Take a look around the produce section of your local supermarket in the winter. Chances are you'll see things like apricots, plums, asparagus, cabbage, spinach, bell peppers, and even berries.  These are all items a well stocked produce section should contain, right?  The problem is that these items are summer crops, often grown below the equator (where the seasons are reversed and pesticide regulations are lax or non-existent) and flown thousands of miles to your local supermarket.

Both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda (the indigenous medical system of India which dates back thousands of years) believe the basis to all health lies in eating seasonally.  While the names and numbers of the seasons differ slightly , both traditions associate specific aspects of nature, organs, emotions, foods, activities and climates with each season.  By knowing, understand and living within these associations, we can learn each season's lesson and balance the extremes of each season's energy.

Eating in harmony with what is in season has many advantages, for both you and the planet.  Some of the benefits include: 

Our bodies need different foods at specific times of the year; foods that protect us from the effects of seasonal changes.  Many Naturopathic Doctors will tell you that they often see the same sets of symptoms appearing at the changes of the seasons, and many people suffer a year-round "malaise" where they are not suffering from any specific illness, but spend a large portion of the year feeling generally unwell (Haas, 1981).  But it doesn't need to be this way, as nature provides everything we need to stay healthy year-round.  For example, seasonal allergy suffers will appreciate that quercetin-rich fruits such as grapefruit and apples are harvested in the spring and fall-the time of year when allergy triggers such as pollen are at their highest.   In the summer the majority of foods harvested are cool and wet, which helps keep us from overheating and dehydrating in the sultriness of summer.  Likewise we often find ourselves craving soups in winter, and those warm and wet soups are the perfect balance to winter's dry coldness.  By eating seasonally relevant produce, we can adjust our body chemistry to the climatic conditions where we live, putting less stress on our immune systems and boosting our overall health.

While shopping at health food stores typically affords a better selection of seasonal and local foods than a large chain supermarket, the best alternative is to visit a local farmer's market.  Even health food giants like Whole Foods offer out-of-season produce throughout the year.  It's also a good idea to find out what is seasonal to your specific area, because this can vary greatly across the country, as can your local harvest times for specific foods.  If this sounds complicated, it can be a little at first.  But with time and practice it quickly becomes second nature.

 

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