Hello, my friend!
Peas in a saucepan, a generous dollop of French butter, a swig of olive oil, topped with fresh mint, chives, and lemon — that feels like the essence of spring. We finally made it! Simple, bright, and green. It also feels like a gentle exhale.
↓ In today's email:
This Week's Inspiration: Spring, Change, and the Gentlest Detox
Have you noticed the light has changed too?
And today I caught sight of a tiny turtle sunning herself in my yard and a hopping robin redbreast close by. All these things together, in our bones — perhaps similarly to what the turtle feels — we know change is afoot.
This change of season means a change in your overall health and well-being too.
In Ayurvedic medicine — which is ancient Indian medicine — this is a very important time to recalibrate your body. It's a time of regrowth and bodily and soul purification.
It can be a gentle opportunity to detoxify our bodies when it comes to what we're eating. Many people choose to eat only khichdi for many days — which is an Indian dish of mung beans and rice with cardamom, cumin, coriander, clove, cilantro, and ginger — that helps detoxify the body and rekindle one's digestive fire, a.k.a. metabolism. Which is a big plus — as we get older, our metabolism can get a tad sluggish, so this can kick it up a notch.
But for most of us, starting with khichdi is a bit abrupt. It's maybe better for us to make small incremental changes. For example, this week you may want to cut out baked goods. I know I've been enamored of a double chocolate chip cookie the size of my face — so I'll be considering cutting down on that. And as the weeks go on, I will continue to decrease alcohol, caffeine, dairy, and meat.
For those of you who are interested in discussing this further, feel free to be in touch. Wishing you all a happy and joyous new beginning, and finally — welcome to spring!
Latest Blog Post
Bloating, Brain Fog, and Your Microbiome: The Gut Health Guide for Women Over 40
Speaking of all things having to do with food, I couldn't help but add this blog post having to do with our gut microbiome, how it changes when we're over 40, and how to take great care of it.
Did you know that 94% of menopausal women report digestive symptoms — and 82% say those symptoms either began or worsened during perimenopause?
A few easy places to start:
The full post goes deeper into the estrobolome (the gut bacteria that regulate your estrogen), the gut-brain connection, and why 90-95% of your serotonin is made in your gut, not your brain.
What I'm Reading
Kin by Tayari Jones
One of the most beautiful books I've read in years. It's about two young girls from rural Louisiana who are the closest of friends — one goes off in search of the mother who left her behind as a baby and the other departs for Spelman College and for an introduction to Black society of Atlanta.
It is a story of who is family, and perhaps some of our deepest connections are with our chosen family. Beautiful, heartfelt, and powerful.
Wishing you a luminous start to spring, my friend.
Dr. Catherine