Why is the liver meridian such a big deal in East Asian Medicine? And how are you taking care of yours on a daily basis? Well, our bodies are ruled by our liver and gallbladder, two paired organs that are responsible for “cleaning up“ our body. Just like nature cleanses itself in order to re-bloom, so too do our bodies, and this is almost all of this is done by these two organs that are responsible for everything from digestion, to hormonal regulation, skin health and beyond.
Your liver rules detoxification. Its main responsibility is to detoxify pharmaceutical drugs, alcoholic beverages, pesticides and herbicides and all chemicals ranging from household cleaning products to beauty products out of our system. Its job is huge and because of our ongoing exposure to these toxins, we need to support it in order for it to work as effectively as possible. A liver that has been overburdened by toxic exposure leads to symptoms such as irritability, anger, dry skin, hair and nails, menstrual problems, vision problems, digestion issues and more. By supporting our liver, we can lift some of the burden caused by toxin overload. Fortunately, there are many ways we can help it out.
Here are 4 gentle ways to help your liver detox during the transition into spring, which is one of the best times to apply these methods:
1. Eat your liver loving nutrients: There are tons of fruits and vegetables that your liver loves. Cruciferous veggies, like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, onions, beets, dandelion greens, grapefruit, parsley and of course, lemons and limes. These fruits and vegetables contain antioxidant nutrients your liver needs to help neutralize the toxins. So consuming as many as these fruits and vegetables as possible ensures that your liver is supported as best as possible. Gently cooking your vegetables will help support your stomach and spleen also.
2. Drink plenty of water: Water is your life force and is so necessary when it comes to detoxing. Because the toxins released from your liver get excreted into your colon, water is an essential component of the detoxification process, as it helps move waste along our digestive tract and out of the body. Water also helps to support the urinary tract system (kidneys and bladder) to remove waste as well. Especially during these warmer months, it’s important to stay hydrated and flush the toxins out.
3. Get outside: Ground your energy into the earth. Seeing “green” is not only good for our eyes, which are governed by the liver, but also heightens our sense of calm and emotional well being. Touching your bare feet on the ground, a method known as grounding or earthing, has also been shown to support the detoxification process.
4. Journal, Cry or Scream: Let it all out. Symptoms of a stagnant liver include irritability and anger. It can be tough to release this emotional tension, but journaling is a positive way to do it. Release all of the negative energy within you. Start a practice: write everyday, and don’t’ stop until the frustration in your mind is entirely on paper. If writing isn’t your thing, try doing some primal screaming or crying. These are a couple of other great ways to move stagnant liver qi and get things flowing again. Just don’t scream at your spouse, kids, coworkers or pets. If you have to, go outside barefoot and scream into the void. That way you are combining two forms of detoxification into one healing session.
These 4 easy methods can help your liver and gallbladder prep for the upcoming months, while allowing you to release some of the pent up frustration that might still be hanging around from the winter / holidays. And don’t forget that acupuncture treatments are another great way to get the liver qi moving.