Spring is here! It’s a time for new growth and moving ahead to the new you. This season brings the return of life as green begins to return, blossoms burst with sweet fragrance, and the air is warm.
Do you feel ready to blossom? Ask yourself this: what do you need to nourish and strengthen your whole being and nurture forward motion in this world? Where do you feel resistance? Is there anything you can to do to begin to discharge any physical, mental, or emotional toxins that are holding you back?
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, springs shows up as:
- new life shooting up and out of the ground
- wind moving you forward if you are in the flow, or sideways/backwards if you are not
My tips below will support you to get in the flow and receive the most this season has to offer.
PHYSICAL HEALING IN THE SPRING
In the 5 phases of action of Chinese medicine, spring is about the energy of the liver and gall bladder system. If you have issues in this phase they most often turn up in the spring. I have seen this over the years in my clinical practice of holistic medicine.
If all is well the key is to finely tune your system through nourishing herbs and lifestyle practices.
If there is deficiency in the liver, the blood and energy in your body will not move efficiently and vitality will seem to be low. If you are finding it hard to get up the gumption to get things going or make things happen this signals a deficiency. Also, if your liver enzymes are low on your blood tests (CMP complete metabolic profile) ALT and or AST is 10 or less, that indicates a deficiency and nourishing this system is critically important for you.
FOODS AND HERBS TO NOURISH THE BODY:
Stinging nettles as tea or lightly cooked.
I like to take a quart or larger sized mason jar and lightly pack it with fresh nettles (careful to place them gently in the jar and not experience the stinging part). Then fill with hot water and let steep until the water cools. You can fish the nettles out with a spoon and then drink a cup of the tea 2 to 3 times a day. You can also buy a tincture of the herbs or make a tea or infusion (steeped overnight) from dried herbs.
Chicory, artichoke, watercress and beets are also helpful for the liver.
Artichoke, watercress, and beets can easily be found at the grocery store and chicory can be found in powdered form at your local health food store.
SUPPORT THE BODY’S DETOXIFICATION PROCESS:
Another issue that shows up classically in spring related to liver and gall bladder is not being able to process or get rid of toxins appropriately.
Clean up your diet.
Eat local, fresh, organic foods. It is not good to consume pesticides and herbicides like glyphosate that are found in conventional produce and most processed foods. Stop eating fried foods, all processed foods, and all sugar, especially corn syrup and artificial sweeteners.
If you cook in oil use mono unsaturated fats; olive oil (best at lower temperatures), avocado (at higher temperatures) or coconut oil. It is important to avoid deep frying as it creates oxidized oils which enter the blood stream and can cause oxidized cholesterol (bad for the heart). Polyunsaturated oils including sunflower and safflower can become carcinogenic at high heat. Bile moving herbs help clear the liver and get toxins out.
For a general spring cleanse I recommend the following products. Just pick one that resonates for you. You can order these at a discount via your Wellevate account if you are a current patient. If you need help ordering please email us.
- HerbPharm Health Liver Health Compound 40 drops (1.5 dropperfuls twice a day)
Product Code HEA13 – the 4 oz. size is more economical - Thorne Liver cleanse 1 cap twice a day.
Product Code T69026 - Gaia Daily Liver support 1 cap twice a day
Product Code G99043
For folks with detoxification issues it is important to make sure you have everything your Liver needs to optimize all of its detoxification systems.
Xymogen MedCaps DPO start 2 once a day, advance to 2 twice a if have a heavy toxic load and can tolerate that. (Contact us to order.)
Soluble fiber in diet or supplement to absorb toxins in gut so not reabsorbed after excreted/dumped by Liver/Gall bladder. (fiber that dissolves in water such as beans, oat bran, fresh ground flax seeds, chia seeds, inulin, citrus pectin, psylium).
EMOTIONAL/MENTAL WELLNESS IN THE SPRING
Do you have the Courage to be you authentic self?
If yes, be courageous and do what you need to do for self care and to fulfill your life purpose!
If not, this a place to get some coaching and develop your courage and will.
Emotional/ Mental for detox.
Monitor anger and be careful not to express the potentially destructive effects of anger. If you are having difficulty with that get help support trough therapy or other means. Spring is time to build, grow, be vibrant. Be Clean and Green. NOW.
If you need help accessing these medical grade supplements please contact our office.