08/09/2021
LOOKING AFTER OUR HEALTH IN SPRINGTIME
Spring is a time of huge change. From winter dormancy comes an uprising of incredible proportions. Just look at the grass and plants around you: grass is hardly-there one day, and a foot tall the next. Some spring days the light dawns like a gentle healing balm, brightness and warmth touch the plants, the mood is calm and still and we feel all is well with the world. Other days are windy, there will be changeable conditions, nights are still cold and days can get quite warm. It is easy for our bodies to cope with the changes. Our energy must also end our winter dormancy. Some of us feel like growly bears, unwilling to end our hibernation period at this time, wanting still to rest. Others find it easy to rise and move out with the spring energy period.
Spring is the liver period of the year. When our energy is a little low, a range of symptoms may appear. Liver Qi can invade other organ systems and create issues. When rebellious (going the wrong way) liver qi invades the Spleen, qi does not flow smoothly.
When the Liver qi is too strong, there can be swelling and distending pain in the abdomen Constipation with dry bitty stools are caused by this rebellious qi affects the stomach. When the spleen (digestive) is not strong, loose stools are more likely. The wood element is prone to constant change, so a shifting between these three symptoms may also occur – this pattern is known as irritable bowel symptom in Western Medicine. Liver qi invading the stomach may also result in belching, nausea, vomiting and sour regurgitation after eating. Usually, these symptoms are accompanied by irritability.
Liver can affect the lungs too causing breathlessness, fullness around the ribs, headache and wiry pulse. The breath is uneven because liver qi is not moving smoothly, dizziness and red face with bitter thirst can accompany these symptoms.
Liver imbalance can lead to liver and heart blood deficiency. This is defined by palpitations, dizziness, dull-pale complexion, blurred vision and insomnia as well as dryness of mouth, hair and skin. Sometimes there is a flat feeling of aimlessness, even some depression. The effect of liver imbalance on the heart is to cause heart and liver blood deficiency. Deficient heart blood in particular affects the shen, a person’s sense of equanimity and peace housed by the heart and blood within the body.
A range of these symptoms may appear and if they do, they are worthy of treating. The spring transition is short and a few appointments will support your system to move through smoothly and alleviate any symptoms that begin to develop.
One of the keys to managing our energy in this time is to rest more and rise slowly from the winter period. The energy rises and we want to jump up, but there are a few more weeks before the equinox when our energy will rise more in tune with the seasons. Try to keep up the winter attitude to rest, and get going again in small bursts between deep rest periods. Also look at the following advice on how to eat to support ourselves at this time.
Some dietary advice for eating to support your liver in Spring:
Tune into your eating desires at this time of year and see what they say. I crave greens and want to eat lighter and do not want too much rich food (meat, dairy, cakes, over-eating). There are a few key things you can do to help your liver:
• Stop eating 2-3 hours before going to bed so nights are for rest and repairing.
• Stop at 80% full – overeating puts pressure on your liver and gall bladder.
• Eat as much leafy greens as you can. (At this time of year, in addition to the kales, lettuces and other greens, I eat the tops of my daikon radish, parsnips, carrots turnips – as I am desperate for all that green stuff).
• Barley soup is a classic spring meal, make it with plenty of greens. This recipe is cooling though, so don’t have it just before one of those classic returns to winter weather – check your weather ap.
• Miso soups made with leafy greens, stock and mushrooms are perfect at this time.
• Try a mung bean soup with celery, carrot, mushrooms and leak.
• We keep coriander going in our garden and it goes wild at this time of year – try a nice pesto on vegetables. We also eat our stored basil pesto from summer.
• Increase the balance of vegetables to grains in your diet at this time of year.
• Incorporate the sour taste in your diet 3-4 times a week: Granny smith apple, lemon juice, umeboshi plum (available at IGA), sour plum and cherry. If you do not like the sour taste: it probably means you need it. Sauerkraut is perfect – in fact, try all of your fermented preserves as they help the liver.
Overall, think light not heavy and think green. Keep your emotional state patient and compassionate. Try to get moving, and be outdoors more so you can enjoy these first signs of the energy rising after the long winter.
