I really love to clean… no seriously, it is weird, but true. Okay yes I get super sick of cleaning my house all the time. But nothing feels better to me when I am super stressed… to just do some crazy cleaning. Spring cleaning is great for aesthetics and how the feng shui in the house appears, but it is also great for internal work too. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the Spring is associated with the Wood element, and the Liver organ system. The Liver is paired with the Gall Bladder. The Liver governs the tendons and ligaments in the body and is considered the “general organ.” You know the one that tells everyone else what to do, how to do it and go, go, go!!! The Liver is associated with a SOUR flavor and the color GREEN. The Liver is something we tax in our society in so many ways, physically, emotionally and energetically.

So this Spring lets do some Spring Cleaning and really help support that Liver!!!

Herbs to Support the Liver

• Best Liver Formula: Xiao Yao Wan (Free and Easy Wanderer) Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach and moves Liver Qi. And come on… the name kind of says it all; I love to be a free and easy wanderer in life.
• Single Herbs that are great in Tea: Dandelion Root, Burdock Root, Chicory Root, Turmeric, Artichoke Leaf and my local favorite… Oregon Grape.
• Foods that Support the Liver: Leafy greens, sour foods like lemon, green smoothies, fermented foods, beets and beet greens and seasonal foods.

Movement to Support the Liver

• ANY movement!!! Remember the Liver governs the tendons and ligaments in the body… so just getting up and getting moving is going to help make the Liver happy. Taking a nice brisk walk to enjoy the emerging flowers around town; oh this is really embracing the Spring energy of the Liver…. ah…

Benefits of a Healthy Liver

• Hormone Balance
• Improved Digestion
• Increased Energy
• Efficient Detox
• Less Allergies

Ways to do a Gentle Spring Clean on the Liver

• Up the amount of fresh plants and veggies in the diet
• Drink a Liver supportive tea daily for two weeks
• Add some lemon juice to your water (please drink room temperature or warm, not iced water)
• Try to eat healthier: limit oils, limit processed foods and heavy, hard to digest foods like animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.)
• Foods to focus on: salad greens, vegetables, dark leafy greens, green smoothies, green juices… see the GREEN theme here

Green Juice Recipe to Support the Liver

• 1 green apple
• 6 leaves of romaine lettuce (or other salad green)
• 1 chard leaf
• 2 kale leaves (or sub 1 collard green)
• 1/4 bunch parsely
• slice of lemon (if you like more sour add more lemon)
• Ginger (optional, but I love the warming balance)