Do You Have Any of These Liver Symptoms as Spring approaches?

Spring is around the corner and your liver probably needs some support.

The most common result from the women who take my Womb Cycle Vitality Quiz is Liver Qi stagnation. As we’re approaching Spring in the northern hemisphere, we’re transitioning from the season of Water to the season of Wood.

The Liver in TCM

The Wood element in Chinese Medicine is associated with the Liver and the Gallbladder.

I just had the joy this week of supporting someone in person, something I do often miss. She is navigating sciatica in the postpartum time and every concern she shared with me tracked back to the Liver or Gallbladder channels and organ systems.

We understand in modern medicine that the liver helps our bodies detoxify, metabolizing hormones, chemicals, drugs and also regulating our metabolism to a certain extent.

The Chinese Medicine system knows the Liver as the “Commander of Qi” in the body. For women it determines cycle regularity, blood flow, PMS symptoms and even the flow of breastmilk.

Supporting the Liver

My approach doesn’t include coffee enemas or cleanses but rather tends to the basics of nutrient assimilation. Without certain nutrients, known as cofactors, your liver cannot properly detox. It also includes nervous system regulation and getting your Qi moving properly through movement and other practices.

Signs of Liver Qi Stagnation

So here’s the deal for approaching Spring. Look out for any of these classic Liver Qi Stagnation signs:

• Frequent sighing, often with a felt sense of tension in the chest or upper torso, especially across the tops of the shoulders.
• Red, tired or irritated eyes, especially at night or trouble seeing at night. Liver blood deficiency.
• An increase in PMS symptoms, especially breast tenderness, headaches, digestive changes, mood swings and menstrual cramping.
• Pain around your rib cage. Classic Liver Qi stagnation.
• Flow that starts and stops or has clots.

How to Support Yourself During Seasonal Transitions

Here’s how you can support yourself during this seasonal shift, or anytime that you feel the liver needs some extra support:

• Be in green spaces, ideally moving your body. This supports the nervous system and has actually been proven to tone the vagus nerve.
• Eat more green foods like cilantro, dandelion greens, artichoke, green olives, arugula or other bitter greens.
• Try Milk thistle or PMS Relief from my shop - both support the Liver and Gallbladder. 
• Do a weekly castor oil pack over the liver.
• Increase your intake of nutrient dense foods like beef or chicken liver, cod liver oil or grass fed beef.

Bonus if you can get some bodywork like acupuncture or myofascial release, structural integration or craniosacral therapy.

I hope this serves as a good reminder to tend to the Liver and Gallbladder for better periods, optimal fertility and increased vitality moving into the months ahead.