The Energetics of Spring

As the earth softens and the first green shoots begin to rise, spring invites us to awaken body, mind, and spirit. It’s a season of fresh beginnings and gentle expansion, marking our transition from winter’s deep, quiet Yin into the rising energy of early Yang. In Traditional medicine such as Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, spring is recognised as a season of renewal, growth, and upward movement, both in nature and within ourselves.

In TCM, spring corresponds to the Wood element, governed by the Liver and Gallbladder meridians. The Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of Qi (vital energy), hormones, and emotions. As Qi rises after the stillness of winter, this season invites us to expand, detoxify, and align. When the Liver is stagnant, we may feel irritable, experience PMS, headaches, or muscular stiffness. Emotionally, it’s a powerful time to release frustration, anger, and resentment common signs of stored Liver imbalance.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, spring is the Kapha season, cool, damp, and heavy. The accumulation of Kapha over winter can lead to sluggishness, brain fog, weight gain, and congestion if not brought into balance. Lightness, movement, and warmth are key to restoring harmony. This is mirrored in Naturopathic medicine which views spring as a time for cleansing and awakening. Supporting the liver, lymphatic system, and digestion helps the body eliminate the buildup of toxins, while also enhancing mental clarity, immune strength, and emotional well-being.

My name is Mia, and I’m a Naturopathic Doctor and Herbalist with a deep passion for reconnecting people to the healing rhythms of nature. I blend traditional wisdom from herbal medicine, naturopathy, and ancient healing systems with modern, evidence-based insights to guide others back to balance, vitality, and wholeness.

I truly believe that living in harmony with the seasons is one of the most powerful and overlooked foundations of health. Each season offers us a chance to reset, realign, and work with our bodies, not against them. Whether it’s through herbal remedies, nutrition, detoxification or daily lifestyle shifts, I help others tune into these natural cycles so they can feel more grounded, energised, and empowered in their healing journey.

In this guide, we explore how to harmonise with the energy of spring through mindful nutrition, supportive lifestyle practices, and powerful plant allies.

Foods for Spring Wellness

To align with the season, choose foods that are light, green, bitter, and astringent to awaken the liver, stimulate digestion, and balance Kapha.

Eat Green & Clean

• Start your day with warm lemon water or an herbal detox infusion to awaken the liver and stimulate digestion.
• Leafy greens & sprouts (dandelion, kale, nettles, arugula, mung beans).
• Sour foods like lemon, lime, green apples, and apple cider vinegar to stimulate Liver function.
• Bitter herbs such as dandelion and burdock to cleanse the blood and bile.
• Sprouts: Mung bean, alfalfa, radish sprouts (symbolise upward growth).
• Light proteins: Lentils, mung dal, chicken, white fish.
• Favour warm, dry, light meals: like soups with warming spices (ginger, cumin, turmeric).
• Eat Raw Carrots: Consuming at least one raw carrot daily provides fibres that bind to toxins and facilitate their removal from the liver.​
• Reduce dairy, sugar, cold/raw foods, and fried/heavy meals.
• Beetroot juice Improves bile flow and digestion.
• Eat seasonally and locally for optimal prana (life force).

Lifestyle Practices for Spring Alignment

Get things moving

• Perform a Liver Flush: Consider a liver cleanse (check out the work of Andreas Moritz and his guide to liver flushing) using natural ingredients like apple juice, grapefruit, olive oil, and Epsom salts to support liver detoxification.​
• Incorporate Daily Detox Tools: Add liver-supporting supplements such as milk thistle, burdock root tea, high doses of Vitamin C, glucuronic acid, N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), beetroot, and zinc to enhance liver detoxification pathways.
• Engage in daily movement: yoga, Qi Gong, brisk walks, dancing, gym, running.
  
• Practice stretching to support liver-ruled tendons and flexibility.
  
• Get outside in the morning sun to help reset your circadian rhythm and uplift your mood. Aim to spend more time outdoors each day walking, grounding, and soaking in natural light to begin building your solar callus in preparation for the stronger summer sun.
  

 Detox Body & Mind

• Embrace emotional cleansing: journaling, breathwork, therapy, or creative outlets
   Let go of resentment and set intentions, spring is a potent time for planting new seeds.
  
• Reduce screen time and redirect your energy toward meaningful, heart-led actions.
  
• Dry brushing in the morning to move lymph and awaken the skin.
  
• Oil pulling to detoxify the mouth and digestive tract.
  
• Use nasya oil (medicated nasal oil) to clear sinuses and awaken the mind.
• Breathwork (bonus points if it’s in nature) is a powerful way to support detoxification.

 Clear the Clutter

• Spring clean your home: decluttering creates energetic space.
• Smudge your space with herbs like sage, rosemary, or frankincense.
  
• Donate what no longer serves you physically.

Herbs & Supplements for Spring Wellness

After the stagnation and indulgence of winter, spring is the perfect time to gently stimulate detox pathways, rebalance the system, and welcome in a lighter, clearer state of being. These herbs and nutraceuticals help your body align with the season:

Dandelion Root: A springtime staple, dandelion root stimulates bile flow, aiding digestion and liver detoxification. It helps clear skin, reduce water retention, and ease post-winter sluggishness. Dandelion also aligns with the bitter taste TCM recommends for spring to move stagnation and support Liver Qi.

Milk Thistle: Rich in the compound silymarin, milk thistle regenerates liver cells and protects against toxin damage. It’s especially helpful for clearing the metabolic load from winter, think alcohol, rich foods, and medications. A powerful tonic for anyone starting a spring cleanse.

Burdock Root : A blood-purifying herb that gently supports both the liver and lymphatic system, burdock helps eliminate metabolic waste and supports clearer skin perfect for springtime breakouts. It’s also rich in inulin, which nourishes the gut microbiome, another key detox organ.

Artichoke Leaf: This choleretic herb enhances bile production and supports fat metabolism, making it ideal after a season of heavier meals. Artichoke supports cholesterol balance and digestive function, easing the body into the lighter rhythm of spring.

Schisandra Berry: An adaptogen and revered Liver tonic in TCM, schisandra supports both Phase I and II detoxification. Its five-flavour profile makes it balancing across all elements, and it uplifts mood and mental clarity making it perfect for spring’s expansive energy.

Turmeric: With its warm, bitter nature, turmeric helps reduce liver inflammation, support bile flow, and clear stagnation. It’s especially helpful for springtime joint stiffness, poor circulation, and sluggish digestion, all of which can improve as Liver Qi starts to move. Super Botanic’s Curcumin is enhanced with  Bioperine®(black pepper extraction) for better absorption and it has Curcumin C3 Complex not only is it the most Clinically Researched curcumin but it is also standardized to 95% curcuminoids, including 70-80% curcumin, 15-25% Demethoxycurcumin, and 2.5-6.5% bisdemethoxycurcumin.

Yellow Dock Root: A gentle laxative and blood purifier, yellow dock is ideal for supporting elimination pathways colon, skin, and liver. It also aids iron absorption, making it a great addition for those feeling depleted or fatigued as they shift into spring energy.

Why These Herbs Are Ideal in Spring

• They promote detoxification and gentle elimination after winter accumulation.
• They support bile flow, critical for fat digestion and toxin removal.
• They help regulate mood and hormones, both governed by the Liver.
• They work energetically with spring’s upward Qi, helping you feel lighter, clearer, and more aligned with the season’s natural rhythm

Additional Supplements to Support Spring Detox:

• NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine): Precursor to glutathione for cellular detox.
• Vitamin C & Zinc: Antioxidant protection during liver detox
  
•  Probiotics &  prebiotics: Gut health is key to elimination and immune function.

In Summary: A Seasonal Reset for Liver, Mind & Soul

Spring is a sacred opportunity to clear stagnation physically, mentally, and emotionally, and come into alignment with your highest potential. When we support the Liver, eat seasonally, move with intention, and allow our emotions to flow, we harmonise with nature’s innate wisdom.

This is the season to rise earlier, move with purpose, and lighten your load. Just as nature emerges from hibernation, allow yourself to be seen, to grow, and to shed old skins. Let this season be your gentle reset. Plant seeds of new habits, nurture them with care, and blossom into vitality.

Spring Affirmations: 

I release what no longer serves me.

I am open to growth, clarity, and transformation

I nourish my body and soul with nature’s rhythms.