Spring is here

Spring is nature's birthing season, where green and newness becomes abundant. It signals a six-month period of daylight, the sun, and that  yang will be dominating our lives here in the northern hemisphere. It is a time for fresh starts, reflection, new ideas, and exciting plans as energy everywhere ramps up.

In Chinese Medicine, the element associated with the spring is wood.  Wood is known for its strength and flexibility, and is linked with the color green. The wood element represents growth and vibrancy. Think of new plants pushing up through the earth and baby sprouts in the garden. The opposing energy to the wood element is strident and forceful. If this energy is unbalanced in humans, frustration and anger may arise. However, if the energy is channeled properly, it is associated with benevolence and helping others. The wood element is linked to the wind (notice how windy its been in SF lately!) - reflecting the movement and change of the spring and the ability to burst through and overcome obstacles.

Remember that in every season food is medicine.
Eating fresh and in season produce at your local farmers market is ideal, with an emphasis on leafy greens, lettuces, sprouts, and live vital foods. These foods are associated with freshening, cleansing, and building the body. Eating more green foods increases the intake of chlorophyll into our systems and our blood. This is extremely beneficial in oxygenating and purifying our blood which reduces systemic inflammation. This can be accomplished by taking a supplement or simply by eating more green foods. 
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So let's celebrate this beautiful spring by embracing the wood element and its values! Here are some ideas for the transition:

• *Let Go! Leave behind resentment or frustrations and make a plan to start anew.
• *Make some noise! Anger is the emotion of the unbalanced wood element; when channeled properly, it can be a force for change and transformation.
• *Grow! Plant some seeds or starts to feel connected to nature's cycles. 
• *Choose! Make a plan and begin it. The wood element has strong creative energy so paths chosen at this time are more likely to manifest.
• *Cleanse! Make some dietary changes to support your liver and gallbladder, the wood element's organs. Add more leafy greens and drink more liquids to detoxify. 
• *Heal! Acupuncture treatments are a great way of moving stagnation both physically and emotionally.