Dear friends:

We have had a cold winter, but now spring is coming. (Hopefully) Chinese culture has a saying: "The year's plan starts at spring, the day's plan starts at morning.''

Now is the time to think about how we can take care of ourselves. We only have one body. We are the only ones to take care of it. The doctor and the insurance companies can only help after there is a problem. Better to not have the problem in the first place.

In Chinese medicine, "yang sheng" 'is big part of practicing medicine. The "yang" means to nourish and the"sheng" means body, "Yang sheng" means to take care of the body, or, keep the body healthy and gain a long life. China has a long history of the searching to find a magic pill for long life. Finally, the Chinese learned there is no magic pill for this. Long life and heath come from taking care of the body

We are very good about taking care of our cars. We tune them up. We change the oil on a regular schedule. We should be just as careful about our bodies. In fact, in China much emphasis is placed on preventing problems before they start. The key is gradualness. Little by little, step by step, we can improve our health.

What are some things we can all do to help our bodies. With the weather getting better, we can start to get some exercise. As spring nears, we start to have more energy, but we need to pace ourselves and not over exert the body. Our Yang needs to be built up, gradually, since we are shifting from a time of more Yin, or winter. Metaphorically speaking, we need our heavy coats for a while, while our bodies adjust to the changing seasons.

During winter, we tend to want to sleep a lot. We want to go to bed early and get up late. Now, with spring coming, we should get up early, but still need to go to bed early. In Chinese medicine, it is important to follow the pattern of the sun for maximum energy.

Spring represents the element of wood, and the color is, of course, green. The wood element does not respond well to stress. Like the willow branch, it sways in the breeze. This brings a soothing, gentle picture to mind. The style is compromise and peace, not resistance. It is important to try to be as stress- free as possible during this time of re-birth. Wood, which represents spring, also rules the liver. Our liver responds well to soothing, calm conditions.
Anger and stress can ruin our liver energy. Spring is the time to start fresh and let go of past anger.

Our diet should consist of lots of green vegetables during spring, and less heavy food. Since the heavy winter is past, we need this faster burning food to boost energy, not store it. If you have a liver problem be careful of sea food, mushrooms, and meat from rooster. (Hens are fine.) These foods boost liver's energy, and may be too strong for you.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine will treat all original problems in this season, in relation to the liver meridian, which follows the five elements theory of rebalancing the body.

he seasonal relationship between spring and a healthy liver is vital to our total health. Since spring is the beginning of the body's renewal we need to nurse our liver. As a practitioner of Chinese medicine, I concentrate on this organ at this time.