Springtime is here in my part of the world. Many are seeing spring beginning to unfold and breathing a sigh of relief with temperatures rising, trees budding and the days getting longer.
As we start to get out of hibernation, some might also be dealing with seasonal allergies and sluggish livers.
Now is the time to start to look at different foods in order to support your body’s detoxification process. We can also look at important steps to take in order to reduce hay fever. Let’s look at how.
Spring and Liver
In Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, spring is associated with the focus on the liver. After spending winter eating more heartier meals such as stews it’s time to lighten up and focus on supporting the liver in its detox.
If you have been experiencing any
– constipation
– bloating or gas
– moodiness
– chronic fatigue
– easily bruising
– difficulty loosing weight
It might be signs that your liver is stressed out. Also if you have been
– exposed to environmental toxins
– have viral infections
– autoimmune disease
– obesity
– eating a diet in high saturated fat and processed food
This may all impact the function of your liver.
Right now in the US there is a significant rise in fatty liver disease with an approximate estimation at 20-40% of the population being diagnosed with the disease. (1) Overall, the symptoms with that much accumulation of fat in the liver are not experienced until it becomes severe. Once the disease sets it there may cause
– nausea
– abdominal pain
– jaundice
– swelling in the abdomen
– edema in the legs
– loss of appetite
With lifestyle changes like exercise and dietary changes, maintaining a healthy blood sugar balance or managing type 2 diabetes is important to look at as these are linked to fatty liver. (2)
Herbs like Lemon Balm, Turkey Tail mushroom and Reishi mushroom are great additions to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. If you need a personal blend do not hesitate to reach out to me where I can customize your own blend in my apothecary.
It might be common knowledge about the liver being the detox organ but in many ways we may not understand how to support it naturally.
Herbs to look at include:
– dandelion
– milk thistle
– chickweed
– cats claw
– calendula
Do not forget the importance of sleep in this process and adding lemon to your water first thing in the morning before any coffee and a whole foods diet that supports your gut microbe.
If you are struggling with getting good quality sleep and have gut issues, reach out get a sleep blend and a balance gut blend which can help!
Allergies
As the snow in your area might start thawing out and flowers begin to bloom there may be unexpected or unwanted hay fever that comes around with its sneezing, itchiness, fatigue, sneezing and irritating eyes.
As with supporting your liver what you eat has an impact on your body. To manage your symptoms your gut health is important to bring down inflammation. Probiotic and prebiotics are a good focus and resistant starches such as:
– fermented sauerkraut
– fermented kimchi
– kombucha
– flax seed
– oats
– garlic
– dual extracted turkey tail mushroom
Looking at taking ginger root internally can help with those inflamed eyes, nose and lungs. Some spicy foods are also helpful since they capsaicin which thins the mucus and gets it out. Finally there is pineapple with its ability to cool inflammation and reduce the irritation in the sinuses and nose. (3)
Herbs
Herbs sometimes have a way of popping up when we need them in the season and Stinging Nettle is one of those herbs. During the spring season this herb is the best one to have on hand because they have been shown to reduce inflammation that triggers hay fever symptoms. (4) It works best by blocking histamine receptors and hindering the process of the release of compounds that trigger allergic reactions.
Another great herb to look into is Yerba Santa. It is a great herb for respiratory issues. It will help with loosening that mucus, reduces sinus issues, helps with asthma symptoms and lung congestion. (5)
Finally, a great combo that I create for clients with respiratory issues are lungwort lichen and mullein. They support clearing out the lungs, helping to undo the tightness of breathing and promote phlegm getting out. If you are suffering from lung congestion it is a great combo to look into. Of course you can make the tinctures yourself but just make sure the lichen is double extracted.
If you would like help this spring season reach so I can help you craft your own protocol for spring.
Final thoughts
Spring can be a great season if you know how to support your wellness. Think of how water starts to rapidly move and that is what your body is needing.
It’s almost like the liver wants to detox everything naturally and we need to support it.
Knowing ahead of time what you deal with can help you plan ahead with herbs or personal support from an herbalist can get you on the right track.
I hope this helped you on your journey.
God bless you and yours
Krystina
