Season of Spring

The season of spring in Chinese medicine relates to the Wood element. The liver(yin) and gallbladder(yang) are governed by this season. The Wood element refers to growing structures: the trunk, roots, branches, stems for plants and trees and the spine, bones, and joints in humans.

The eyes are the sense organ for the liver and the nails, especially the toenails are the indicators for the health of the liver. The tendons and ligaments are the tissues associated with the liver.

Spring is the season for clearing out the old and bringing in the new. This could apply to cleaning out your house as well as cleaning/detoxing your body. The liver has a multitude of functions many of which has to do with detoxification of the blood and breakdown of food substances.

Many foods and herbs can be consumed now to help support liver/gallbladder function. Some of which are apples, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar for helping the gallbladder. Also good are lemons, lemon water, and olive oil. Herbs like dandelions, milk thistle, and licorice help to support the liver.

This is a perfect time of year to do a cleanse on yourself also. One of the most simple ways is following the Master Cleanse. This involves adding 2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice, 1-2 tablespoons of 100% maple syrup, 1/10 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to 8 ounces of spring water. Drink at least 6 glasses per day for 1-2 weeks. Always rinse your mouth with pure spring water to clear the lemon and maple syrup from your teeth. It can be done for lesser periods of time also to see how your body feels with it. No other food is consumed during the time of the cleanse. Always check with your physician to make sure you can do this providing you don’t have any acute or chronic illnesses. Finally it is important to keep your intestines moving daily to eliminate the toxins. This can be done by consuming 1 tablespoon twice per day of cold-pressed olive oil which is a good intestinal lubricant.