Spring Season Wellbeing and Beingwell with Food

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the world is a harmonious and holistic entity where all living beings are viewed in relation to the surrounding environment. Since ancient times, the Chinese have tried to explain different complicated phenomena by creating yin yang or the five elements theories. Man is part of the holistic entity, and takes his cue from nature. He is influenced directly and indirectly by changes in weather and needs to make corresponding physiological and pathological responses. For example, a change of season causes the rate, rhythm, volume and tension of the pulse to vary. The pulse tends to be taut in spring, full in summer, floating in autumn, and sunken in winter. TCM physicians will take this into account when distinguishing the abnormal pulse from the normal. The occurrence, development and change in the pattern of many diseases are seasonal such as wenbing (Warm Disease Theory / Febrile Disease) occurring in spring, sun strokes in summer, dryness-related symptoms in autumn, and cold stroke syndromes in winter.


According to TCM, spring is when living things begin to grow and yang qi starts to predominate. In this season, exogenous pathogens* such as wind evil makes individuals susceptible to flu, pneumonia, or a relapse of chronic diseases. It is advisable to reduce intake of sour flavors and increase sweet flavors. Sweet flavors are warm in energy and tend to move upward, thus enhancing protection from wind evil invasion. This facilitates the liver to regulate the flowing and spreading movement which improves yang qi distribution. Besides, uncooked, frozen and glutinous foods should be taken in moderation since these are harmful to the spleen and stomach if consumed in large amounts.

Spring foods: Sweet Potato, bamboo shoot, mushrooms, spinach, celery, onion, lettuce, wheat, dates, peanuts, onions, coriander,

* The six exogenous factors, wind, cold, summer-heat, fire, dryness, and fire, are the six variations in the climate of the four seasons. They are also known as the "six external evils”, and they can appear in combination or alone. Under normal condition, the human body has the ability to adapt to climatic variations. However, when bodily resistance is too weak to adapt to climatic changes or if there is an abnormal altering of the weather which surpasses the body's adaptability, the six external evils can penetrate the body and cause an imbalance. If our defensive system is strong, it simply repels the invasion or adjusts to the sudden changes; if the defensive system is weak or the evils unusually strong, an illness develops and may go progressively deeper in the body. 1) Wind Pathogenic wind prevails in spring and is a common pathogenic factor of the common cold. It causes diseases together with other pathogenic factors, for example, wind-cold, wind-heat, wind-damp.

Spring Noodle Soup

Basic Ingredients

900ml chicken or vegetable stock (or a good quality Miso soup mix - personally recommended)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (optional) or tofu
1 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger
1 large garlic clove , finely chopped
50g rice or wheat noodles
2 tbsp sweetcorn , canned or frozen
2-3 mushrooms , thinly sliced
2 spring onions , chopped
2 tsp soy sauce , plus extra for serving
coriander, mint or basil leaves and a little shredded chilli (optional), to serve

Additional Ingredients

Quinoa 

Red pepper, thin sliced

Pak Choi

Peas

Flaxseeds

Fennel

Watercress

Radishes

Method

Pour the stock into a pan and add the chicken/tofu, ginger and garlic. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, partly cover and simmer for 20 mins, until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken to a board and shred into bite-size pieces using a couple of forks.
Return the chicken to the stock with the noodles, corn, mushrooms, half the spring onions and the soy sauce. Simmer for 3-4 mins until the noodles are tender. Ladle into two bowls and scatter over the remaining spring onions, herbs and chilli shreds if using. Serve with extra soy sauce for sprinkling.

This soups is best made a day in advance, if you can hold off eating it. Enjoy