In the annual cycle of the planet spring is the time for rebirth. 

Lengthening days bring new life in the form of green shoots, fresh buds, hatchlings, and lambs. 

Throughout many cultures spring is a time for cleansing and in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) spring is specifically associated with the liver, our primary organ responsible for toxin removal. 

The liver is the only organ capable of regrowth, which reinforces its connection to the spirit of renewal associated with spring.

Cleansing the body in spring was not born of theory by our ancestors but through observation.  External cleansing was made available through the thaw of winter snow into rushing rivers.  Internal cleansing was forced on them by the availability of new, fresh, green, sour offerings from the earth, and such organic offerings helped to remove the stagnation of dried, salted, cured foods that were the mainstays of the winter diet. The urge for a good spring clean of our homes comes naturally to many of us at this time of year!

In our modern world we are lucky to have access to fresh produce all year round, and cleansing with the seasons becomes more of a choice than a necessity.  But we can fall in line with the world around us and direct a little more intention to our hard-working liver each spring.

Liver support

Encouraging and thanking our liver with intention can be done through dietary changes, herbs, nutrients, and/or lifestyle changes.  It can be subtle or extreme depending on the individual and their needs in any given year.

Dietary changes can include alcohol avoidance, increased water consumption (with or without added sour elements such as lemon juice or drinking vinegars), removal of refined grains (flours) or other refined foods, increased fibre, and/or the inclusion of sprouts in the diet.

Herbs for liver support are usually sour or bitter in nature and have compounds that support the production of bile, and its flow from the liver, through the gall bladder, and into the intestines.  Bile that is too thick or has crystallized into stones can lead to digestive issues such as gall bladder attacks1 and/or constipation2.  Milk thistle3 and turmeric4 are classic herbs used for liver support.

Liver disease is sadly on the rise in the Western world. With proper lifestyle, nutritional, and herbal support many of these conditions can be prevented or treated.  Due to the variety of potential underlying conditions, and the myriad of options available to help it is always best to consult a licensed health care practitioner to guide you to help your liver to thrive safely and effectively.

References

  1. https://www.medicinenet.com/gallbladder_pain_gall_bladder_pain/article.htm  Accessed March 21, 2021
  2. Abrahamsson H, Ostlund-Lindqvist AM, Nilsson R, Simrén M, Gillberg PG. Altered bile acid metabolism in patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome and functional constipation. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2008;43(12):1483-8. doi: 10.1080/00365520802321212. PMID: 18788050.
  3. Soleimani V, Delghandi PS, Moallem SA, Karimi G. Safety and toxicity of silymarin, the major constituent of milk thistle extract: An updated review. Phytother Res. 2019 Jun;33(6):1627-1638. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6361. Epub 2019 May 8. PMID: 31069872.
  4. Mansour-Ghanaei F, Pourmasoumi M, Hadi A, Joukar F. Efficacy of curcumin/turmeric on liver enzymes in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Integr Med Res. 2019 Mar;8(1):57-61. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2018.07.004. Epub 2018 Jul 27. PMID: 30949432; PMCID: PMC6428926.