The next three articles will cover the principles involved in cleansing. These include regulating the Liver, opening the routes of elimination, dealing with complications, and rejuvenating. We shall sketch ways to fill out these principles with diet, exercise, and clinical work. In the last article, a case study will serve to illustrate the whole process.
The Liver as both an organ and a concept is critical to the cleansing process. It must be properly tended to, both appeased and gently prodded, in order to be able to access, move, and eliminate wastes. A simple question to evaluate the health of the Liver is, ” How easy does my life feel?” One measure of this is how freely the breath flows, symbolized by a supple yet strong movement of the diaphragm. If the Liver is tight and/or weak, this ‘doorway’ does not properly swing, and wastes get swished around instead of leaving. These wastes build up as toxic residue, and are felt as a muddling of the mind, a disturbance in the flow of emotion, and/or a physical malaise.
So, to regulate the Liver means to provide it enough nourishment while coaxing it to work for you. Dietarily, we nourish the Liver with sweet and sour tasting, darkly colored food. Ideal tonics are berries, grapes, mild dark greens (including beans), and small amounts of fresh oil and tender meat. On the other hand, we invigorate the Liver with bitter, spicy, and lighter food. Examples include parsley, basil, turmeric, cumin, various mints, rye, bitter lettuces, cabbage, celery, and vinegar. Some foods share both qualities, especially those green in color. Adequate water also serves to balance Liver health by nourishing its fluids while also being cleansing and cooling.
We avoid food that congests or heats up the Liver. Poor quality and/or excesses of animal products, nuts, and oils congest, while hot spices like chili or too much garlic create heat; concentrated sugars both congest and raise the heat. In general, most refined, stale, and highly processed food, including most packaged and frozen food found in grocery stores, place stress on the Liver. When reasonable, freshly prepared meals from fresh organic produce and meat is best (this takes practice and patience!).
After we eat, and rest a while, naturally the time comes to move. Taking a leisurely walk is an excellent way to soothe the liver. Otherwise, any creative and relaxing activity will do. More vigorous exercise helps stimulate the Liver out of stagnancy. One can accomplish both principles simultaneously in graceful athletics or dance.
Now, to enhance and fine-tune the effects of regulating the Liver, there is clinical help. Bodywork, including massage, acupuncture, bone setting, and more subtle techniques, are useful to help open up the areas traversed by the Liver and Gallbladder meridians, especially the sides of the ribcage and head. Signs of Liver stagnation often include ribside pain or pressure, headaches behind or beside the eyes, and frustration or irritability. Treating these areas, in combination with other findings, helps promote a feeling of ease.
Herbs work much the same way as food; only they are far more concentrated. They can be prescribed in general, or tailored more closely to one’s individual needs. For example, if a person were pale, cold, and weak, he would require greater amounts of sweet nourishing herbs than bitter cleansing ones. ‘Nutritionals’ can also be added to the diet, to make up for inadequacies; examples are flax and ‘green food’ products. In any case, professional guidance is recommended, as taking herbs and nutritionals inappropriately may yield poor or even negative results.
A practitioner, or helpful friend, can also identify harmful actions and encourage ones that better suit one’s goals. The best advice is to take it easy. Remember: Liver health is about smooth flow; it does no good to stress over which food to eat, how to exercise, or from whom to receive a helping hand.
Next month we pick up with opening of the exit routes and dealing with the consequences.