Spring Awakening Detox

Spring is here, and as nature reawakens around us, we can
take steps to stay healthy and happy. Take advantage of the mild weather by
following these 4 tips from Chinese masters that will cleanse your body and
rejuvenate your health. 

Spring: the awakening of nature

The three months of spring are when all living things begin
to germinate and grow. Nearly five millennia ago, the Yellow Emperor's Classics
of Medicine recognized the seasonal influences on health and illness and gave
specific advice for a healthy spring.

According to Chinese medicine, the liver and the gall
bladder are most active during the spring. The liver's natural action is to
cleanse and detoxify the body. You can help your body cleanse itself by
engaging in practices that strengthen the liver, which will strengthen you
against spring illnesses.

Why is it so important to keep your liver in top condition? Your liver has a very important job: It detoxifies, aids in metabolism, stores energy, and secretes bile for
digestion. In Chinese medicine, it is also believed to regulate emotional
well-being. The wise advice from the Yellow Emperor that follows will help you
take care of your liver and have a revitalizing spring!

1. Rise early and engage in gentle movements

The Yellow Emperor recommends that you wake early and go to
bed when night comes. The liver is sensitive to excessive wind and chill, so
dress warmly for the cold mornings and evenings of spring. Start each day with
a sense of inner peace by getting up a little earlier and stretching,
meditating, reading something inspirational, or even sipping a cup of tea.

Be sure you exercise to keep the blood circulating and to
release physical tension. Gentle movements promote a smooth flow of energy and
are always preferable to strenuous workouts that cause jarring, jagged energy
patterns. Wear loose clothing and take long walks, enjoying the fresh spring
air.

2. Express emotions healthfully

The second piece of advice is that your mental and physical
activities be like the weather--active and alive, open and unsuppressed.

Many people store emotions in the body instead of releasing
them via a healthy outlet and this is detrimental to the liver and other organ
systems. Anger is an emotion that can be very damaging if not let go of. Chinese medicine
looks at anger as a tremendous force that can be transformed into something positive--for instance, anger can give you the energy to propel you forward and the strength to make changes.

Try this exercise to release tension and turn resentments
into something positive:  

1. Interlock your fingers in the opposite direction than they
   usually are: Place the backs of your hands together, interlace the fingers, and
   raise your hands to chest level with palms facing down, elbows straight out.
2. Inhale first, and as you begin to exhale, pull your
   interlocked hands down until your arms are totally straight and your hands are
   pointing down, near the lower abdomen.
3. During each exhalation, blow your anger out through your
   breath.

Repeat three times twice a day, or immediately after an
angry episode. The more anger you are holding onto, the harder it is to
straighten your arms with hands firmly interlocked. As you repeat this
exercise, your arms will begin to extend more fully.

3. Give your liver an herbal boost

Ancient Taoist Masters believed the body could be totally
cleansed and purified by nourishing and strengthening the liver system. Some
herbs that can give the liver an added boost include the following.

• Schisandra berry has been used for thousands of years in
  Chinese medicine to protect the liver and soothe emotional anxiety.
• Dandelion cleanses the liver and helps release built-up
  anger. Drink as a tea or take in capsules.
• White peony root is a Chinese herb often used to soothe
  the liver and balance the mood.
• Rose petal tea is thought to calm the emotions and help
  eliminate toxins by cleansing the liver and gall bladder; simply add the petals
  to tea or look for rose tea bags.

These herbs are available from health food stores and
Eastern medicine practitioners.

For a seasonal lift, try Spring Tea, the awakening formula,
which supports higher energy and tonifies the liver and gall bladder.

4. Detoxify your liver with green food

The Chinese diet for spring is designed to "clean house" and
green is the color that corresponds to the liver. In the spring, choose green
herbs and foods that detoxify and improve the circulation of the liver: Eat
lots of green leafy vegetables, barley grass, seaweed--anything with
chlorophyll, which purifies and cleanses the liver. Also, you can nourish your
liver with sour flavors like lemon and vinegar, which have an astringent
effect.

A detoxifying soup is a great multi-tasking food for this
spring. Chinese medicine uses healing soups to tonify and strengthen the organ
systems of your body. This recipe treats your body to an internal cleanse by
supporting the liver in detoxification, increasing circulation, and
replenishing your body with essential minerals.

Super Detoxifying Broth
Simmer the following for 1-2 hours over low heat: anise,
Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Swiss chard, cilantro, collards, dandelion, fennel,
garlic, ginger, kale, leeks, shiitake mushrooms, mustard greens, daikon radish,
seaweed, turmeric, and watercress. Drink 8 to 12 ounces twice a day. You can
keep this broth in your fridge for up to one week, but keep in mind that every
day the therapeutic value decreases.

In addition to using cleansing herbs in soups, you can try
cleansing teas. For a gentle but powerful cleanse using Chinese herbs, Internal
Cleanse tea increases the ability of the liver to cleanse the body of internal
and environmental toxins. And drink more water to detoxify your system; if you
haven't already, it is a good idea to switch to filtered water. To find out more about a high-performance filtration system,
click here. 

If you go against these rules for spring, it is said that
you may damage the liver energy (which includes the nervous system) and you
will have a difficult time adapting to summer's energy.

I hope this advice gives you the steps for a happy, healthy
spring! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and
longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao

This blog is meant to educate, but it should not be used as
a substitute for personal medical advice. The reader should consult his or her
physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical
conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all
information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical
field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data
presented.

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