What Does Your Liver Have To Do WIth Spring?
Well, Dear Reader, just about everything.
I have been so happy to have sunshine in my day and a crisp breeze blowing through the oversized sleeves of my Nana’s leather jacket that I like to wear during these lovely transitional months… However, spring may not, in fact, be all sunshine and daises.
If you are feeling a slightly higher level of reactivity - rage, anger, frustration, emotions, edginess, etc. - whatever you like to call it - this may be a time to nurture your liver a little more than you may have in the past. Why? Because, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), spring time = liver time. TCM looks at the year through the 5 elements - wood, fire, earth, metal & water. Each element, therefor, is associated with a season/seasonal change:
Spring - Wood
Summer - Fire
Late Summer - Earth
Autumn - Metal
Winter - Water
And with this traditional style of medicinal thinking, each element & time of year is also associated with an internal organ:
Spring - Wood - Liver
Summer - Fire - Heart
Late Summer - Earth - Pancreas
Autumn - Metal - Lung
Winter - Water - Kidney
So, in leaving Water time, which is associated with winter and known to be a time of conserving energy & reducing, we head into Wood time - Spring time - which is the time for cleansing, renewal, new beginnings & regeneration. And what is the function of the liver? To cleanse and filter!
However, just like the filter in your vacuum, the liver can become gunked up, sluggish & stagnant. This can, of course, be due to what we are eating and drinking, environmental toxins, etc. However, there’s also a very strong energetic association with the liver. TCM loves that word - stagnant. Essentially, the liver is responsible for the smooth & natural flow of Qi (AKA your vital energy) throughout the body. When the liver is functioning as it should, both physical and emotional energy should flow through the body with ease. When Qi gets stuck, liver Qi stagnation occurs. This may present as:
Digestive issues
PMS
Irritability - sighing at everyone & everything, that reactivity mentioned above - feeling edgy, angry, frustration, etc.
Neck & shoulder tension
Interrupted sleep
Migraines
Tightness in the chest & upper back
Who can relate? Moi. Saturday morning I woke up from a deep sleep with a pinched nerve in my upper back. Yes, I pinched a nerve in my sleep. Which led to all of the feelings associated with liver stagnation. (Thank you to Dr. Kyle for coming to my house to adjust me at 9AM on a Saturday morning.) So, what do we do about it?
Eat Liver Foods: Dark leafy greens, broccoli, celery, asparagus, green peppers, etc. Green is the color of the liver and the color of the foods that benefit it the most! Sour foods also stimulate liver Qi - citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruit, limes & pineapple, strawberries, tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, onions, horseradish, ginger, etc.
Gentle Supplementation to Support the Liver: CellCore’s Drainage Activator + KL (Kidney Liver) Support are my top two supplement recommendations for the liver. However, there is a whole host of herbs and tinctures that are also very nourishing and supportive. Seeking the help of an herbalist who is practiced in Traditional Chinese Medicine? Reach out to Of the Earth Apothecary.
Move Your Body: Move a muscle, change a thought. Movement is an instant mental health boost. “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy!” Movement moves your liver Qi. Remaining sedentary promotes stagnation.
Stretch Your Body: Did you know that the liver influences the health and strength of the body’s tendons? I did not, but this makes sense since energy moves through our fascia. But that’s a blog post for a different time. Try adding in a few stretches right when you wake up in the morning. You don’t even have to get out of bed! Yoga is a great option, too. (Shameless plug: I lead class at XHALE Hot Yoga in Point Pleasant every Friday at 4:30pm. 7am classes coming in the warmer weather!)
Go To Acupuncture: I am by no means an expert in Traditional Chinese Medicine. I have done my research over the years since myself and my family have benefitted so greatly from acupuncture. Even my grandparents sought out acupuncture treatments for pain relief. I’m going to The Zen Den tomorrow. If you’re local and new to acu, I always recommend a trip to The Zen Den, as they offer community acupuncture as well as private - and that’s a great place to start!
