How & Why to Take Care of Your Liver in the Springtime
Written by Nadine S.
In Springtime a lot of clearing and cleansing is happening in nature behind the scenes to make space for new growth. What is happening in nature is symbolic of what is happening in our own bodies. Our bodies are the microcosm, nature is the macrocosm, realigning and optimizing nature’s rhythm in our own lives is the most effective way to cultivate harmony and promote health. Spring is the peak season for the liver to do it’s prime job of detoxification. According to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Foundation “ In terms of the Five Elements Theory, the liver is related to the Wood element, which is associated with Spring.”
Any efforts to cleanse the liver during springtime will be amplified. It is nature’s way of saying “ It’s time to let go of the old and make room for the new.”
The liver is part of the digestive system. It is an amazing vital organ responsible for over 500 functions. The liver is the only internal organ that has the capacity to regenerate.
One of the predominant functions of the liver is cleaning the blood of toxins and poisons. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver governs the smooth flow of emotions, Qi, or the body’s energies, and blood. It is seen as one of the most important organs for women, as it has a direct influence on the menstrual cycle.
The liver is associated with anger and resentment, as well as repressed and suppressed emotions.
If these emotions are stagnant, or felt excessively and chronically the flow of Qi in the liver will be affected. If the flow of Qi is slowed by physical and emotional toxins, liver stagantion occurs.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, proper liver function is all about maintaining smooth and balanced flow of blood and energies.
From a Western holistic perspective, the emphasis is on supporting the filtration activity of the liver, so that we can avoid toxin buildup.
Toxins build is up due to external sources likes environmental pollutants, chemicals, metal exposure, and also toxins created in your body by undigested food, stress, infections etc.
What can you do this Spring to cultivate this healing, symbiotic relationship and support optimal liver function? Start your day with a glass of warm water and fresh lemon juice. Add bitters liquid formulas to your sparkling water before and or after a meal. Bitters are known to help with stimulating bile flow to aid with digestion and purging toxins out of the liver. Choose organically grown food. Eat raw and fermented vegetables. Consume foods rich in liver boosting nutrients like beets, carrots, avocados, grapefruits, apples, olive oil, garlic, and onions.
Include cruciferous vegetables (preferably lightly steamed) to promote your own glutathione production. Glutathione is your master detoxifier, and your liver’s best friend.
Stay active to keep the blood flowing, stretch your body out and up like the roots, the branches, and the new buds on the trees.
Do acupuncture.
Consider using dietary supplements as a very efficient way to support liver functions and detoxification. However, when mobilizing toxins you want to ensure that all detoxification pathways or doors are open for safe elimination of released toxins and to avoid reabsorption of toxins that can cause inflammation and brain-fog. Hence, be sure to include a toxin binders as part of your liver-detox regimen as taught by Dr. Chris Shade, founder of QUICKSILVER SCIENTIFIC, world expert on mercury toxicity and detoxification.
The use of toxins binders plays a crucial role in proper toxins elimination in the GI tract, thus avoiding reabsorption of toxins in the blood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBphKSNADBQ&t=24s
When choosing dietary supplements formulas, make sure that only the highest quality ingredients are selected and inquire about the bioavailability. The QUICKSILVER SCIENTIFIC dietary supplements are known for selecting the best ingredients, using advanced delivery systems, based on nanoparticle technology ensuring maximum absorption.
Below is a list of recommended QUICKSILVER SCIENTIFIC liver support products:
Liposomal Glutathione Glutathione is your master detoxifier and master antioxidant.
Micellized Pure PC Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the building block of cell membranes, and helps keep the bile moving and fluid.
Dr. Shade’s Bitters No.9 Bitter herbs include many botanicals. Herbal bitters have a long history of use, served before and after meals to stimulate appetite and digestion. These bitters help with optimal and integrated functioning of the intestines, liver, and kidneys. It is crucial for successful detoxification.
Dr. Shade’s BitterX BitterX is a slightly more bitter blend of synergistic bitter herbs to support detoxification. BitterX is the next level bitter, with a quartet of strong digestive, liver, gallbladder, and kidney supportive botanicals.
Ultra Binders Ultra Binders binds a wide range of toxins in the gut for safe transport out of the body.
Given the strong effect of our emotions on our liver and our well being in general, practicing emotional balance is most important. One essential first step is to express our feelings. As women we don’t always learn to do so. We often end up suppressing or repressing our emotions. As seen previously, the suppression and or repression of feelings work against the flow of our energies thus causing blockages or stagnation. Unbalanced emotional state creates disharmony and affects our vitality. Another way to process your emotions, is by writing and keeping a journal. Unload your emotional burden on the paper.
This Spring, go with the flow. Face your challenges, face yourself, and allow for all the negative emotions to emerge from the depth of your liver, release them and jump start a new life cycle. Replace the anger and the resentment with revitalizing emotions like forgiveness and gratitude.
Springtime is about regrowth, renewal and expansion. Let your mind consciously participate and seize all the positive energies for your own growth.
In the famous words of Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem:
“Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.”