05/03/2024
Did you know that Chinese medicine is the oldest literate medicine in the world? It has more than 2000 years of written history. That means one generation of doctors has passed on their knowledge and experience in writing to the next generation over and over again until today. The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine is the oldest medical textbook in the world dating from around 200 BCE. It is a classic still studied today. Chapter 2 is titled "On Preserving Health in Accordance with the Four Seasons." This ancient knowledge is still relevant for our health today.
Spring time
Spring is when the energy of life pivots from deep storage during the winter and emerges rising up and out, just like a seed sprouting and working its way through the earth and up into the sun.
The burst of green and life is so wonderful and so welcome here in southern Minnesota that you can see it on people's faces. We are out and about. The better we have rested and stored our energies over the winter, the better prepared we are for the surge in the spring.
Spring is associated with the liver in Chinese medicine. The liver is responsible for the storage of blood and its movement in our bodies, giving us a sense of freedom and expansiveness, both physically and emotionally.
If this movement is blocked or sluggish, or if the blood is weak or of poor quality, we get symptoms associated with liver function. During the spring when this flourishing is strongest, there's a tendency to have an increase in liver pathologies.
Some symptoms of an imbalanced Liver are:
Anger or irritability
Depression
Digestive disorders - pain, bloating, IBS
Menstrual disorders
Shoulder and neck tension
Headaches and dizziness
There are two components to supporting the liver, nourishing it and helping it move smoothly.
Here are some things to try:
Eating early spring greens - think of the bitter dandelion leafs- helps cleanse our bodies from the heavy foods of winter. Sour foods like Gou Ji berries or apple cider vinegar are also good for the liver.
Rising with the sun in the morning and going out to breathe the fresh air.
Going on walks, especially out in nature.
Acupressure. Massage the area between the big toe and second toe bones on the back of the foot and pinch the area between the toes.
Acupuncture! Experience relief of symptoms and set the stage for long-term health for the rest of the year with a spring acupuncture tune-up.
Chinese Herbal therapy! I offer the highest quality powered (instant) or bulk (decoct at home) herbs in customized individual formulations to match your unique pattern diagnosis. This is a great option for people who can't make it into appointments very often. After the initial diagnosis we can work together over the phone,
