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Spring is Stirring
March is a “transitional” month: cold and windy when it arrives; warmer, with a tinge of mildness—mixed with a feeling of relief at Winter’s passing—at its end.
As nature’s energies shift from winter to spring, important changes are happening outside—and inside of you—that affect your health.
The Sap Is Rising
As Spring arrives the “sap” begins to rise, and so must the question: “What do I need to do to prepare myself to process the surge of energy that Spring floods through my body?”
The Liver is the primary organ of the body affected during Spring, so it’s important to make sure it’s strong and balanced. The primary organ system affected during winter was the Kidneys, so now is the right time to help them replenish the energy that was expended throughout the winter.
Oriental Medicine at BIOM combines very effective medical herb formulas, acupuncture, acupressure, and Chi Kung techniques for replenishing the energy of the Kidneys, strengthening and balancing the Liver so that it’s ready to spring into action as the Water season turns to Wood, and the Kidneys pass the baton to the Liver.
Valentine’s Day: A Matter of the Heart (and Kidneys)
Happy Valentine’s Day! a celebration of the Heart — whose health depends on strong Kidneys. As Valentine’s Day inspires you to feel love in your heart, I encourage you to also focus for a minute or two on the level of energy (health) you’re feeling, or not feeling, in your heart and kidneys.
As I mentioned in A Mid-Winter Checkup, your kidneys are probably pretty pooped by now, leaving you feeling low in energy. Look at the Five Element Cycle of Regulation illustration on this page and you’ll notice that the ‘Water’ element, embodied in your Kidneys, regulates the ‘Fire’ element, which is embodied in your Heart.
So if your Kidneys are low in energy they won’t be able to adequately support the Heart, and as a result, the Heart function can get a bit out of alignment.
What to Look Out For
If you’re already predisposed to heart problems, you may be experiencing things like a little bit of extra pressure in the chest, or maybe some mild heart irregularities in the rhythm and beat, usually not to the extent of interfering with breathing; but for people who have compromised heart energy, these symptoms may be more severe at this point in the winter.
Mid-season is the time to start rebuilding the strength of that season’s organ.
A Way to Good Health
A ‘rule of thumb’ for good health is this: toward the middle and end of each season, focus on rebuilding the strength of the organ that is the focal point for that season. Right now, in mid-winter, it’s your Kidneys. And because each organ system has a companion organ that it regulates, (at mid-winter it’s your heart), it’s a good idea to pay some attention to the companion too so that it will be in tune and ready to go when it’s season to perform comes; (for the Heart, that’s summer).
A Mid-Winter Checkup
It’s mid-Winter and according to Five Element Theory, the Water energy of this season is coming to its lowest ebb.
If you get too chilly, you’re more susceptible to injuries.
Your kidneys may be pretty pooped by now, leaving you feeling low in energy, and more susceptible to becoming cold. Overall, your immune system is a bit weaker due to the stresses it undergoes from warding-off illness. This is a time of year when more rest is needed to maintain normal energy levels.
Be Careful
Since the kidneys are much more vulnerable right now, if get too chilly, you’re more susceptible to injuries to the lower back, hips, legs and feet. If you’re prone to sciatica, this is the time of year when it will flare up more readily. With the Water energy waning, the strength of the kidneys and the parts of your body most dependent on them can benefit by the support provided by acupuncture, Chinese medical herbs, Chi Kung exercises, and proper diet and nutrition.
Rough Sailing Ahead
The Water element energies of Winter will remain with us until we get closer to the Vernal Equinox towards the end of March, when the Wood element and the Liver will move to center stage. But, in these ecologically tumultuous times, it’s become evident that the Liver energy has already started to flow in, roiling the waters. It’s like the changing of the tides, where one tide has been high and is starting to flow out, (Water element energy), the next season’s energy, or ‘tide,’ is prematurely flowing causing unexpected and unplanned for pressure in your body and mind.Acupuncture and Chinese medical herbs can help rebuild your strength.
This early and strong flow of Wood/Liver-Gallbladder energy this year, is indicated by the premature and vigorous growth in our gardens, as well as the onset of health problems affecting the skin, eyes, and nerves. So if you find yourself unexpectedly irritable, or easily frustrated, this changing of the seasonal energy is a possible reason why.
Be Prepared
The fact that the seasonal shift is taking place so early in many locales, is a warning to start taking preventative measures like acupuncture, Chinese medical herbs, Chi Kung exercises, and proper diet and nutrition to be prepared for the strong effects on your body and mind that Spring energy brings.
Related Articles
A Mid-Winter Checkup
What You Need to Know About Winter
Staying Healthy in Winter
Winter Photos