SPRING HAS SPRUNG! And about time too. It indeed has been a long cold winter, and now Spring has sprung! It seems not a week goes by without yet another sad statistic about our health. Type two diabetes is in epidemic proportions and most worrying is our children are far more likely to develop it younger than ever before in our human history.
Poor diet, little exercise and way too much screen time not only creates stagnant livers and obesity, but also anger, depression and chronic lethargy. All these things take their toll, as does the lack of sun, feeling frustrated or depressed as well as drugs such as anti depressants , paracetamol and anti-inflammatory overuse all can affect the liver.
As I have mentioned before, the liver is the ‘General of the army’ and regulates blood circulation, blood sugar levels, and the emotions. It also plays a huge role in fat synthesis and breakdown along with detoxifying the body of all compounds from hormones to pesticides. We face an increasing number of people facing the diagnosis of a fatty liver that now effects 20% of the population so as the liver is the Wood element in Chinese Medicine, spring is the best time for regeneration and rejuvenation to pick us up out of the dumps. In her book “Fatty Liver: You Can Reverse It” Dr Sandra Cabot laments that it’s becoming increasingly common among children. A fatty liver can result in bloating, fatigue, liver pain and intolerance of fatty foods, bad breath, skin rashes and pimples, high blood pressure, headaches, cirrhosis of the liver and early death. ALL OF THIS PREVENTABLE, and what’s more you will feel happier, less grumpy and more active!
So the simple steps to get going include;
1.Reduce all processed carbohydrates.
2. Increase fresh vegies especially greens and fresh juices.
3. Increase your intake of quality proteins such as fish, eggs, lentils, beans, and small servings of not overcooked lean red meat.
4. Eat smaller meals and snack on healthy unprocessed snacks such as yoghurt, mixed dried fruit and nuts
5. If you are overweight get a liver function test and your blood sugar levels checked.
6. Get walking or get a personal trainer to get you going on an exercise regime and to keep you motivated, and
7. If you have a liver problem get some herbal liver tonics that assist the livers regeneration such as a Super Greens blend that contain Pro-biotics and trace elements that really give your liver some love.
Always talk to a health professional before you begin taking any new herbs, you can just pop into Kinglake Chinese Medicine and check out the range of detoxification patches, herbs and homeopathic and discuss what is appropriate for you.
Enjoy the wonder of spring and until next time and remember IF IT DOESN’T ROT, DON’T EAT IT!
Stay well.
Dr Angela Palmer
Traditional Chinese Medicine.
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