Sometimes it can be easy to forget that everything in nature is cyclical. The tides ebb and flow, the moon waxes and wanes, and the seasons shift. We, as people, are not immune to these changes. Even though we live modern lives, our bodies are affected by these natural rhythms in many ways. We can try to resist it, but moving in harmony with these seasonal rhythms and cycles often leaves us feeling more connected to our both our environment and ourselves. These are just some ways to lean into the seasonal living when it comes to nutrition. All it takes is noticing your environment, trusting your body, and embracing your traditions.

Eating Seasonally

Before the days of grocery stores, we all ate seasonally. We embraced the changes in the seasons, recognizing the unique variety that came with each month, differing with each region. It is all we could do. Now, we can access almost any food at any time of year.

Eating seasonally means that our food is picked at peak ripeness for optimal flavor and nutrient density, unlike “out of season” foods that are often picked early in order to sort, store, and transport. If we reflect on it, we notice that our bodies are often tuned towards craving seasonal foods. We crave hearty, warming stews in the Winter and crisp. cooling salads in the Summer. As we emerge into Spring, our bodies start to crave fresh, leafy greens, which just so happen to be emerging as well.

One way to start eating seasonally is by visiting your local farmer’s market. There, you will see everything that is growing nearby. If those are hard to access, then I love this seasonal eating food guide.

Trusting Your Intuition

The driving force of eating seasonally and in tune with our natural rhythms is trusting our intuition. Eating can feel complicated or anxiety provoking, and usually that is because of the many contradicting food rules. Intuitive eating is a practice that can take time to embrace, but it can feel so liberating once we do. Deep down, intuitively, we know how to nourish our bodies. We just need to practice trusting ourselves. Sometimes, the best place to start is by exploring seasonal ingredients.

Embracing Our Traditional Foods

Along the same lines of intuitive eating comes embracing our traditional, cultural, and ancestral foods. Those foods that we (or maybe our great grandparents) grew up with culturally nourish not only our bodies, but our souls as well. The spices and the techniques may differ throughout cultures, but the ingredients are often similar. We all are nourished by combinations of simple whole grains, animal products or fats, fermented foods, and seasonal fruits and vegetables.

About the Author

Dr. Hannah is a naturopathic doctor providing whole body adjunctive healthcare to patients in Maine and Massachusetts. She believes every patient has their own unique health journey, which influences her personalized treatment approach. She has a passion for helping women, mothers and families heal and thrive, all while uncovering the root cause of whatever ails them. Her goal is to empower and guide her patients on the path towards healing the mind, body and soul through natural methods of healing. Dr. Hannah sees patients locally in Portland, Maine. Through telehealth, she is happy to serve the people of Lewiston, Ellsworth, Belfast, Bangor, and all the towns in between! She now sees Massachusetts patients through telehealth as well!

Disclaimer

The information provided on or through this website is for educational and informational purposes only. This information is not a substitution for proper and personalized medical diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or trusted healthcare provider before making an adjustments or changes to your healthcare regimen. Natural medicine is not inherently harmless, and therefore it is important to speak with your healthcare providers for personalized medical advice.