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.
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.