“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be”~Lao Tzu
Chinese Medicine teaches us to align our bodies with nature to more fully thrive in our mind-body-spirit connection. This is why it is encouraged to look at each new season as an opportunity to grow in different ways.
Spring is all about new beginnings and a time to reboot your system. Plant life begins to push upwards after winter’s slumber. Seeing the plush green color and its many other colors nourishes the soul through the eyes.
This is a time for self-awareness and self-expression as this creative spring energy comes to birth. This creative force helps set the stage for the entire year in nature as well as in our bodies. This is why self-healing in the spring is so powerful.
What is the Organ of Spring?
Liver is the predominant organ of spring in 5 Element Theory of Chinese Medicine. The main function of the Liver organ is to keep our energy flowing freely and smoothly. When this happens, our mood improves, body aches disappear, digestion functions properly, and other physiological problems improve.
An out-of-balance liver will most likely feel stuck and out of sorts. This is when things like stress, resentment, anger, and frustration will begin to take over your life. Do you want a year of feeling like this? This is a powerful and convincing reason to take the time to do a spring detox to help renew your inner being.
Why is it Important to Detox?
Even though our body has a natural detoxification system, it is necessary to detox. The reason for this can be found in the higher loads of toxins that are now present in our environment, home, work place, and food supply.
Detoxing and cleansing the liver and colon helps clear harmful toxins like pesticides, heavy metals, medications, and remnants of cancer therapy out of your system. It has become an essential part of well-being and of maintaining proper liver function.
6 Ways to Cleanse Your Liver this Spring
1. Eat less during the spring: this will help the body cleanse all the stored fats and heavy foods of the winter. It’s important to remember that even the organs in our body need a little break sometimes.
2. Remove Toxic Foods from Your Diet: anything that comes out of a box or is prepackaged is almost guaranteed to have refined sugars, hydrogenated oils, nitrates, preservatives, or any other number of toxins that your Liver doesn’t like. Look for healthy, fresh snacks like vegetables, fruit, nuts, and anything else not in a package.
3. Eat more leafy greens: We all know that it’s important to eat our green vegetables, and our liver will appreciate this as well. Greens are easier for our body to digest and are more readily available for absorption.
4. Eat more potassium-rich foods: these foods are not only beneficial for the Liver but also help lower systolic blood pressure, support cardiovascular health, and lower cholesterol. Add tomato sauces, sweet potatoes, bananas, beets, beans, blackstrap molasses, and anything else containing higher potassium levels.
5. Take Some Herbs to Support Liver Detox: This is a great way to support your liver detox further and your overall health. Some of these are milk thistle, turmeric, dandelion root, and burdock root. Making a drink or tea with these herbs, lemon, limes, cayenne pepper, and apple cider vinegar, is a tasty addition that supports liver health.
6. Take Chinese Herbs: There are many incredible formulas in Chinese medicine to support a healthy liver during springtime. It is best to consult with a Chinese Herbalist to ensure that you are taking the right ones
It is best to do a Liver cleanse and detox over a period of at least seven days to see the most benefit. Your Liver will thank you and your body’s Qi will flow more freely. Come into Hummingbird Community Acupuncture in Boulder to get started on a cleanse.
