Tips for spring, the season of the Wood element
Here in Santa Cruz, we start to get spring earlier than most of our nation, but real spring energy starts bursting around the time of the equinox. Spring is related to the Wood element in Chinese medicine. Wood is related to the liver and gallbladder organs. This time of year is a great time to attend to these organs by cutting back on liver toxicity (alcohol, sugar, etc.) and might be a good time to support these organs by cleansing. I offer a 21-day cleanse bi-annually in spring and fall. Let me know if you are interested in joining this spring. It’s a great way to support your liver and also a great way to reset your system leaving bad habits behind.
If you aren’t feeling ready to commit to a full cleanse, there are some simple habits you can add at home this time of year to support your liver and gallbladder. Starting your day with 16 oz of water with lemon juice is a great one, I suggest doing it first thing and just chugging it so it’s done. Then you can move on to your caffeinated beverage of choice ;) As well, adding a milk thistle tincture daily can be helpful.
Dietary suggestions for the spring include dark leafy greens and especially those cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables are especially helpful for the liver’s detoxification process. These include broccoli, kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts, etc. Another vegetable to help is dandelion greens! I don’t think you’ll be able to find these at a grocery store but they usually sell them somewhere at the farmer’s market. Or better yet, grow your own! They literally “grow like a weed” just about anywhere. And speaking of local “weeds” to support the liver . . . stinging nettle is abundant this time of year and is super supportive to the liver. You can find them and pick them out of any shady forested area. I have a whole garden bed of volunteers that started showing up last year. Be sure to pick them while wearing gloves (obviously) and you can either dry them out to make tea or stir fry them or add them to soups/stews and eat them up. Yum!
The emotion related to the Wood element and therefor spring is anger so lookout! You might feel yourself or others feeling more irritable and frustrated this time of year. Step one is compassion. Give yourself and others as much compassion as you can, remembering that this is the time of year this is supposed to be happening. Step two is move your qi! When the liver qi gets stuck or slows down, it causes anger/irritability. If you move your qi with exercise, acupuncture, and/or herbs, this moves the liver qi and relieves irritability. And exercise doesn’t have to be a big deal! A brisk 10-20 min walk every day is a great place to start. Here in Santa Cruz, the weather starts to get warm enough for morning walks in the spring so try starting your day with a quick walk and some deep breathing. You won’t regret it.
If you find yourself still feeling irritated or just out of balance in general, don’t forget to give acupuncture a try! Acupuncture can help to move the qi in the same way that exercise does except in a more specified fashion. And Chinese herbs can also be helpful; Xiao Yao San is a commonly prescribed formula that gently moves the liver qi. Talk to your acupuncturist for more information about that. It is important to have a professional prescribe Chinese herbs as they are very nuanced.
