May 7th, 2021
Food As Medicine :: Why Eat Seasonally?
by Chelsea Cushman
What is eating seasonally? To eat a seasonal diet means sourcing foods, particularly veggies and fruits, that naturally grow in the season that is most optimal for their survival and vigor. Seasonal produce in your area will vary by growing conditions and weather. Some vegetables are cultivated in specific seasons like asparagus grows in the spring, summer squash like zucchini grow in the summer and winter squash like delicata and butternut can be found in the fall and winter. There is a beautiful organization to nature in that foods that grow in certain seasons contain nutrients that can help humans get through those seasons. Take a red bell pepper, for example, which is grown in summer and fall and contains about 3 times as much vitamin C as an orange. Increasing vitamin C intake in the summer and fall can help boost the immune system to help us fight against the cold and flu seasons of fall and winter. In Paul Pitchford’s book Healing with Whole Foods, “The ancient Chinese believed that the seasons have a profound cyclical effect on human growth and well being – that we are influenced by climatic changes and should live in harmony with them.”
In this day and age with global shipping we can find almost anything and everything one could want in their local supermarket. Take tomatoes, for example, we can find tomatoes in the winter that are shipped from South America. They are often picked before they’re ripe and then shipped thousands of miles. When produce is picked before it is ripe the development of vital nutrients is stunted. The more time between harvest and consumption, the fewer the nutrients. According to Elson Haas in his book Staying Healthy with The Seasons, “the premise of eating seasonally is to reattune yourself to Nature, just as our ancestors lived harmoniously with what the Earth provided…growing our own food and buying from local farmers is a logical first step toward seasonal eating and investing in a more healthful planetary future.” We can focus our diet on specific actions for each season: spring is cleansing, summer is cooling, autumn is building and winter is heating. Check out the easy to use list of seasonal produce on the USDA’s website at https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/seasonal-produce-guide. Eating seasonally and buying locally can go hand in hand because you will get the most nutrients for your buck, reduce the carbon footprint of your food and support your local community by keeping your dollars local.
Chelsea Cushman
YOUnique Nature Wellness
Nutrition Consultant, N.C.
Ayurvedic Health Counselor, A.H.C.
Western Astrologer
References:
Haas, E. (2003). Staying healthy with the seasons. New York, NY: Celestial Arts.
Murray, M., Pizzorno, J. & Pizzorno, L. (2005). The encyclopedia of healing foods. New York, NY:
Atria Books.
Pitchford, P. (2002). Healing with whole foods. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
USDA Seasonal Produce Guide: https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/seasonal-produce-guide.
From Our Producers :: Field Notes
Happy Mother's Day to the mamas that tend our universal mama, the earth, simultaneously nurturing the seeds they plant alongside their own offspring, raising the next generation and building the foundation that will serve that same generation and beyond.
Shout out to the mamas of our FEED Sonoma growers community;
Julia of Confluence Farm
Sonya of Coyote Family Farm (pictured, bottom left)
Bree of Suncatcher Farm
Yael of Bernier Farms (pictured, bottom right)
Stephanie of Filigreen Farm
Moira of Marin Roots
Franchesca of Alchemist (pictured, top left)
Jenny of Kibo Farm
Koy and her own mama of Stony Point Strawberry Farm
Lesley of Salmon Creek Ranch
Elizabeth of Singing Frogs Farm
Rebecca of Lantern Farm (pictured, top right)
Gloria and Abuela of Sebastopol Berry Farm
And soon to be mamas, Megan of County Line Harvest and Marisa of Olson Farms!
Featured photos by Paige Green Photography, yet another admirable mama!