Blueberries for your Liver in Springtime
I’ve noticed that in the United States, our culture is not generally focused on the liver. Where is it? Most don’t even know. What does it do? Why should you care, and why should you eat blueberries for your liver in springtime?
Let’s do a little exploring.
Living in France during my junior year of high school, I noticed that many folks would bring up their liver in casual conversation, holding it and commenting about some relation to food, drink, emotions, and more.
Spring is the season that belongs to the Liver and Gallbladder, or the Wood element in Chinese medicine.
A time of rebirth, new beginnings, and emerging from the hibernation of winter, some people wake up their system with a Liver cleanse each spring.
If you follow my writing, you know I have strong opinions about cleansing. You can read about them here. The short story is that I usually prefer simple, gentle, easy cleansing that does not scour and deplete the body, especially the organs of digestion, absorption, and elimination.
I teach regularly about the wisdom and benefits of congee and porridge as a hydrating cleanse for the intestines, excellent for constipation. Read about it here.
Today, I want to talk about one of my favorite ingredients for congee and porridge, blueberries!
Gentle, hydrating, easy to eat and digest, blueberries are a natural companion for a little spring cleaning for your Liver.
Whether you pop delicious blueberries into your mouth whole, in a smoothie, in your congee or porridge, or even in your pancakes covered with maple syrup, blueberries are a gentle, cleansing superfood that’s easy to love.
Among the many amazing qualities of blueberries are the Chinese medicinal food energetics of these amazing treats.
Most people already know about the powerful antioxidants, low sugar, and high vitamins and minerals that make blueberries popular in healthy meals and snacks. But many in the West are unfamiliar with the energetic effects blueberries have on the Liver and its associated meridian or energy channel.
The Chinese Medicine Energetics of Blueberries. Even better for you than you thought!
Blueberries benefit the Liver and nourish Yin and Blood, which is soothing for the Liver in and of itself. A powerful internal pathway connects the eyes to the Liver, which allows acupuncturists to treat and benefit the eyes and vision via the Liver.
I created Blueberry Bliss, one of the original Breakfast Cure recipes, to benefit the Liver.
Together the ingredients do just that, benefit the Liver, nourish Yin and Blood, and calm and soothe the Liver Qi. Additionally, by nourishing the Heart Yin, this recipe helps relax the Liver by supporting a calm Heart and mind, known as calming Shen.
A relaxed Shen and a Liver and Heart nourished with ample blood supply allow for deep and restful sleep.
Blueberry Bliss is a perfect early spring cleanse. It’s a warm, soothing wake-up call for digestion that balances the Liver and calms the mind.
Breakfast Cure is made in Oregon and we see our beautiful blueberries popping out in early June, or about the perfect time each year depending on the weather
It’s pretty wonderful when the foods you eat have the effect of soothing your Liver Qi! Stagnation of Liver Qi produces all the same symptoms of PMS, so I’m pretty sure we all want to keep our Liver Qi moving smoothly! When you feel a little irritable, sluggish, bloated, or constipated, no matter your gender, Liver Qi stagnation could be at the root.
Breath and Relaxation
Liver Qi stagnation happens with stress. This tension spills over to the Spleen and Stomach thus compromising digestion and absorption. Relaxation while eating is critical. We create energy from the food we eat and the air we breathe. With Liver constriction, we breathe less deeply and our digestive juices are out of balance. Moving Liver Qi with a little physical activity for your body and with foods that soothe the Liver, you are benefiting digestion and helping balance your energy.
While you relax and pop in a few blueberries for your liver in springtime, remember that eating blueberries helps build Liver Blood which will alleviate symptoms of Liver Blood deficiency such as:
- Fatigue
- Trouble falling asleep
- Scanty periods
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Poor night vision and “floaters”
Spring is a time of planning and decision-making, the domain of the Liver and Gallbladder respectively.
What better medicine for the planning and deciding brain than a daily dose of blueberries to soothe your liver and calm your heart and mind? Dig in today and enjoy knowing the benefits of your breakfast!
Have a friend or loved one who would benefit from learning about Breakfast Cure, blueberries, the Liver, and gentle spring cleaning? Please share this article with them now. Here is the link to copy to your email: