Liver and Gall Bladder in flow
The viewpoint of East Asian Medicine is an Observational one. Our body is part of the Earth. The Earth is cyclic. Our mind, body and spirit pivots with the earth’s cycles, subtly. We can learn to take notice of these cycles and lean in.
The Liver and Gall Bladder Energy is the Springtime of our body. Spring is synonymous with fast change and the growth of plants (The Wood Element). The Liver Energy is the ‘dreamer’ and needs the decisiveness of the Gall Bladder Energy to bring dreams to fruition.
On a emotional and spiritual level, when the Liver and Gall Bladder are out of balance, tasks might not be completed, creativity declines and dreams may fall by the wayside. We may fall into habituated emotional patterns like powerlessness, passive aggression, arrogance, irritability, anger, frustration, resentment, shame, timidity or lack of confidence.
On a physical level, the symptoms of Liver and Gall Bladder imbalance include things like:
Tight muscles, Headaches, discomfort in the sides of the body, pelvic floor, buttocks, lateral and medial thighs.
Waking at night and poor sleep quality.
Problems with the menstrual cycle - irregularity, pain, headaches, infertility or PMT
Problems with Nervous System regulation, stress management and emotional resilience
Problems with digestion including nausea and a bitter taste in the mouth
How to support the Liver, Gall Bladder and the Wood Element:
The Liver craves movement. After our winter hibernation, it’s a great idea to get outside with the trees and walk in nature.
Dark green leafy vegetables are great to help the Liver’s detox pathways. Think Rainbow Chard & Silverbeet, Spinach, dark green lettuce, Broccoli, Bok Choy, Asparagus, Peas and beans. Sprouts as a garnish are a great liver food.
The Liver is closely linked to the Blood in Chinese Medicine, so foods like beetroot, red kidney beans, dates, blueberries, raspberries, bone broths and high iron foods can be great to enrich the Blood storage.
The flavour of the Wood element is Sour. Lemon juice in water on waking and fermented foods like Sauerkraut and Greek Yoghurt help the liver’s digestive and detox capacity.
The Digestion and the Liver are burdened by fatty, fried and sugary foods and excessive alcohol consumption.
Imbalance in the Liver can tighten the diaphragm, restricting breathing. Abdominal Breathing - a practice where you concentrate on pushing the belly out on the inhale and letting it settle back down on the exhale can help to soothe the Liver and the nervous system. Ask at your next appointment for a demonstration.
Make some time to dream up some things that you want to achieve in the next year. Sometimes writing out a step-by-step plan and a timeline will help you to complete your goals.
Supporting your Wellbeing,