Guest blogger, Jen Ryan, the owner of embodied. intuitive care, shares her insights on the Oma Herbals blog this month! Learn more about her work on her Instagram page @embodied.intuitivecare.

We are steadily approaching the pop-up of daffodils, warmer days, longer nights and general seedlings in bloom: spring season!

According to the ancient medical theory known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the liver and gallbladder are the organ systems that are most influenced by the season of spring. The liver and gallbladder are organs associated with detoxification and waste removal—so the association with spring cleaning certainly exists with good reason. Liver energy is responsible for directing the free-flowing process of all the organ systems in the body. It is a major organ for transportation and transformation! In Western medicine, it is known as the detoxifier as well. The optimization of this organ system is imperative for the overall clear functioning of the body.

In TCM, there are five seasons that line up with five yin (deep and nourishing) organs paired with five yang (hollow and dynamic) organs. During an organ's corresponding season, there is an increased likelihood for that organ system to become out of balance. This is why it is important to focus on maintaining an equilibrium with the liver system during spring!

Tying this into my work as an acute care nurse, recently I have cared for two patients with gallbladder inflammation and removals when I have not treated anyone for these types of issues in a long time.

In addition to seasons being associated with organs, in TCM organs also correspond to elements and weather patterns. Wood is the element corresponding to the liver, and wind is the weather pattern. It relates to growth and expansion. In the spring, after long dormancy during winter, seeds begin to expel and grow relatively rapidly. Macrocosmically, when wood is healthy, it is pliant and forgiving. Consider when there is a windy spell: trees sway in the direction of the gusts. It does not resist and it certainly does not snap. Similarly, in the microcosm, healthy liver energy spreads energy from all organ systems freely through the body and wherever needed.

An imbalance in liver/gallbladder energy (or qi) can show up emotionally as displaced anger, frustration, bitterness or lack of compassion. This means it is time to nourish your liver and be tender with yourself. There are so many ways of doing this through multiple modalities and I am here to share them with you!

Ayurvedic tip:

Hot water with lemon in the morning before ingesting anything else kick-starts the liver and digestive process!

TCM tip:

Green is the color associated with liver; therefore, eating foods that ARE green, such as broccoli, algae, alfalfa, basil, celery, spirulina and cucumber, care for liver imbalanced symptoms and guide optimal functioning

Yin yoga tip:

External hip rotator postures in long holds noticeably coax liver energy through the body as they stimulate both the gallbladder and liver meridian points in the leg. Sleeping swan (relaxed pigeon) and reclining figure 4 are a few examples of each.

Herb choice/Tinctures/Teas from Oma Herbal Teas:

All of the following aid in the liver’s detoxification process and/or reduction of inflammation therefore improving overall function

Herb choice that packs with a punch:

• Oma’s loose Tulsi (holy basil) herb

Teas:

• Buddha Belly Basil tea

• Roasted Dandelion root tea

Tinctures:

• Ashwagandha root tincture

• Dandelion root tincture

• Holy Basil tincture