Dear Friends and Family,

Spring is here! As the days become longer, warmer and brighter, nature wakes from her winter slumber and looks ahead to abundant new growth in spring. This is the time to come out and shine; to dance to sing, to play and to rejoice.

Spring is Nature’s birthing season, and the time to plant seeds for the fall harvest. It is a time of creation; making plans, decisions and taking action with a clear vision and a sense of purpose.

The seeds we nurtured in body, mind and spirit throughout the winter will bloom with fresh inspiration and a spark of energy, allowing us to act upon our ideas, goals and dreams.

Nature awakens in her green flowering beauty. New growth in our lives, relationships and in our work is stimulated now as we have the opportunity to flourish in this season of new beginnings.

Spring is a great time to make plans for moving forward. What do we need to clear out of our environment and what do we need to release from within ourselves? What do we want to create? It is a fresh start where our dreams can blossom into reality.

In the Chinese System of the Five Elements, the spring season is the Wood element, which guides the liver and gallbladder. The Wood element relates to the roots and limbs of trees and plants in nature and the spine, limbs and joints in our bodies.

Imbalances of the liver and gallbladder often appear with symptoms of weakness and or pain in our joints, tendons and ligaments.  Acupuncture and massage can support our bodies and emotions during this transition.

Walking outside, deep breathing, yoga and gentle stretching is very beneficial for these physical structures that support us and also aids in the release of toxins from our bodies, especially when we work up a sweat!

Anger, irritability, depression and indecision are the emotions of the liver and gallbladder. An imbalance of these organs can cause these emotions to get stuck and to build up or come out in anger. All of our emotions are a natural part of us, they just need to flow and cycle through us with a supportive, positive outlook for release.

If any of these emotions are coming up for you, it is a good time to gently process them out through journaling, guided meditation (I love the Oprah/Deepak 21 Day meditations on line) and prayer. Getting support from a friend, family member or a counselor can also be helpful.

Green is the color of the Wood element and sour is the flavor or taste. It is good to eat some sour foods such as lemons, olives, tart apples and grapefruit as well as dark leafy greens such as arugula, kale, spinach, chard and cilantro in a salad, gently sauteed or lightly steamed with lemon, olive oil and sea salt.

Green vegetable juices with a little apple and lemon are a great way to support the liver in its spring cleansing, and fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir and miso, also support the liver with increased healthy bacterial flora. Spring is a great time of year to add lemon to your purified drinking water and to increase green tea and decrease caffeine.

In the Chinese 24 hour clock, 11:00 PM-1:00 AM is the time of the gallbladder so we want to be sound asleep by this time to allow the gallbladder to rest and recover. 1:00-3:00 AM is the time of the liver and if we find ourselves waking at this time the liver may be over worked and stressed out with its numerous jobs of detoxification, as well as fat and hormone metabolism.

Each spring brings us an opportunity to start anew. It is the optimal time for cleansing and rejuvenating the liver, allowing for greater energy, deeper sleep, improved mental clarity, enhanced sex drive and a deeper enjoyment of our lives.

The first official day of spring is March 21 on the spring equinox.  There is a 2-week transition period from winter to spring that begins March 7th. This is the best time for some cleansing and clearing in our body, mind, emotions and environment.

Lets spring forward together, creating Vibrant Health by combining new, fresh and healthy food, thoughts and habits!

By taking care of what we eat, how we exercise, treating ourselves with loving kindness and choosing ways to relieve stress and tension from our lives, we will create more health, happiness and harmony.

Join me on my Spring Refresh Nourish and Flourish 21 day program to clear, clean and restore your body, mind and spirit. Your inner radiance will shine through your glowing skin, bright eyes, shiny hair and overflowing energy.

Click here to get started.

Click here or more information on how Vibrant Living in Harmony can enhance your life.

Visit my blog to learn more about the seasons and how they relate to your body, mind and emotions.

With love, light and blessings of spring,

Lisa

Dear Friends and Family,

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Holiday with loved ones, delicious and nourishing food, and plenty of time to rest and relax. It is such a beautiful time of year to reflect on all that we are blessed with and grateful for.

We are currently in the transition phase between fall and winter. This transition phase ends on December 20, and winter officially begins on the Solstice, December 21st. The winter season relates to our energy systems, which are our kidneys and adrenal glands, which drive our energy, regeneration and filtration.

As we shift from fall, which is the season of our respiratory and immune systems, we want to take good care of our health by getting extra sleep, drinking extra water and getting gentle exercise with mild sweating. It is a time to stay warm, eat soup and stews, and drink hot tea. The transition phases between each season relate to our digestion, as we are literally digesting and transforming that which we have learned and experienced from one season to the next.

Chinese Medicine teaches us to live in Harmony with the seasons, creating more balance between our bodies, minds and emotions, and with the environment around us. It gives us tools such as herbs, spices and foods as well as guidance for the release and healing of our emotions. All of these help to keep our immune systems strong and healthy.

The foods that are the most beneficial during the winter season are; squashes (such as acorn and butternut) yams, sweet potatoes, and vegetables (such as chard, kale, bokchoy, cabbage, carrots, beets and onions). Avocados, apples and pears are also seasonal fall and winter foods. Garlic, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg are warming, nurturing spices that help to warm us from the inside out.

Grass fed beef, bison lamb, turkey and game hens are strengthening to the bones and immune system, especially prepared in a hearty soup or stew, adding many of the vegetables and spices above. Bone broth can be purchased already prepared at most health food stores and makes an excellent base for a soup or stew. It is particularly strengthening to our digestive and immune systems.

Black beans, kidney beans and lentils also add good fiber and support the kidneys specifically. A slow cooker is a great way to set your self up for a hearty and nourishing meal to come home to at the end of the day.

The emotions related to this season are fear and anxiety. It is a good time to get extra rest allowing our nervous system to relax and your energy system to rejuvenate. Journaling your emotions or talking to a friend or counselor can be really helpful during this time of year. The holidays can add extra stress, and we all need to take time for self love, self care and reflection.

The transition phases between each season are an ideal time for a physical, mental and emotional tune up. It allows us to clear and strengthen the systems of the body we are transitioning out of, as we balance and support the system we are moving into.

The program that would be of the most support to you during this current transition from fall to winter is the New Year New You 14 day anti-Inflammatory program.

Participating in this program, at this time, will strengthen your Immune and Respiratory systems and help to keep you strong and healthy through the holidays and into the New Year. It will also tune up your energy system to give you that extra boost we all need during the holidays.

For more information and to get started CLICK HERE.

For a complimentary discovery call to support you CLICK HERE.

Sending you Love and Blessings for Vibrant Health and Happiness,

Lisa

Dear friends,

Happy Harvest Moon, and welcome to our glorious Autumn Season! Are you feeling the slight shift in the weather, with cooler mornings and evenings and a slight breeze during the day? The leaves are just beginning to turn a light golden color and there are pumpkins everywhere!

Autumn is the season of gathering the harvest in preparation for winter. This includes adding more warming foods, herbs and spices into our diets. During this Harvest Season, we are receiving the fruits of our labors from the past 6 months of effort we have put into our projects, relationships and health.

This is also the beginning of a cycle of personal growth and turning within. Its first day is September 22, the Equinox where the nights become longer than the days. There is a 2-week transition period as we move from one Season to the next and it is a time to clear away and finish projects; allowing space for inner wisdom, contemplation, writing, reading and nurturing your self.

Nature in all of her abundance provides us each season with the foods to nourish, strengthen and support our health. Squashes of all kinds, including acorn, pumpkins and yams, as well as root vegetables, apples and pears are some of the best foods to build our health this fall.

Some of my favorites are acorn squash cut in half and baked upside down in a little water. They are served with coconut oil and a little cinnamon or grass fed butter with sea salt. Baked apples and pears served with a little coconut oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg make a wonderfully healthy and yummy desert.

It is time to pull out the crockpot and warm up our meals with more soups and stews, including: chicken, turkey, carrots, celery, onions, squash or potatoes, garlic, sea salt, rosemary, sage and thyme. Green leafy veggies like Chard, Bok Choy and Kale sautéed on low in avocado or olive oil (you can add in other veggies that you like) are better than cold raw salads at this time and also help to prepare us for the winter season.

Teas and spices, including cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and ginger help to warm us from the inside fueling our energy. I love the Yogi Tea brand  “Chai Rooibos” with a little coconut creamer as a coffee substitute or following that first cup of coffee in the morning.  These warming and moistening foods strengthen our immune system, lungs and large intestine, as these are the organs that correlate to the fall season.

The Emotion associated with the lungs and large intestine, which are the Metal Element in the Chinese 5 Element Theory, is grief. This is an important time to look within to see and feel if you are holding grief somewhere in your body, especially in your chest or belly. I find that journaling these feelings, as well as meditation, prayer and positive affirmations of healing, along with self love, help us to consciously release these emotions both past and present.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, each season relates to one of our 5 major organ systems and is that system’s time for rejuvenation, restoration and repair. The lungs relate to the sinuses and the skin, so it is a good time to sweat slightly and drink more water,  helping us to release toxins more easily, and to also flush the sinuses with a saline wash daily. As these are the two main eliminatory organs in our bodies, this is the time of year for a Fall Refresh to cleanse, clear and rejuvenate before winter and the Holidays.

My Nourish and Flourish Anti-Inflammatory 28 day Program is a great way to refresh and rejuvenate. If you would like more information on how this program can help calm, balance and re-energize your body, mind and spirit, please CLICK HERE.

Sending you love, light, and joy,

Lisa

PS – This week I’ll be speaking at Women Who Rise – Live, Love and Lead from your Feminine! This Feminine Master Online Event will show you how to use your Divine gifts and superpowers to PROSPER wildly! Begin your Rise and sign up for this! It’s FREE, it’s powerful and it’s available right NOW! CLICK HERE to join me. Cyndie, Feminine Mastery founder is leading this destiny-defining and not-to-be-missed F*R*E*E Online Event. Don’t wait, it’s happening NOW!

Dear friends and family,

Welcome to my blog post exploring the Late Summer season we are currently in. Late summer is the shortest season, starting at the end of summer around August 15th and going through the Autumn transition on September 22nd.

It is the time of year for rejuvenation of the spleen and stomach – our digestive system. This brief season is a time for making plans, reviewing goals, preparing for and starting the new school year, and for reaping the harvest we planted in spring.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are 5 seasons that relate to our 5 major organ systems: the Spleen, Lungs, Kidneys, Liver and Heart. The seasons in Nature and the systems of our bodies weave together forming the 5 elements. Late summer is the Earth element relating to our Mother, both mother Earth and our maternal mother, the center and our Spleen and Stomach.

The Earth element gives us the power of manifestation, abundance and creativity, which brings our intentions to life. As the stomach receives nourishment, the spleen transforms it into nutrient rich energy that fuels our entire bodies. Just as our intentions, visions and dreams fuel and guide our actions and gives us motivation for our goals.

The way in which we are able to nourish ourselves, and our ability to both give and receive love directly, relates to the health and strength of our digestion system. When we can love and nourish ourselves in body, mind and spirit we have the capacity to share that love with others.

As the Earth element and Late Summer relate to the Mother, it is the best time of the year to strengthen and heal our relationships with our mothers, our children and ourselves. It is a time to connect within and receive nourishment and support, and to release all that does not bring love and light into our lives.

The emotions of this season and of the spleen and stomach are worry, overthinking and melancholy. If you are feeling these emotions to an extreme, your digestive system may also be suffering and need support. Feeling these emotions is normal when they have an opportunity to be acknowledged, expressed and released. It is when we try to hide or stuff our emotions that they can affect our health. Journaling, listening to soothing music, spending time in nature and talking to a friend or counselor are all very helpful.

Stay tuned for my next blog discussing the upcoming autumn season and how to keep yourself and your family healthy through the cold and flu season.

With much love, light and many blessings of abundance and vibrant health for you and your family,

Lisa