Support Your Liver + Gallbladder in Spring

According to TCM, spring is a time of renewal and growth, and is also the time to better support your liver and gallbladder. When the liver and gallbladder are functioning properly, they impact muscles, tendons, joints, eye movement, and vision. Enzymes are produced that increase blood quality, which helps ease chronic illness, nerve damage, and other ailments. A sluggish liver can cause numerous ailments, such as stiffness, pain, constipation, allergies, rash, or irritability. If bile becomes stagnant, issues like jaundice, fever, aches, allergies, headaches, hypertension, rashes, or other inflammatory problems can arise. With an increase in pollution, medical drugs, radiation, pesticides, highly processed foods, and stress in our daily lives, it is more important than ever to monitor liver and gallbladder health to promote overall well being.

Flavors that Support Your Spring Organs

The Wood element governs the liver and gallbladder, and there are certain flavor profiles that stimulate the liver and increase heat, digestion, and enzymatic action in the body. These flavors include pungent flavors like ginger, peppers, strong tea, onion, garlic, clove, and allspice, and bitter or sour flavors like green and matcha tea, lemon, bitter green vegetables, zucchini, guava, pomegranate, green apple, parsley, dill, mint, cumin, coriander, fennel, and black cardamom. Combining 2 or more flavors at a time will increase effectiveness. A really good example of this is enjoying a cup of green tea with ginger and lemon.

Powerful, Cleansing Herbs and Flowers

Common herbs and flowers for spring liver and gallbladder support are aloe vera, coptis, neem, chrysanthemum, burdock, dandelion, hibiscus, tangerine, and rose.

The alkaline inner pulp of aloe can be taken internally to treat digestive cramps, PMS pain, headaches, acne, bad breath, irritability, liver pain, jaundice, allergic reactions to chemicals, and constipation.

Coptis is a bitter wild herb used to treat spring headaches and allergies, as well as kill bacteria and viruses, regulate the immune system, relieve muscle cramps, alleviate certain heart problems, stabilize blood sugar levels, prevent or improve gastric ulcers, alleviate diarrhea, reduce inflammation, prevent clots, correct digestive issues, improve skin conditions, and fight parasitic infections.

Neem is popular antibiotic bitter herb used in Ayurvedic practices to eliminate inflammation and toxins, as well as for treating intestinal worms, leprosy, eye problems, stomach upset, poor appetite, skin ulcers, diabetes, fever, gum disease, liver problems, birth control, and cardiovascular disease. The powdered bark of the neem tree is tasty when added to coffee, and has all the same benefits of the herb.

Chrysanthemum is a flower that can be enjoyed in tea and used for cooling the body. It can serve as a compress on the eyes when they are itchy or tired.

Burdock is a root that can be consumed in tea. The seeds are used to treat digestion and skin conditions. It is a cooling root but is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Dandelion flower is a tonifying and astringent herb that helps treat UTIs, fatigue, liver disease, and loss of appetite and also supports the kidneys and digestive system.

Hibiscus flower can be consumed in a tea to help support the lungs, liver, digestive system, and skin. It is a powerful liver cleanser and aids in eliminating blood stagnation.

Tangerine peel when dried supports the respiratory and digestive system, liver, and gallbladder. Their bitter flavor can be used to treat cough, congestion, loss of appetite, fatigue, and loose stool.

Springtime Rose Liquor

Rose uplifts with its fragrance and is believed to move stagnant liver qi. The below Rose Liquor warms the body and increases circulation to relieve stress and open up your senses in the springtime. A little goes a long way. Try adding a shot glass glass worth right before a meal to help stimulate digestion.

What you'll need:

• quart size jar

• 4 tbsp organic rosebuds (*it is important that the rosebuds are organic since roses are heavily sprayed with pesticides)

• 3 cups of Vodka

• 1/4 cup honey

Combine all ingredients and gently shake to incorporate the honey. Store at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks and occasionally shake the jar. Once ready, strain and store at room temperature for up to 6 months.

Liver and Gallbladder Flush

Another way to support your liver and gallbladder is with a gentle flush. Flushing helps excrete liver impurities, stimulates bile, and has laxative effects. There are many options, but a simple and gentle flush is made of olive oil, apple juice, and lemon.

Liver Flush Recipe:

• add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to a glass of unfiltered apple juice

• add lemon to taste

• drink once daily

Detoxing Green Smoothie

Spring is the best time to start incorporating more Yang and uprising foods after a heavy winter (think: light and fresh foods, like smoothies). The health benefits of this smoothie come from the nutrients in the dark leafy greens. Leafy greens have chlorophyll, which helps purify blood, they aid in improving immune function, they promote healthy intestinal flora, aid digestion, improve liver and kidney function, and clear congestion in the lungs and intestines.

Holly’s Green Smoothie Recipe (From Healthy Green Kitchen):

• 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger peeled

• 1/4 lemon skin and all

• 1-2 cored apples

• 5 stalks kale stems removed

• flesh from 1 avocado

• pinch of celtic sea salt

• dash of water

Using a high speed blender, blend until super smooth.

Resources:

“How To Detox your Liver and be Ready for Spring with Traditional Chinese Medicine”. Retrieved from https://www.academyhealingnutrition.uk/blog/how-to-detox-your-liver-and-be-ready-for-spring-with-traditional-chinese-medicine.

“Spring Cleanse with Chinese Medicine”. Retrieved from https://www.pohalaclinic.com/blog/spring-cleanse-with-chinese-medicine.

“Spring Eating Tips Inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine”. Retrieved from https://www.healthygreenkitchen.com/spring-eating-tips.html.

“Springtime Rose Liquor”. Retrieved from https://www.thewayofyin.com/blog/2020/1/31/springtime-rose-liquor.

Benefits of Chinese Foot Baths

Foot Baths are an Ancient Chinese practice of soaking your feet in hot water and herbs before bed each night. It is believed to have many health benefits, that of which change with the seasons. In Spring, foot baths tone the Yang (energy), and prevent the depletion of Qi (life force).

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) teaches that if the human body were a tree, the head is the branches, the body is the trunk, and the feet are the roots, so in order to treat our illnesses, we must water our roots. Seeing as how one quarter of the body’s bones are in the feet, as well as 72,000 nerve endings and 6 meridians, it is important to consider and take care of our feet for overall well being.

Foot baths also increase circulation, which is highly beneficial in colder regions. Soaking your feet increases the heart rate the same way as exercising, which is helpful for those who are physically inhibited. Cardiovascular activity is essential for our body to process efficiently, so foot baths are highly effective for those with more sedentary lifestyles.

How to do at home:

There are several stages to the foot bath process, and the real healing begins after several baths. If one struggles with poor circulation, the first few baths might only warm the feet. After several baths, if circulation improves, one will feel the heat from the bath rising up the legs, through the body where one might feel an increase in heart rate, to the head. At this point, one may start sweating, and this signals the end of the bath session. To do this at home, follow the steps below.

1. Boil water to 104℉, or a comfortable temperature, with desired herbs

2. Pour liquid into foot bath- use any container that holds water and that your feet can fit in

3. Soak feet before bed for 20 minutes, or until you break a sweat

4. After soak, dry your feet and keep them warm

Common foot bath herbs:

Herbs, salts, and oils enter the bloodstream through the skin and affect our systems with their terpenes, alkaloids, and volatile oils. Their medicinal properties are only effective if there is significant blood circulation, which comes from the warmth of the bath opening the pores. Below is a list of herbs and salts to use for a soothing Spring bath soak:

• Epsom Salt: alleviates constipation, relieves pain, reduces fatigue, improves sleep

• Himalayan Salt: relieves pain

• Ginger and Dandelion: good for flu relief

• Mugwort: promotes blood circulation, relieves pain, soothes menstrual cramps, regulates qi

• Chrysanthemum: anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, relieves stress, sadness, anger

• Skullcap: relieves tension headaches

Conditions foot baths can treat:

• Insomnia

• Bunions and athlete’s foot

• Colds

• Eczema and other skin allergies

• Joint pain

• Heart disease

• Menstruation

• Alzheimer’s

• Gastrointestinal disease

• Kidney disease

• Constipation

• Sexual appetite

Long-term health benefits:

• Reduce fatigue

• Calm the mind and improve sleep quality

• Lower blood pressure

• Improve skin condition and beauty

• Strengthen muscles and bones

• Increase blood circulation

Do NOT do foot baths if:

• You are pregnant

• Have metastatic cancer

• Have an active infection

• Have a disease made worse with increasing circulation

• Have had recent surgery/have an open wound

References:

“Benefits of a TCM Foot Bath”. Retrieved from https://www.susannekaufmann.com/blogs/journal/benefits-of-a-tcm-foot-bath.

“DIY Chinese herbal foot soak”. Retrieved from https://acupuncturefitzroy.com/2019/06/02/herbal-foot-soak/.

“History of the Foot Soak”. Retrieved from https://naturallylondon.com/blogs/from-feet-to-face/92107590-first-post.

“How Chinese Foot Baths Can Improve Your Health”. Retrieved from https://daoistgate.com/how-chinese-foot-baths-can-improve-your-health/.

“Treating Chronic Pain with Tibetan Foot Soaks”. Retrieved from https://valleyhealthclinic.com/tibetan-herbal-foot-soaks/.

“Why do Chinese people love foot bath?” Retrieved from https://wuhealing.com/blog/2020/9/16/why-do-chinese-people-love-foot-bath.

Why is Good Tea So Expensive?

With hundreds of varieties to choose from, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. There are varying costs to tea as well, and it is important to understand how the difference in cost indicates the quality of the tea.

What makes a high quality tea?

There are many factors that contribute to the quality of a tea, the first being how the leaves are processed. Whole leaves retain more of their nutritional value and flavor, and the best leaves are hand picked by experienced laborers instead of machines. Machine harvesting may be faster and more affordable, but yields a lower quality product. Bits of stem and less desirable parts of the plant get mixed together, and that changes the quality and flavor of the tea.

Tea sold as loose leaf tends to be more expensive because the leaves are whole, whereas tea sold in bags or sachets tends to be less expensive because they contain the machine harvested, smaller bits that are less desirable. It is possible to purchase high quality tea in sachet form, and to do so, it’s a good idea to purchase from a company that is involved in the sourcing, blending, and packaging of the tea as close to home as possible to ensure high quality standards are being met.

Tea processed and packaged abroad is less reliable because of quality dilution, loss of aroma, and a shortened shelf life. Poor processing—which includes picking, steaming, drying, or roasting—can ruin the flavor of the tea, whereas the best processing comes with better equipment and expertise. Laborers will roast leaves by hand for 8 to 10 hours a day to ensure the best results.

Location and Environment

The flavor of a tea comes not only from the particular plant variety, but also its growing environment. Teas grown at higher elevations cost more than teas grown at sea level because they are less affected by weather, changes in temperature, and pollution. Each of these factors alters the quality of air and soil, which changes the flavor profile of the plants. Farms positioned more remotely have cleaner air and soil than those situated closer to a city.

Tea plantations situated at higher elevations, like up the side of a mountain, as is common in parts of Asia, are also harder to access, and are potentially more dangerous to harvest from. While the remote locations benefit the tea, they also have higher labor costs.

Labor Expenses

Hand picking tea comes at a higher cost because the laborers need to be compensated for their time and expertise. Usually, when tea is less expensive, it means that the leaves are grown on a large plantation with high yield, but harvesting is done cheaply either by machine, or by laborers who do not receive fair compensation.

Higher quality tea tends to come from smaller farms that value higher production standards. Smaller farms means more control over crops, higher labor cost, and more precise processing. Purchasing tea fair trade is a great way to ensure that the tea you are purchasing is high quality because you know you are paying for human expertise and not a machine.

Good Brands and Where To Buy Them

These popular brands are easily accessible at most groceries stores in the United States and are either organic, fair trade certified, or both.

- Rishi Tea

- Mountain Rose Herbs

- Numi

- Equal Exchange

- Guayaki

- Traditional Medicinals

Spring Teas

With the return of Spring comes the promise of new beginnings, and new blooms. Floral flavors like Hibiscus, Rose, Chrysanthemum, and Dandelion, as well as fruity flavors like Blueberry and Elderberry, will delight whether enjoyed warm or cold.

- Rishi Scarlet Loose Leaf

- Equal Exchange Organic Hibiscus

- Numi White Rose

- Guayaki Revel Berry Organic Yerba Mate

- Mountain Rose Herbs Blossoms of Health Tea

- Traditional Medicinals Dandelion Detox Tea

Resources:

Demarest, Abigail. “Is Good Tea Worth It? Experts Explain the Difference”. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/difference-between-cheap-and-expensive-tea_l_60087a9cc5b62c0057c29f85.

Falkowitz, Max. “Why Great Tea Doesn’t Come Cheap: Digging into the High Mountain Economy”. Retrieved from https://www.seriouseats.com/tea-economics-pricing.

Stone, Daniel. “The World’s Top Drink”. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/the-worlds-top-drink.

Tea Association USA. “Tea Fact Sheet 2019-2020” Retrieved from http://www.teausa.com/teausa/images/Tea_Fact_Sheet_2019_-_2020._PCI_update_3.12.2020.pdf.

“11 Organic and Fair Trade Teas We’re Sipping On” Retrieved from https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/fair-trade-organic-tea.

“12 Best Organic Tea Brands to Reap the Most Health Benefits”. Retrieved from https://twigscafe.com/10-best-organic-tea-brands-to-try-in-2021/.

“How to Identify Quality Tea”. Retrieved from https://www.pureleaf.com/us/how-to-identify-quality-tea.