set your big intentions for the year now your body is energised and ready for change.

Through moving around more, more daylight hours, and lighter foods, our bodies naturally lets go of a bit of that winter weight that was necessary to keep us warm and energised through the cold months. If you feel like you didn’t meet the health goals you started in January, try again now and you may find you are far more successful at seeing them through.

 Many people also set out big work goals and intentions of achievements at the start of the year. However, in the dark and cold days of winter it can be hard to maintain the motivation to achieve these. If that is the case for you and you have run out of motivation and enthusiasm for your goals, try again now. Spring energy is perfect for planning, to do lists and all things organisation – so sit down with your planner, dream big, and set out a plan for how you will achieve your intentions this year!

Spring Cleaning

This is another great example of how humans are still in tune with the natural spring energy at this time of year. Spring cleaning is a common practise as we are not only letting go of our winter foods, but we also crave the cleansing of our spaces. No longer in need of ‘stuff’ that helps us survive through the winter, we are encouraged by the fruitfulness and new life of nature at this time of year – we feel able to get rid of a lot of clutter in the knowledge that the bounty of summer is on its way.  

So take hold of that desire to declutter and get rid of extra items you no longer need. Have a declutter and clean up your spaces in order to clean up your mind, ready to focus on your new goals for the year. Decluttering physical spaces helps to declutter the mind, and it also helps you take stock of what you want and need in the coming months.

Foods of Spring

Foods in spring are all about getting the energy moving again. In winter we are relatively sedentary, and our energy can become stagnant. Once spring is here we can feed our energy the signal that it is time to get up and go, preparing for the peak energy of summer. The best foods for moving energy are sour foods:

-       Lemon

-       Watercress

-       Sauerkraut

-       Citrus Peel

-       Hibiscus

-       Vinegar

-       Radish

Hibiscus tea

Not only do we need to move the energy that is stuck from winter, but we need to build up our resources again as we move towards the long and energetic days of summer. Therefore it is also helpful to introduce what we call ‘blood building foods’ in Chinese Medicine. The best foods for this are:

-       Beetroot

-       Eggs

-       Liver

-       Animal proteins

-       Bone broth

-       Dark leafy greens (eg. Kale, Broccoli, Spinach)

Finally, at this time of year our Liver is hard at work (in Chinese Medicine terms) sorting through what is needed and no longer needed from winter. It is best to reduce or avoid external sources that cause extra strain on the liver. Reducing or avoiding stimulants such as alcohol, drugs, processed sugar and caffeine will enable the Liver to do its job more effectively.

Exercise for Spring

As mentioned above, the best exercise for your body in spring is a brisk walk or run in nature. The moving of your whole body gets your energy flowing and circulating after winter, and being in nature is a needed reminder to us that spring is arriving all around us!

Alongside this, stretching of the whole body is another great way to get your energy moving. So things like Yoga, Qi Gong, Tai Chi or just a regular full body stretching regime will be great to introduce into your daily routine.

The Emotion of Spring

As our energy becomes a little stagnant during the dark days of winter, if we struggle to get that energy moving again (which can be part of your diagnosis in Chinese Medicine), that stuckness can bring on some negative emotions and symptoms in Spring time.

The stagnation of our energy leads to the emotion of Anger or Frustration in Chinese Medicine. These emotions have negative connotations but they are actually essential in nature to ensure our survival, and there is certainly right times to feel angry in today’s society. The problem is when this anger has begun to come out at times where it is not necessarily warranted, or if it is causing physical manifestations in your body (tight shoulders, pain in the body, headaches).

If you have been to see me in clinic, you will know how important I believe emotions are to our physical health. Unfortunately, they are also more difficult to treat and work through. Though I can help move your energy through acupuncture and reduce some steam in the pot, if anger is coming from an external factor it is important to address that, otherwise the symptoms will simply return.

This may be confronting the sources of stress in our life, finding ways to reduce them or finding more effective ways to manage them. Please remember that stress is not always obvious, and in today’s society can come from hidden sources like the relentless news, social media, or constant alerts to work emails on our phones. Equally, a source of stress or frustration may be obvious to you, perhaps an unresolved past experience or current relationship that no longer serves you.

Whatever the case may be, now is the best time of year to reduce stressors in your life, to get rid of heavy weights that hold you back and cause you to feel stuck, and to find more effective ways to reduce or manage the sources of stress in your life and make changes. Another helpful way of releasing anger is through movement, so try a boxing class or some golf to really work through some aggression in a healthy way!

I highly recommend the book ‘How to Calm Your Mind’ by Chris Bailey – for identifying and practical methods of reducing sources of stress in your life.

Summary

So, at the most pivotal time of the Chinese Medicine cycle, it is time to burst forth with new energy and motivation for the new year! Get rid of anything heavy and unnecessary remaining from winter, physically, mentally and in your environment.

Switch from heavy stews to slightly lighter foods like stir fries and grain salads. Introduce sour and blood building foods, and reduce stimulating items like alcohol and caffeine. Now is also a good time to go and get your eyes checked!

Plan exciting goals that motivate you for the year ahead, dream big and make it happen! Work through your aggression in a healthy way, try a new boxing class, and reduce sources of chronic stress in your life. Let go!

How to Book an Appointment

If you are interested in having some acupuncture to help work through some stagnation this spring, or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email us. If you feel acupuncture is right for you, you can book your appointment now.

The information in this website is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment, and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.