One of the joys of living in Canberra is that we get to experience four distinct seasons. I have to admit winter is not my favourite time of the year. However, every time spring comes around, I almost think it was worth putting up with the dreary cold, as the burst of colour and warmth that follows is surely more magical because of the contrast.
In traditional medicine, the seasons don’t just happen externally. We are part of nature, not separate from it, so we too undergo changes just like the tress, plants and animals around us. In spring as the sap rises in the trees, our ch’I, or vital force, is stirring. As the days get warmer and longer, we naturally shake off our winter reticence and tend to become more active and more convivial.
In Chinese medicine, spring is the time of the year when the liver needs extra support. Signs of liver disharmony include tiredness, headaches, allergies, skin break outs, digestive discomfort, poor sleep or feeling like you’re quick to lose your patience. Stress has a big impact on the liver, so the uncertain times we’re living in thanks to COVID will no doubt multiply the seasonal effects – even more reason to make some simple changes to support your liver. Try these simple tips:
Exercise
Move your body any way you enjoy: dance, ride, walk, Yoga, trampoline, run. Just find a way that is easy and do a little every day if you can.
Go green
Green leafy vegetables are rich in nutrients that support healthy gut and liver function. Green foods in general are considered beneficial to the liver, so whatever you’re having for dinner, add on a salad and dress it with olive oil and apple cider vinegar for bonus points.
Ease off the alcohol
You don’t have to wait until ‘Ocsober’; alcohol-free beers and wines and even ‘spirits’ make giving up or reducing alcohol a lot more fun these days. Lockdowns seem to be associated with higher than normal alcohol consumption, so you might have to start small with a coupe of alcohol-free nights a week or try saving your drinking to the weekends.
Just make a start and I promise you’ll likely begin to feel better both physically and mentally. Spring is like having a favourable wind at your back, making every effort you invest in your wellbeing more rewarding.
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