How to Stay Balanced in the Transition to Spring
Spring is HERE!
I know that spring is always a highly anticipated season, for many reasons, one of them being that winter is coming to an end and the sun is coming back out and making us feel oh, so alive again.
Spring is such a happy season, with new growth, lots of colorful blooms, lush green landscapes everywhere you turn, and a vivacious pep in your step of anticipating things to come.
But, spring like any other seasonal transition can come with imbalances, frustrations, and difficulties when we are living out of balance with the natural rhythm and flow of life. For instance, if we didn’t use winter as a time to rest and instead overworked ourselves, allowed our bodies to get too cold, or indulged a bit too much on sweets, we will not feel the natural rhythm of feeling invigorated, full of ease, and light in our bodies. Instead, we will feel frustrated, puffy, tired, and less than great emotionally. Physical symptoms can also show up as allergies, tightness in neck, shoulders, and/or hips, headaches, dark circles or puffiness under our eyes, itchy eyes, or tired eyes.
Spring in Chinese Medicine is related to the organ system of the Liver and Gallbladder. It has a lot to do with how we process and filter the world around us (including food and environmental stressors). It is associated with the element of wood. A wood element in balance is like a tree—rooted and strong in its foundation, easily able to sway and move in the wind without being knocked down. It is strong, but also pliable. This is how our bodies should be. Our muscles and joints should be strong, but they should not be too tight or inflexible. Blood and lymph should be able to flow freely through our bodies, not getting stuck at tight or stagnated spots. This can create pain and discomfort in the body.
When we relate this to our emotions, a wood element in balance is flexible and not easily swayed by the world around them. Emotions are kept in check. Anger is the negative emotion related to the Liver/Gallbladder and when in balance it is slow to come, and only allowed in when used to calmly fuel useful change. It is not reckless, never unchecked, and does not spew itself onto others and the world around them. Self-control is strong in a good way, meaning you know what matters in life, you know yourself, and you know that self-discipline will get you much farther in life than unchecked anger will. You forgive easily. You set boundaries easily, not out of anger or spite, but from a peaceful place without malice or ill intent. Too many people set boundaries from a place of anger, and they miss out on the lessons they can learn in self-control (this obviously does not apply to situations of abuse). You can’t control others, but you can control how you react to them. Don’t give other people the power and control to make you angry and lose control of your temper.
Emotions will ALWAYS ebb and flow. They are not you. Anger is not you and it will cause you do things out of character and out of integrity. Stay in your own integrity and strength. It is a calm inner strength. Roots stretching down into the earth where no one can see, but that which give rise to the strength of your body and mind, allowing you to stay centered. Life may make you sway, but it won’t make you fall. If you feel out of control with your emotions, you usually need to take a step back from over-stimulation. Less news, less social media, less tv, and less everything. Take time everyday to rest your body and your mind. Media is literally designed to give you an emotional response. This is what keeps you addicted and coming back for more. Most media nowadays is fueled by their ability to make you angry. No matter how justified that anger is, it is still not useful to allow it to take over your mind and control the way you go about your life. If you find yourself getting angry when you drive, wanting to comment negative things on peoples’ social media posts, or getting frustrated with your loved ones—it’s time to take inventory of what you are consuming around you. This applies to food, media, and your environment.
The positive emotion for the Liver and Gallbladder is creativity. When in balance, you will feel inspired, creative, and hopeful. You will look at life with ease—nothing can bring you down because you are in control of your emotions. You make decisions with ease, let stressful things roll off your back, and can be the calm in someone else’s day. You are able to sit in traffic happily because you have your favorite songs playing and something to look forward to where you are driving to. Exercise feels good in your body. Sunshine feels good on your skin. Gratitude comes easily. Anger and frustration come slowly. Creativity is sparked often and you love to use it in any way you want—painting, drawing, sewing, writing, decorating, dancing, innovation in your workplace, branching out and trying new foods and recipes, etc. When this is imbalanced, you will feel stuck, uninspired, unable to take action and next steps, have writer’s block, have creative blocks, and feel frustrated and angry.
So, here are my tips to stay balanced in the season of Spring and how to take care of your Liver/Gallbladder/Wood element both physically and emotionally:
Drink ample amounts of water—at least 8 cups of filtered water a day
Add in lots of fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, mint, and chives
Eat green vegetables everyday (leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, zucchini, etc.)
Keep saturated fat content low—choose lean meats and avoid fatty meats/foods like bacon, processed meats, dark chicken meat, butter, cheese, milk, and coconut oil/milk. Unsaturated fats like avocados, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds, can be eaten in more ample amounts (but like anything, don’t go overboard).
Eat ample amounts of fiber. Foods rich in fiber are beans, vegetables, psyllium husk, and seeds such as chia seeds or basil seeds. Eat fiber rich foods at every meal.
Stretch everyday, especially your hips, neck, and shoulders
Take walks regularly to get things flowing in your body.
Try to not sit for too long—get up every hour to walk around and move your body
Write out your emotions and feelings and then rip them up/delete the file. Then move on. Try not to harbor any feelings for too long. Feel them, then move on. If you need to, set a timer.
Spend time outdoors in the sunshine
Take breaks from the news, social media, and tv/movies that give you an anger response. Instead, choose to consume things that make you feel creative, inspired, and hopeful about the future.
Visit your local Acupuncturist for an Acupuncture treatment and herbal recommendations. They can address and treat the imbalances in your body and your mind that I discussed in this article.
If you are local to Los Angeles, I see patients in Glendale.
And, if you need a place to buy clean supplements and herbs, check out our online pharmacy. It’s free to signup. We include protocols and favorite products for things like stress, allergies, and more.