Springtime has arrived! As we transition from Winter Yin into the Spring Yang, you may have already noticed a shift in your energy levels with the new warmth in the weather and increasing daylight hours after the cold winter season.
Spring from a TCM Perspective
From a TCM perspective, every season is associated with an organ. Spring corresponds with the Liver organ, the color green, the Wood element, and sour flavors. The Liver channel governs the sinews, which are related to the tendons and ligaments of the body. It is therefore an excellent time to get outside and get moving in order to stimulate your tendons and ligaments and keep them supple!
Spring Dietary Recommendations
It is recommended to eat light, fresh, green colored vegetables, or sprouted foods to support the outward, upward, and Yang energy of this season. Lightly steaming and stir-frying your vegetables to retain their vital nutrients are recommended (as opposed to roasting, baking, or slow-cooking).
Spring is also a great time to give your digestive system and liver a rest by avoiding all refined carbs and sugars, processed foods, caffeine, and alcohol for 2 to 3 weeks.
Goji and chrysanthemum tea is also a good mild liver detox to combat any Spring heat. You can refer to our Goji & Chrysanthemum Tea recipe by clicking this link here.
How to Balance Liver Energy
If you feel angry, easily irritable, frustrated, or depressed during the Spring, this may indicate Liver Qi stagnation or imbalance. Unresolved emotions from the Winter time can further aggravate Liver Channel imbalance during the Spring. Thus, working through your emotions and learning to address them in a positive light can help to nourish your spiritual and emotional health and keep your Liver Qi flowing smoothly. Meditation, journaling, or talking to a trusted friend or professional counselor are some ways in which one can balance their Liver energy. Furthermore, exercise - besides keeping the tendons and ligaments supple - is great for destressing and can help to release toxins from the Liver Channel for those with Liver Qi stagnation.
4 Week Spring Detox Program
Spring is the best time to "clean house" in terms of your overall health! Our doctors at TCM Healing Center offer a 4 Week Liver Cleanse program to help detox and reset the body. The program includes acupuncture, specific dietary recommendations, Chinese herbal teas, and cupping or moxibustion if needed.
Getting regular acupuncture treatments during the Spring can help to smooth the flow of energy and facilitate healing on all levels. Focusing on the Liver channel through the herbs and acupuncture not only helps to facilitate the smooth flow of Qi through the body, but it can also help to regulate the hormones, alleviate PMS symptoms, address pelvic discomfort and breast tenderness, and assist in the body's detoxification processes.
Call our front desk to set up your appointment!