Eating Seasonally

Eating seasonally was something that started for me and my family a couple of decades ago.Eating healthy isn’t something I always did, it was because my first born got sick while in grade school and it was through the sickness that the the way we look at food began to change. Actually our journey started when I weaned her. The doctor recommended her to start drinking cow milk and when she did her mucous thickened to the point it made her start snoring and constipated. Through many tears and tons of research along with trial and error, I discovered that dairy was the culprit. As soon as I removed it from her diet everything cleared up . This left me asking myself , does what we eat really matter? Then when this same kid got sick in elementary school it opened up pandora’s box for our family.

Through her road to healing I began shopping for food differently and cooking differently. I was raised in home with a pantry full of sugary cereals and boxes of little debbie snacks, sodas and processed foods. So changing our food lifestyle was difficult but also so fascinating to me. I dove in head first. Twenty plus years later I have mastered knowing how to shop with local farmers and what to avoid in a supermarket. Did it come with heartache? Yes. Was it worth every tear I cried and all the extra time in the kitchen? Most certainly . When you eat clean , you feel better, you sleep better- plain and simple.

Farmer’s markets and a CSA ( community supported agriculture ) are the best ways to eat seasonally. If that seems daunting to you , start small. You can google which fruits and veggies are in season throughout the year and then add to your search recipes for eating seasonally and it will help cut the effort in half as you shop at your local supermarket. The great news is we are living in a time where so many people are conscious about food so it helps to look to others who have done the grunt work to encourage you that you can change the way you eat too. Of course, if you have the time and energy you can do research yourself and always remember what is good for you and your body is not always good for everyone. It is a journey. A journey with benefits that will not only help your body to feel better but your mind and soul too.

Also know I am of the belief it doesn’t mean you deprive yourself from eating foods/treats you love. I believe we should do most things in moderation. I love to bake and eat baked goods and so I do this weekly. Eating seasonally isn’t about rules , it isn’t about what you can and can’t have , it is about being aware of the connection between what is being produced certain times of the year in the ground and how it has greater benefits for our overall health. I have found I enjoy a spring strawberry, a summer peach, a fall apple and a winter orange so much better when I eat them at their peak. The anticipation waiting for their arrival makes them taste so much better. Fruits and vegetables harvested in their natural season are picked at peak ripeness. This means: higher vitamin and mineral content,more antioxidant, and better flavor (which makes healthy eating more satisfying). Another great point to this is how it supports our immune system. 

Eating with the seasons is one of the simplest — and most powerful — ways to support your health. Long before superfoods were trending or supplements filled our shelves, people relied on what the earth naturally provided at different times of year. It might sound silly but I think there is wisdom in that rhythm.When we choose seasonal produce, we’re not just eating fruits and vegetables. We’re aligning ourselves with how nature cycle's — and I can testify that this alignment can profoundly nourish both body and mind. I have watched how changing our diet restored the health to my sick child (now an adult),  how it gave us more energy and helped with our sleep pattern.