Toxic soup: the damaging effects of the modern world on our health

When I think of spring, I think of spring cleaning, which is essentially clearing space for something new.  Whether it’s a refresh of your garage or garden, or cleaning up the diet, the energy that motivates this activity comes from the Liver.  The Liver (capitalized to denote the Chinese idea of liver) corresponds to the season of spring, and in terms of its function, it is known as the General…it’s the organ in charge of activating all the other organs.  

When we think of Liver energy, we think of energy in motion.  When the flow of Liver energy becomes impeded, then we suffer symptoms of stagnation: sluggishness, frustration, impatience, pain and discomfort, emotional lability, swings in hormones, seasonal allergies, tension headaches, frequent colds, and the list goes on…..

There are many factors that can negatively impact the flow of Liver energy, and of those many factors, toxins are a big contributor.  I was asked a very relevant and interesting question about the idea of detoxifying the liver, essentially spring cleaning for the body. 

What does Chinese medicine have to say about detoxing the Liver?

Before I get into the TCM concept of Liver detox, let’s unpack what the word detoxification means. 

Detoxification is a normal bodily function of every day life. Each cell has the machinery to package up toxins and eliminate them from the inner cellular matrix into the extracellular fluids. And this process is critical for our health and vitality!

Organs like the liver, spleen and kidneys have an important role in filtering toxic substances from the blood, lymph and urine and enable the body to excrete toxins through perspiration, defecation, urination, mucous, and even vomiting. 

I have always found it curious that there are many products marketed as “Liver Detox”, but almost none for a  kidney or spleen detox, when these organs also act as filters. 

Back to the question: what does TCM say about Liver detoxification? 

Basically, nothing.  Through the lens of Chinese medicine, there is no such idea as Liver detox because the concept of a toxin didn’t exist thousands of years ago. 

Also keep in mind that the world was magnitudes less toxic a few thousand years ago than it is now.  Although some plants have chemical compositions that are toxic to humans, that is very different than what we think of today when we talk about toxins. 

We are living and breathing-in a toxic soup of chemicals that contaminate our air, food, and water supply.  Additionally, we need to take into account the effect of radiation from cell phone towers, WiFi, and the electrical grid. Without question these things adversely affect cellular metabolism, disrupt cellular detoxification machinery, exacerbate free radical damage and contribute to disease processes. Check out this video to learn more.

If you really want to understand the magnitude of the impact on toxins,  check out this video about the effect of plastics on human fertility. 

Or this video about glyphosate and how it is responsible for a dramatic rise in many diseases including Alzheimers, Dementia, auto-immune diseases, cancers, and even mood disorders. 

In TCM, we think in terms of optimizing and harmonizing the Liver.  For a healthy Liver, one is wise to limit their exposure to “toxins”  (which could be environmental, emotional or spiritual) and support the free flow of Liver energy with plants, herbs, foods, activities, behaviors and attitudes that are beneficial.

The closest TCM comes to the concept of toxins is with regard to environmental influences and whether the body is able to adapt to a dry, damp, hot, cold, or windy environment.  We also think in terms of the emotions and spiritual influences. For example, a traumatic event could be emotionally “crippling”, blocking the flow of Liver qi, cascading into physical imbalances and symptoms. Or if you feel “stuck” in your life, lacking a sense of purpose, meaning or connection, how that might impede flow within the physical body, manifesting as chronic pain or discomfort. 

Does a “liver detox” help the liver? Most definitely! The most common plants and herbs used in commercial liver detox products are very supportive of the liver as observed in biomedicine, western herbal medicine and Chinese herbal medicine. 

There is another important factor in supporting the energy of the Liver: limiting your exposure to “toxic” information and news.  Basically anything that triggers you emotionally into a state of anxiety, worry, fear, anger, frustration and rage is inhibiting your liver’s ability to “detoxify”.

That’s the theme for Springtime: cut out toxins and choose plants, foods, activities and even media that will support the uninhibited flow of energy to nourish body, mind and spirit.  Support the energy of the Liver as this is the time of year when it is most active!

Springtime: this is how you grow

Spring is the season of the Wood element.  It is a time for renewal, rebirth and the moment is ripe for new beginnings. The organs of the Wood element are the Gall Bladder and the Liver. Each of these organs have physiological functions, as well as psycho-spiritual functions.

The Gall Bladder governs decision making and allows for courage.  

As anyone who has ever faced making important decisions knows,  it often requires some level of courage to choose a path where the outcomes are unknown. 

The Liver is said to open at the eyes, and because of this, it is connected to vision.  It is not only connected to our actual vision and ability to see, but also our ability to to envision our future. 

Together the Liver and the Gallbladder facilitate being able to envision what we want to manifest and give us the courage to make important decisions in our lives. 
The spirit of the Liver is called the Hun, and it is the strength of the Hun that manifests through self esteem. 

Our spirit is not separate from our mind.  They are interconnected to such a degree that the programming we receive from the world around us, interpreted through our mind from birth onward, determines the strength and vitality of the organs both on a physical level as well as a spiritual and emotional level.  

The Liver is profoundly influenced by the emotional processing of information that is coming into our fields of awareness and perceptions. 

Its job is to regulate the smooth and uninhibited flow of Qi and blood throughout the body.  When the inputs are emotionally challenging, it is the Liver that is the first line of defense in processing this information. 

How well we can move through emotionally intense experiences is both determined by and determines the health of the Liver. 

The Liver is, after all, a filter. It is a filters blood, trapping toxins and allowing nutrients to pass through. It also filters our emotions and lived experiences. It is understood to regulate the free and uninhibited flow of qi and blood throughout the body.

 When the energy of the Liver is balanced, it is well equipped to handle challenging situations.  The Liver wants to be challenged, in a way, it grows under pressure, just as wood does.

( I was once challenged by a patient whether it was true that wood grows under pressure, and according to Google, it is true. I find it funny that the person who challenged me on this was a carpenter who knew little about how wood grows … but I digress). 

What happens when the Liver is over-loaded with emotional stress and chemical stress? It gets angry. 

The emotion of the Liver is anger and its myriad manifestations: frustration, annoyance, irritation, resentment, hostility, vindictiveness, and depression. 

One way you can evaluate the health of the Liver is by checking in with your relationship to anger.  Do you quietly simmer and harbor resentments or do you explode and shout obscenities when you are stressed?  Do you have a healthy way to channel it or does anger control your behaviors?

Anger isn’t all bad; it inspires us to take action, and usually with passion.  Unmanaged anger, however, can be detrimental to our own health, as well as the health of those around us.  

With the shift into spring, you may notice feeling challenged by your emotions, particularly frustration, resentment and anger, or maybe you are having trouble making a decision and need a little courage. 

This is the season of the Liver and Gall Bladder and it’s the perfect time to get acupuncture to regulate the smooth flow of Liver and Gall Bladder energy.  

Why is breath work all the rage?

For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth.
—Sanskrit proverb

If you have been feeling stressed, irritable, frustrated, or even erratic with your emotions, breathwork can be a powerful tool to help you move energy and emotions through the body. 

Remember, spring is the season of the Wood Element and anger/frustration (its myriad manifestations) is the corresponding emotion. 

We breathe approximately 22,000 times per day, and unless you are breathing fully, and mind-fully, you are missing out on some critical benefits.

As a result a result of shallow breathing, the diaphragm becomes restricted. The diaphragm sits on top of the liver, and as we breathe, it gently massages the liver.

The massaging action of the diaphragm on the liver helps to promote the smooth, unencumbered flow of Liver qi.

Shallow breathing creates Stagnation of Liver qi, which may create a cascade of negative health effects. 

When the Liver becomes stagnant, imbalances manifest as erratic emotions, anger, irritability, frequent sighing, asthma, headaches, digestive issues, PMS, insomnia, muscle tension, anxiety, elevated blood pressure, ability to focus and seasonal allergies.
There are many different breathing techniques that can help manage stress, insomnia, regulate the cardiovascular system, reduce chronic anxiety, ease negative emotions (particularly anger and its manifestations), decrease blood pressure, improve pulmonary function, and the list goes on.  

Finding a daily practice that works for you is key to helping regulate physical and emotional stress.

Acupuncture is another great therapy to address stagnation of Liver Qi and to help with all of the symptoms associated; a breathwork practice will greatly enhance your wellbeing and the benefits of acupuncture.

There are many different breathing techniques that will help you regulate Liver Qi and decrease stress. 

Ready to try on your own?

A simple practice is to set a timer for 5 minutes and do what is called box breathing.

Here is a guide to box breathing: 

• inhale for a count of 4, expanding fully into your chest from front to back and into your abdomen

• hold for a count of 4, releasing slowly all of the air from your lungs,

• hold the exhale for a count of 4

• repeat the cycle 

It helps to be in an upright seated position or standing. 

I have also done this lying down with therapy balls behind my back to give an added massage to tense and tight back muscles, which may inhibit our ability to breathe. I place two balls on either side of my spine starting at the level of my bottom ribs. I take three deep breaths at each level and then move them up incrementally until I get to the top of my thoracic spine. 

Try it for yourself!