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How does the color of food influence our bodies?

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), spring is a time of cleansing and renewal (both for nature and us humans!) A rush of energy gives us the inspiration to bring our goals and creativity to fruition. If your liver meridian is out of balance however, you may feel angry, frustrated, indecisive, or ‘stuck’ in life.

This all goes back to TCM’s 5 element theory, where each element relates to a specific season, organ, flavor, and color. Spring is represented by the wood element, which means it’s a time where liver imbalances may be revealed.
The wood (liver) element also governs your spine, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons, so an imbalance can lead to spinal problems, poor flexibility or arthritis. Most importantly, the liver governs your mood, so you must keep it healthy to avoid anger & irritability.

Sour, green foods (part of the wood element) are the perfect way to take care of yourself during the spring, as they serve the purpose of soothing & cleansing the liver meridian.

My favorite tips are:

  • EAT GREEN – Green, leafy veggies (especially if the plants are young, hello sprouts!) cleanse the body & boost liver function.
  • EAT LIGHT – Liver Qi stagnation is aggravated by heavy meals. Try 5 small meals throughout the day rather than 3 large ones.
  • EAT SOUR – Lemons and limes are a must during this time. Douse your greens in a lemon juice dressing & squeeze citrus into your water.
  • CLEANSE – Get your bowels moving to release accumulated toxins, undigested food, parasites and fungi. A healthier gut means a healthier liver & better digestion.
  • CREATE ORDER OUT OF CHAOS – Go through your home and office and get rid of stuff that you donʼt need; have a garage sale or give it away and create the space for the new to come in. Allow new things into your life.
  • DRINK DANDELIONS – Dandelion tea is the gentlest, most effective way to cleanse the liver slowly over the duration of the season. The bitter constituents in the root isolate toxins in the body and flush them from the system

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2 Comments

  • Sanaz says:

    What a fantastic article. You’re energy and passion is so incredible. Love sipping my daily dose of dandelion leaf tea with some freshly grated ginger.

  • Laura Buckheit says:

    Imperative guide for me. I will follow. Tysm!

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