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Don't let seasonal allergies or heat-induced swelling slow you down!
Discover why professional massage is your secret weapon for wellness this season. From boosting circulation to faster sports recovery, learn the 7 key benefits of massage in spring and summer.
Read more here: benefits of massage in spring and summer
Here's 7 great reasons why massage should be at the top of your to do list as summer approaches at last. Book yourself a fantastic massage n
// YOUR LIVER + S T R E S S \\ ⠀ As we move into Spring (and pandemic rising), we acupuncturists begin to see more involvement of the Liver in patients' health patterns. Coupled with the Gall Bladder to represent the Wood element, the Liver manifests creativity, direction, justice and vision. At the same time, when the flow of the Liver is disrupted, one experiences stress, anger, frustration, irritability, jealousy and guilt. ⠀ ⠀ Stress: we all have it, and there is no avoiding it in life. Not all stress is bad though. Short term stress is normal and expected in life. So, when does stress become the perpetrator of illness and disease? ⠀ ⠀ Chronic, long term and intense stress have been shown to have harmful effects on the body. Stress places your organs, especially the endocrine (hormone producing) system, into overdrive wreaking havoc on your body. This imbalance causes body systems to function poorly and cause diseases such as high blood pressure, weight gain, hair loss, missed periods, appetite fluctuations and many other illnesses. ⠀ ⠀ Acupuncture can play a major role in helping you decrease stress and guide your body back to homeostasis (state of balance in the body). Common points used to treat stress in the body and calm the mind:⠀ Yin tang - Found on the forehead between the eyebrows⠀ Ear Shen Men - Found on the ear, based on a microsystem on the ear⠀ Ren 17 - Found on the midline of the chest⠀ Du 20 - Found on the top of the head, on the midpoint⠀ Liver 3 - Found between the big toe and second toe, an inch or two above the webbing of the toes⠀ ⠀ What can you do at home to move your qi and reduce stress? ⠀ ⠀ Exercise! Whether it is walking, dancing around your living room, running, biking swimming or playing with your kids, movement is what keeps your liver qi moving, which reduces stress. ⠀ ⠀ Meditation! Just a few minutes everyday with deep belly breathing can help immensely. ⠀ Stress is inevitable in life, but there are ways to move through it and reduce it to decrease the chances of long term illness. Do what you can, let chinese medicine help, hug your loved ones and take care of yourself. ❤️ Visit us at blueheroncharleston.com to find out how we can help!
Spring Health Tips
Hello, Spring! Relating to the Wood element of Chinese Medicine, this season is all about growth, activity, vision, creativity, change and vitality. Speaking of growth, we are welcoming in Karmal Spaeth, our newest practitioner in May! Read on for seasonal wellness tips and details about our upcoming events - learn how you can harness the vibrancy of spring and foster the Wood energy in your life!
8 Health Tips for Spring
In Chinese Medicine theory, spring is the season of the Wood element, and it is the time of year when the liver and gall bladder systems are most active. The organ pair is responsible for the smooth circulation of Qi, or energy, in the body. This time of year, there is more activity and growth in nature, and some themes we see in our environment are fresh starts, rebirth, and renewal. In ourselves, we may feel more inspired to run a marathon, do a detox, start a new project, plant a garden, or spring clean the house - activities that show that our body's qi is responding to the energy of the season.
For some of us, however, spring is not all sunshine and rainbows. Allergies, migraines, and stress may be more like it. If our body has difficulty adjusting to the rising energy of the season, we may experience symptoms of liver and gallbladder disharmony: muscle tension and tightness, frequent headaches, red eyes, premenstrual symptoms, fatigue, allergies, and greater anger, frustration, or stress.
In the early spring days, here’s what you can do to support the health and optimal functioning of your liver and gall bladder:
1. Lighten up. To keep the liver and gallbladder clear, the diet should be light and contain foods which emphasize the yang, ascending, and regenerative qualities of spring. Too many rich, heavy, greasy foods congest this organ pair and impair their ability to effectively circulate qi and blood. This congestion is referred to as "damp-heat accumulation" (think: gallstones, high cholesterol, plaque in the arteries, or inflammation).
2. Eat your greens. Green is the color of the Wood element and supports the health of the liver and gall bladder. Now growing in abundance, it is easy to include leafy greens into your meals. Sprouts are especially appropriate to eat, as they represent the “fresh starts” of the season. Bitter greens are cleansing for the liver and gallbladder and promote better digestion. Use sprouts on your sandwiches, add wheatgrass to your smoothies, or mix mustard greens and arugula into your salads. (Find seasonally inspired recipes that support the Wood element on our website!)
3. Savor sour. Sour flavors favor the Wood element and, like bitters, help to stimulate digestion and clear congestion in the liver. The sour flavor has a moistening and softening effect, soothing tension in the liver channel and easing tightness of the tendons and ligaments. Try some sauerkraut or kimchi as a sour side dish, use vinegar-based dressings, or drink kombucha in between meals.
4. Go for a walk. One of the best ways to move stagnant energy is to get moving and take in some fresh air. Stagnant energy can feel like: irritability, stress, writer’s block, or tension headaches. Walking is the exercise associated with the Wood element and is a quick fix for liver qi stagnation.
5. Take time to stretch. The liver and gallbladder systems are said to nourish the sinews, ligaments and tendons and maintain their health and flexibility. If the Wood element is out of balance, these structures will be too tight or too weak. You may feel especially out of whack where these meridians travel: your ITB (iliotibial band), hips, psoas, ribcage, neck, and shoulders. Spending some time in a good stretch will help relax and bring nourishment to these tissues and relieve symptoms of liver qi stagnation. Triangle pose, side stretches, psoas releases, and gentle twists are best for the liver and gallbladder.
6. Be creative. In Chinese medicine theory, every organ “houses” a spirit, which corresponds to a certain aspect of our psyche. Our ability to plan, dream, create, and have a vision relates to the spirit of the liver, the Hun (or Ethereal Soul). We can tap into the spirit of the Hun and keep our liver qi flowing by expressing ourselves creatively or starting new projects - spend some time drawing, painting, or building to keep your Wood element balanced.
7. Easy on your eyes. The liver and gallbladder meridians open into the eyes, and oftentimes acupuncture points along these channels are used to treat vision disorders, pain and irritation of the eyes. An imbalance of these organ systems may be reflected in the health of the eyes, and likewise, overuse or straining the eyes can cause imbalance in these meridians. You can maintain the health of your eyes with simple eye exercises, nutritional supplements (omega-3’s, lutein, and vitamin C and E), UV protection, and less screen time.
8. Try acupuncture. Too many changes in our environment and surroundings can make us feel a little bit out of sorts. If you feel more tired, irritable, stressed out, or just generally thrown off by the time change and the seasonal change, consider acupuncture to help you recalibrate to the season! There are many acupuncture points that help reinforce the body’s ability to sync up with the changes. Acupuncture point Gall Bladder 24 (GB-24), located in the 7th ribspace directly below the nipple, is named "Sun and Moon”. This point helps your body adjust to sudden shifts in the rhythm of your environment, like Daylight Saving Time, jet lag, and climactic factors. Acupuncture point Yintang, located between the eyebrows, regulates the pineal gland, which is responsible for the secretion of melatonin and our sleep.
Spring Challenge 1.0!! Wake up earlier. I struggle to get out of bed by 8 most days. Partly because I have worked nights most my life, but also because I never really had to. Those rare occasions that I'm up around 7 my day soars. I get so much accomplished before I have to go to work. Things that I feel are impossible to get accomplished afterwork. When I read this section on Spring Harmony, this really popped out at me. What would you do with an extra hour in your day? Or do you yearn for more time out in the sun? Take the pledge with me. Start April hopeful as a fool. Wake up an hour earlier everyday. OR a 20 minute walk outside everyday! Make your pledge in the comments. April Challenge 1.0!! #springawakening #springhealth #springchallenge #manipura #seasonalattunement #healthcoach
Liver Cleanse. Manipura love time spring reigns supreme rising to a crest at the summer solstice. Shrug off those heavy winter blankets, clean out, and lighten up. I like to start by knoshing of. These little guys. Eat the leaves raw when they are small, or light saute the larger ones. Hide 'em in a salad or snack on them while doing your backyard meditations in the mornings. #dandeliongreens #liverhealth #manipura #seasonalattunement #springawakening #springhealth #eatwhatsinseason #growyourownfood
I started doing my kickboxing course today. I SURVIVED!!! I was exhausted within the first 5 minutes, i thought i wouldn't last. Totally worth the sweat and exhaustion because I feel amazing right now. Well apart from the pain i'm going to be in soon. This is gonna go on for 6 weeks but I need to finish this.
