May 2025

Seasonal Living – Spring

• Spring Into Spring – The Energetic Of Spring
• Leaves Medicine For Spring
• From Weed To Table
• Apple Cider Vinegar Medicine For Spring

Leaves are the first part of the plant that emerges from the thawed Earth, marking the beginning of spring. It makes sense since leaves give the plants the energy they need to thrive.

Leaves Medicine For Spring

the roots and the flowers, like the lungs, ribs, vertebrae, and heart, which are placed between the head and the lower torso and legs.

Leaves are arranged around the stem in different patterns in different botanical families. For example, in the mint family, the leaves grow in pairs opposite each other and rotate 90 degrees from one pair to the next. In the rose family, plants, including berries and fruits like peaches, apples, and hawthorns, the leaves spiral around the stem like the staircase in the Sleeping Beauty fairytale.

Although the patterns in different botanical families differ, all leaves are organized in a rhythmical pattern, much like the vertebrae and ribs are organized in the human body.

To sum it up, leaves’ placement around the stem follows the same morphology as the ribs and vertebrae around the lungs and spinal cord. However, functionally, leaves combine the function of the lungs with the function of the digestive system.

The energetic of leaves

The Western Energetic system used the four elements to observe patterns in nature. Spring was associated with the water element, as were leaves.

Water needs to be in constant movement. Standing water becomes a swamp; it collects algae, toxins, and mosquitoes. Moving water, however, is a carrier of nutrients and toxins; they are nourishing and purifying.

Being adaptable, water takes the form of the vessel that contains it. It is considered a universal solvent because it can bind to many compounds. Minerals, especially salt, are drawn to water because they help balance the fluidity of water and give it form.

Water also embodies the concept of rebirth and renewal. In the eternal cycle of life, the nourishing rain brings barren lands back to life, heralding a season of growth and transformation. Similarly, within the depths of our souls, the return of spring with rains and mud season invites us to wake up from winter’s slumber.

Leaves use water to transform the etheric energy of light (air element) into sugar (earth element), embodying the energetic of water.

The leaves on your plate

Seasonal living, for me, is about slowing down to observe the changes in nature. I also include my body when I speak of nature, as I believe we are part of nature.

One of the perks of living in New England is having four distinctive seasons. I get to experience the differences in energy between the cold, dry winter and the hot, dry summer; between them, spring is wet and mild.

After a long winter of bowls upon bowls of warm soups and stews, spring finally arrives with the craving for lighter meals. As always, in her generosity, the Earth is here for me. The greenhouse beds are filled with an abundance of spinach and arugula.

Near my compost pile, the chickweed patch is thriving, and behind the greenhouse, where I dump old potting soil, the nettle is emerging.

Hippocrates famously said that “food is medicine.” In my clinic, I find that instead of reaching for the medicine or supplement cabinet, your backyard garden or the local farmer’s market can provide you with the medicine you need most.

Green leaves are high in nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. They are also a good source of fiber that can help move your bowels, reduce blood triglycerides, and feed your gut bacteria.

Some green leaves to consider in the spring:

Kale

One cup of kale can provide the entire recommended amount of vitamin A, a substrate for Immunoglobulin A. Ig A is an important antibody that lives in your mucus, in the nose, throat, lungs, and digestive tract. It acts as the first line of defense of your immune system. A balanced Ig A status is crucial for preventing seasonal allergies in the spring.

Spinach

 One cup of spinach will give you more than enough of your daily recommended vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and a mast cell stabilizer. Adding a cup of spinach to your daily diet can help maintain the integrity of mast cells and reduce seasonal allergy symptoms.

Arugula

Arugula is a bitter dark leaf from the cruciferous family. As a bitter green, it contains compounds that stimulate liver enzymes and bile production, thus reducing the body’s toxic overload. Spring was traditionally a detox season because winter was associated with heavy meals and a sedentary lifestyle, which increased toxicity in the body.

All dark greens are rich in polyphenols that reduce oxidative stress. These dark, leafy greens are rich with fibers that feed your gut bacteria. Healthy gut bacteria are the foundation for a balanced immune system.

It is magical how leaves emerge from the dead soil of winter, as we need them to support the energy shift we experience as we move from winter to spring.

In the physical body, they support the letting go of excess toxins accumulated through winter and the immune system’s adaptation to the dramatic environmental changes.

They feed our souls with the water element that fosters growth and transformation, the rebirth of a new growing season.