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Getting ready for spring

In the blink of an eye, winter is slowly coming to its end and giving way to spring. After a long season of darkness and what was really a late winter of bone-chilling cold, it is time to shake off the cobwebs and welcome the change.



I have been advising many of you during your treatments to stay away from the cold nature of juicing until the warmer months and now is the time to gradually introduce it to your day. Moderation is key so make it a part of your day, but not your entire day. If juicing is not really your thing then celebrate the freshness with warm salads. Asparagus on a bed of stir-fried kale and wilted baby spinach with some chopped tomatoes and feta cheese is a lovely thing to have on a sunny day. I love the addition of a soft boiled egg (or two) or some edamame beans add a great crunch.

Keen gardeners would agree with me that timing and preparation is key to a great season of bloom and that is the same with our bodies. We have harnessed the energy during the cold season and now we can slowly (and cautiously) start removing some layers. The British weather is unpredictable though so a scarf is still a necessity just in case the bright, warm sun decides to hide behind the clouds. 

You may read articles about Liver being the organ of springtime and be told to anticipate unsettled moments of irritability. The truth is if you've been keeping well through acupuncture or other balancing methods like a proper diet and regular movement, then there should be no obvious signs of stagnation just because we are approaching the months of March, April and May. 

Likewise, if your body is still tweaking and finding its place then you may still feel the aches or hot flushes or digestive issues. My advice: stay away from the pick-and-mix world of popular culture. Your body is your own and no broad brush stroke of an idea can describe you individually.

However, do take in the fresher, younger air that comes with the season of growth. Remember to take a long breath in - many of us exhale slowly and fully but sometimes forget to fill that exhalation with an equally long and full breath in. After all, inspiration isn't only to inspire with ideas, it's also the simple act of filling your lungs and being.

+ Spring is finally here

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Human body energy clock

Chinese medicine is all about symmetry and categories which makes it a very neat and tidy practice. One of the ways it categorises is by allocating a period of time to a specific organ function, and many of you may be familiar with the concept ie between 1-3am is the time of (Chinese medicine) Liver function. This "energy clock" has been taken to extremes by some interpreters, such as trying to schedule treatments according to the right time slot, which is almost impossible in the modern working world. 

However, this article describes how knowledge of this clock concept can be incorporated practically into your lifestyle. It's not written by a Chinese medicine practitioner but I find she gets the information across very well.

+ How time of day affects your health

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Are you having 25 spoons of sugar in your hot drink?

We all know adding cream on top will tip that treat from the coffee shop into a naughty treat, but I don't think anyone really imagined there could be 15 or 20 or 25 (!) spoons of sugar in one single cup. It turns out that is exactly the case if you get your drinks from some high street coffee shop chain. This article explains who the worst offenders are.

Referrals

And finally...