“Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.”
~Laura Ingalls Wilder
There is a sense of renewal that comes with spring time. This year the Spring Equinox occurs on March 20th, this is a time to cultivate what it is we want to manifest and grow. In the five element model of Traditional Chinese Medicine, spring is the wood element which consists of the liver and gallbladder organs. Let’s take a look at a few ideas to consider for your healthiest spring time.
Cleanse: This is the perfect time of year to do that cleanse or detox program you’ve been thinking about! So many options here: fasting, juicing, diet overhaul, specific program, etc.
Eat greens: Dark leafy greens are full of antioxidants that help our liver eliminate free radicals. I love using a green powder everyday that contains algae, chlorophyll, and spirulina.
Eat beets: Beets contain betaine which helps protect the liver and stimulate the production of bile which exercises the gallbladder keeping it pumping to help avoid sludge and stone formation. Eat the green tops of your beets too!
Herbs: Milk thistle contains silymarin which helps stop free radicals from adhering to liver cells. Dandelion contains water soluble polysaccharides which may help protect the liver from hepatic injury.
Get outside: Breathe in the fresh air, listen to the birds, gaze at the colors and new life all around, feel the sun and the breeze on your skin, and move. Movement is essential for a healthy liver. This can be as simple as a 30-min walk.
Meditate on the color green: The color is green and the element is wood and the season is spring, makes sense, right? Green also relates to the heart chakra. Take 5 min a day to meditate on the color green opening your heart to renewal, new experiences, and manifesting your dreams.
Processing our anger: Anger is the emotion of the liver. Take stock of whether you have been holding onto any anger and what you need to do to process it. This could include meditation, journaling, praying, writing a letter and burning it, making a phone call, cord cutting, working with a therapist, etc. Neuro-emotional technique (NET) is an amazing way to process emotional traumas that are stored in the body.
Meridian balance: I highly recommend getting a seasonal acupuncture treatment to ease your body’s transition into each season.
From a place of health we are more fully able to manifest our goals. Wishing you a bright, beautiful spring.Always consult your doctor before taking new supplements, radically changing your diet, doing a cleanse or detox, or starting a new exercise regimen to make sure it is appropriate for you.
