FHN Complementary Medicine Monthly Newsletter April 2007
Spring is the time for house cleaning
Spring is the time we clean the house and get out all the winter clutter and dirt. The body is no different, it needs a good spring cleaning also.
The Chinese say that the “liver predominates” in the spring. After a winter of heavy food, holiday binging, and not much exercise, the liver awakens and gets things moving. Gallbladder flare-ups are common, as are gallbladder channel headaches. As the qi begins to move and the liver system becomes more active, stagnant toxins may become more apparent! So we start to get these spring symptoms, the phlegm starts moving; the eyes water; the sinuses gush; and Americans all over rush to find something - anything - to stuff that unsightly phlegm back in deeper than ever. The solution is the phlegm and its accompanying toxins and parasites must come out.
The liver wants nothing more than a spring cleaning - for most, this means fasting and cleansing diets. However, most Americans are overfed year-round. Few Americans fast voluntarily. In our not-so-distant ancestry, fasting was common. No food? What are you going to eat? In springtime, you can plant food, but there's nothing to harvest until later - it's a historically common time to go hungry.
So am I telling you to stop eating? No, but we need to make some dietary changes and allow the natural cleansing to start to work. . It is a natural part of the cycle of life. If winter didn't kill you off, it's time to get moving!
Start with what you are eating…..lighten it up!
Here are some suggestions:
- Granny smith apples
- Beets
- Carrots
- Pears
- Lemon
- Lime
- Miso soup
- Rice
- Vegetables
We also do a couple of other things to expedite the process. To help the liver and intestine cleanse we have a medical food product called Ultraclear that we put patients on to help the process (no we don’t sell this without seeing the patient first to make sure it is right for them). We also use Milk Weed Thistle (Silymarum) Capsules to help the liver function better and repair any damage it may have.
So it is springtime, time for a cleaning.
Sincerely,
Drs. Glenn and Julie Smith
Complementary Medicine
