With late Summer underway here in the Southern Hemisphere, we are experiencing those last balmy bursts of sweet summer energy with the dampening effects of late afternoon storms and muggy weather. Within the five Element framework of Chinese medicine, late summer is associated with the Earth Element, Stomach, and Spleen. More so than any of the other five elements, the earth element or spleen season is one to put aside your strict diets, feel into your intuition and cravings, and not only prioritise but ENJOY your food. As TCM Five Element Food Therapist Kimberly Ashton puts it, "The theme of the Earth Element is enjoying the sweetness of life".   The easiest way to understand the Earth element and how we can nourish the Spleen is to look out into nature at the earth itself; Think, soil, microbiome, digestion. The way we eat in this season is pivotal for nourishing our core, bringing balance back into the digestive system, and cultivating an intuitive relationship with what our body wants and needs. Helping guide and inspire this intuition through the fabric of functional food therapy and Chinese medicine wisdom, we have TCM food expert Kimberly Ashton covering the energetics, foods, cooking styles and associated emotions of this season. Mason and Kimberly journey into this multifaceted, (both) sensitive and practical element and discuss how we can bring balance back into our lives and digestive system through the foods we eat and how we prepare them. Kimberly outlines the exact foods and flavours to welcome into the kitchen and why Spleen energy is all about relaxing, enjoying and embracing the sweet aspects of food and life. Tune in now.   Mason and Kimberly discuss: -Digestion. -Food cravings. -Spleen/Soil Qi. -The Earth Element. -Digestive imbalances. -Foods for Spleen season. -Warming foods for the spleen. -Cooking styles for this season. -Food Therapy for the earth element. -Spleen energy: bonds and boundaries. -Alleviating dampness and balancing digestion. -Managing dampness within the body through food.   Resources: Kimberly's Website Five Seasons TCM  Kimberly's Instagram Kimberly's Element E-BOOKS 5 Elements & Cycles E-Course How To Eat In Spring with Kimberly Ashton (EP#133) Eating For Vitality In Summer with Kimberly Ashton (EP#147)   Check Out The Transcript Here: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/articles/kimberly-ashton-ep-151