Spring has Sprung

As mentioned on previous posts, each season is associated with different parts of the body and Wood is associated with the Liver and Gall Bladder. It's an interesting season to discuss, and it's my favourite time of the year. You may start to notice headaches, migraines, dizziness, sighing alot, issues with your eyes such as redness or dry eyes. You could notice tendonitis problems, and even hay fever symptoms. Anger and frustration are the emotions of the Liver and Gallbladder, so you may well find yourself feeling more irritable or short tempered than usual. Ladies may notice menstrual issues or even menopause symptoms may worsen around this time. Even sleep can be more disturbed in the Spring, and you may find yourself awake between 1-3 am. Or tossing and turning not able to settle. The weird dreams that make no sense tend to occur more during the Spring time, and this is all down to it being Wood season.

Spring is usually the time to start cleaning and clearing out the old. The ability to see your path ahead and start new things with energy and drive, is Liver and Gall Bladder energy. Not getting bogged down with day-to-day stresses, and to have a vision for your future are all Liver strengths. A Liver that is too stuck and rigid may cause a person to have trouble bending in the breeze, just like a tree.

In terms of exercise, the best exercise for this time of the year is walking. It's great for both your body and your mind, just 10 minutes a day makes a big difference. Food should be leafy, greens which nourish the Blood and will gently move your Liver qi. Winter is the time for foods with a warming energy. Whereas Spring is the time to eat foods that are more lightly cooked, and for less time. The Liver and Gall Bladder also like pickled, fermented, or sour foods. So be sure to incorporate them into your diet to keep your Liver and Gall Bladder happy.

Your lifestyle will affect your Liver and Gall Bladder so watch your stress levels, emotional stress affects all of the bodies organ systems. But the Liver, is where it starts. In fact, stress and blocked emotions are the most common causes of “stuck Liver qi” in our society and I frequently see it in clinic. Anger, frustration, sadness, and depression can all result from stuck Liver qi, and when not expressed or dealt with appropriately. It can also cause the Liver qi to stagnate further and lead to other symptoms. All of those emotions are part of life. But when we feel them in excess or we don’t feel them at appropriate times, then that indicates an imbalance. If we push these feelings aside because we “don’t have time to deal with them,” we are adding another layer to the blockages in the free flow of our Liver qi.

If any of this sounds like you or someone you know. Then you may want to consider, or suggest massage or acupuncture, as these are great ways of moving 'stuck Liver qi'