LIVER Cleanse: Why Now and How?

This week marks the astrological beginning if springtime.

Spring is the time of the cleanse. We do our Spring Cleaning in the house and more and more, through advertisements and media, we are encouraged to do some internal cleansing as well. But what is a LIVER cleanse? What does it mean? Are all liver cleanses equal?

I love Chinese Medicine because it has been practiced for thousands of years and documented well for hundreds. It does not operate from a space of the latest trends or the most recent “discovery”. Many times, these trends change quickly or new research shows that supplement that looked so promising, isn’t so great after all.

In Chinese Medicine, Spring is the time of LIVER. What are Liver symptoms? Excessive irritability, migraines, itchy and red eyes, pain at sides of the ribs, tight muscles, feeling a lump in your throat… to name a few. So should you purchase that LIVER CLEANSE pill bottle to get you feeling great? I wish it was so easy, but I would have to answer no.  Many of us aren’t interested in using western pharmacology as our first line of medicine. Yet we think it’s perfectly okay to “white coat” our herbs and supplements (learn more about what I mean by “white coat” here). Instead of using a hammer to put the thumbtack into the wall, let’s just use our finger. If you are having Liver symptoms or just want to support your body through the changing seasons, there a many gentle things you can do.

The most gentle is dietary. We can start by eating less to cleanse the body of fats and heavy foods we ate during the winter. We can emphasize young plants and fresh greens: chard, arugula, asparagus, beets, turnips, peas or pea greens, spinach, lettuce, and artichoke. We can get our Handy Pantry Sprout Jar and start some sprouts, like wheatgrass, or other cereal grasses (chlorophyll rich foods). Start the day off with flavor of Spring (in Chinese Medicine context), sour. Try a glass of room temperature lemon water.

Next is a healthy expression of your frustrations. I know going for a walk or run in nature helps me get out my irritability, along with journaling, making art or simply putting on some loud music and singing along. Let folks know how you feel before it builds up. Spring is the time for growing out, not exploding.

Lastly, we can approach the use of herbs. Here I’ll talk about the safest, gentlest way to use herbs: simmered teas and tea infusions. What are some great, simple herbs to use in a tea infusion for Liver cleansing? Try Burdock root, dandelion root, yellow dock and milk thistle. These herbs won’t taste delicious, but you will have a sense that something good is happening when you drink it.

While there are many herbs that are very gentle and are great for home use, there are others that are strong and need the supervision of a licensed professional. Always consult a licensed herbalist if you want to begin an herbal supplement or formula. Click here to book an herbal consult with Nicole today.