How Outdoor Activities Affects Your Mental Health and Well-Being
By Luke Douglas
To say that our mental health took a downward spiral during the pandemic would be an
understatement. Even those people with enviously well-established family relations and spacious
apartments began to feel their well-being taking a turn for the worst. In large part, our mental health
took such a memorable blow because everything that happened to us happened in the same place
with the same people. In other words, before the pandemic, people had a way to diffuse their day-
to-day stress, not allowing it to pile up and eat away at their mental well-being. However, during the
past two years, going out and into nature became a commodity rather than common practice. Thus,
to help you feel comfortable being in nature once again, this article looks at just some of the
benefits that the great outdoors may have on your mental health and well-being!
Back to basics – living off the grid
During a normal workday, most people are usually on the go and available 24/7. As a result, they
often feel overwhelmed by both objects and information that surround them. To reduce this
immense amount of input, sometimes it's necessary to have an off-the-grid weekend in nature. In
short, this means packing a bag, a tent, and the essentials. Once we step away from the busyness of
the world, we'll be able to reconnect not just with our surroundings but with ourselves as well. In
the depths of the forest, there is no connection and, thus, no irritation creeping in. During their late
nights by the fire or early mornings by the lake, people have the unique chance to put things into
perspective and re-evaluate their life journey.
Building stamina – an exercise in self-reliance
In 2022, most of us are fairly comfortable. We have our schedules, location, and meals all available
on a whip. Returning to nature should force a person out of their comfort zone – it should be
challenging. When camping, we’re forced to rely on ourselves and our abilities. There’s no GPS or
frozen TV dinner to bail us out. While it may sound daunting at first, building our stamina is
rewarding in the end. Thus, when preparing for a trip, pack only the essentials – a tent, sleeping
bag, compass, and a change of clothes. Of course, dependable OTF knives are always great to have
on hand as they can be used in just about any scenario, be it hiking or preparing dinner by the fire.
Combating illness – new and old
It’s no secret that fresh air will do you a world of good. However, during the past couple of years,
more than a few scientists have begun to shed light on the complex relationship between nature and
mental health. Namely, a considerable number of people today suffer from what is known as a
nature-deficit disorder – the problem of spending too much time couped up in front of the screen
and not enough in nature. While it may sound a bit new-age at first, the nature-deficit disorder has
been linked to anxiety, obesity, lack of focus, and even depression – problems that cannot be solved
overnight. In light of these findings, a simple nature walk will not suffice. People suffering from
nature deficiency will need to change their routine as well as their habits, and while it may sound
unimaginable, any little change is a solid place to start.
Seeking healthier exercise – camping and hiking
The gym craze has consumed everyone at one point or another. While any form of exercise is both
welcome and appreciated, gym goers often turn into gym rats, disregarding the fact that all those
exercises are possible outside as well. Take a simple exercise such as a morning run, for example.
Instead of finding a mountain trail or neighbourhood route, people often opt for the treadmill in the
gym. Running or even walking in nature has tremendous benefits. While you'll still burn calories,
you'll also be breathing in the morning breeze and releasing toxins. In addition, the gym will never
come close to a mountain view or a seaside sunrise.
While this article covered several benefits that nature may have on our mental health, there is only
one pivotal point to take away – we need to return to nature. Be it a morning jog or a weekend
camping trip, people unconsciously crave the tranquillity that the natural world provides – and hey,
if we spend more time in nature, maybe we'll all learn to appreciate it more!
Photo by Dmitrii Vaccinium on Unsplash
Featured image Photo by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash
This Is How Nightmares Are Linked To Brain Creativity
By Tiffany Harper
Etymologically speaking, the word ‘nightmare’ is weird itself. It's obvious why it has a night in it, but there's a history to the mare part of the word. ‘Mare’ was the word used to describe demons thought to people during their sleep in old English. So the word 'nightmare' originally was a term used to describe spirits. It was much later that it was used to refer to dreams these demons caused.
This term has remained, even in our modern world; however, there seems to be a new twist to the whole idea of nightmares. There's more to nightmares, and they may indicate something in people. According to psychologist Michelle Carr, who works on dreams at the Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, University Of Montreal, there are two dominant theories to explain nightmares. The first is that nightmares are a reaction to some negative experiences people have during their waking hours. The second one is the ‘threat simulation theory.’ This is the idea that humans evolved to have nightmares to prepare them for future adversity, so when something terrible happens in real life, they can handle it much better.
Photo by Stefano Pollio on Unsplash
It’s hard to say if nightmares are rehearsals for negative real-life experiences. However, one thing that has been noted is that nightmares have benefits for those that have to live and fight through them in their sleep. According to a study, as stated in college paper reports in 2013 [1], people that suffer from frequent nightmares tend to be more empathetic towards others in real life. They also tend to mirror other people unconsciously in different ways, like contagious yawning, which studies have revealed is a good indicator of empathy. Meanwhile, Carr's studies [2] have found that people that have nightmares constantly tend to think outside of the box when dealing with word-association tasks. There has also been other research to support the idea that there's a link between nightmares and creativity in people. A previous study by Ernest Hartmann, a sleep researcher, and psychiatrist at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, during the 1980s, discovered that people that seek therapy for nightmares didn’t do it because they were more anxious or fearful, but because they were generally sensitive to all emotional experiences. According to him, the driving force for intense dreams is sensitivity. When a person’s sensitivity is heightened towards fear or threat during the day, they're likely to have nightmares and bad dreams. In the same way, if a person has their passion or excitement heightened during the day, they may have intense positive dreams. It's also possible that both forms of dreams find their way into the person’s waking life and may increase their distress after a nightmare or promote their empathy and social bonding after positive dreams.
Photo by RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist on Unsplash
There are still other effects to this. During Hartmann’s study, he found that people's sensitivity spills into their thoughts and perceptions. So, people that have experienced nightmares constantly also experience some dreamlike qualities in their waking thoughts. This is the kind of thinking that gives them an edge and heightens their creativity. Studies reveal that people like this may have higher artistic expression and creative aptitude. This is something that Carr confirmed in her research with two of her subjects, Chris and Jess, scoring exceptionally high on a boundary thinness scale, which was a test measuring their artistic expression and creative aptitude. It comes as no surprise that both of them are artists. Chris is a musician, while Jess is a photographer and painter. As nature likes to balance things up, Carr also discovered in her research [3] that people that experience frequent nightmares also have a higher tendency to experience positive dreams than other people. There is evidence pointing to the idea that instead of interfering with their normal activity, people that unfortunately suffer from lots of nightmares also have an opposite dream life that’s as vivid, positive and creative, as they have the terrifying and distressing one as well. It’s also interesting to note that their imaginative richness isn't confined to when they’re asleep alone. It permeates through to their daydreams and waking thoughts. So after these people shake off the demon and wake up from their nightmares, there are still traces of it left behind, which they possess throughout the day. As Carr admitted, these new views of nightmares have their roots in the work of Dr. Hartmann and his research associate, Dr. Van Der Kolk. Their research found that nightmares play a role in a person’s mental life, even though they were more speculative with their conclusions at the time. During their research, they studied 50 women and men reported to have at least a nightmare per week since childhood. These subjects were recruited through an ad in the Boston newspapers.
Photo by Martin Látal on Unsplash
The commonest nightmares that people had were being chased, hurt, or threatened by someone or something. However, unlike ordinary dreams, nightmares mostly come in colors and also have other sensations that are very vivid, like pain that people rarely experience in ordinary dreams. One thing that struck Dr. Hartmann was that many of the research subjects had trauma-free childhood. From his research, he indicated that when a disturbing incident occurred very early in the subjects’ lives, such as being raped or mugged, that incident found its way into their nightmares for weeks. It combined with old themes before fading out later. Traumatic incidents
like that caused them to have frequent nightmares for a while, just like other stresses like having a hard time at work or school. In his view, one thing that stood out for him significantly is that the nightmare sufferer has a general personality. People like this are primarily defenseless and open and have failed to develop the psychological protection most people have. According to him, they have what he called thin boundaries. As a result, they’re likely to let things through. The majority of his study subjects also described themselves as being unusually sensitive from their childhood. They’re hurt easily and particularly more responsive to other people’s feelings.
They weren’t happy as children even when they weren’t experiencing any family problems. It was also common among them that some of their relatives were hospitalized for schizophrenia, and even some of the subjects themselves claimed to be schizophrenic. These are why Dr. Hartmann proposed that people who continue to suffer from constant nightmares through their adolescence have a greater risk of suffering schizophrenia. When reporting his study in an article for The American Journal of Psychiatry, he wrote that his study subjects were not particularly anxious and weren’t neurotic. However, he also noted that his subjects are biologically vulnerable to schizophrenia, but most of them hadn't developed any chronic mental illness signs. According to him, the same factors that set these people apart and make them more susceptible to suffering mental illnesses have also allowed them to be more creative in pursuing activities in the arts. This will enable them to use their vulnerability, openness, and sensitivity more positively and creatively. Dr. Hartmann’s study subjects included people mainly in creative arts, such as musicians, poets, movement therapists, and art therapists. However, many of the other people saw themselves as artists somehow even though they were doing other things to support themselves. This was the first link between nightmares and brain creativity before Michelle Carr’s more recent work. There has also been other research over the years to support this claim. So, the next time you find yourself trying to escape from zombies in your movie, wake up and remember that you can put that energy into creative use.
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
Featured image Photo by Soundtrap on Unsplash
Tiffany Harper is a training guru who’s been working in the corporate sector as a technology expert for several years now. She is a management graduate and loves to share her experience through blogs and expert articles. For her love of writing, she provided online consultations for one of the dissertation help writers, while working with UK Best Essays. Please do not hesitate to contact her on LinkedIn.
How Acupuncture Can Make You Sleep Better
Acupuncture is an ancient practice where needles are strategically inserted into the skin by a professional, stimulating specific parts of the body. Acupuncture is still popular today to treat many conditions, including insomnia. Therefore, acupuncture could potentially help people sleep better.
How Does Acupuncture Affect Sleep?
Many people believe acupuncture is a neuromodulator, meaning that it can tone down the perception of the brain’s sensory signals, even the pain signals. Various parts of the brain will light up on functional MRIs. Therefore, it is fairly easy to see how acupuncture influences the brain.
Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels
How Acupuncture Can Help You Sleep
Experts are not exactly sure about how effective acupuncture is for insomnia, as there is not enough research done on it yet. However, that does not mean that it is not helpful, nor does it mean there is a lack of studies. Some physicians are skeptical of it, but there is a lot of evidence that can suggest acupuncture can be beneficial. Some doctors who specialize in sleep medicine practice acupuncture on their patients and see good results. While more research would be required to prove that it is truly effective, acupuncture could help alleviate or treat symptoms like:
- Sleep apnea
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Sleep apnea
- Restless legs syndrome
- Depression
- Pain
Many professionals like to offer acupuncture to their patients because the potential benefits far outweigh the small risks. In most professional’s eyes, they notice more benefits than side effects, and the patients at least feel calmer after an acupuncture session, helping them sleep well for a few days.
General Insomnia
Many people find it hard to sleep on occasion, but insomnia is a real condition many people deal with. It can impact how a person functions throughout the day due to poor sleep. Symptoms of insomnia can appear for several days, but they can last for months or even longer. Some common symptoms can include:
- Waking up in the middle of the night, difficult going back to sleep
- Finding it difficult to fall asleep
- Waking up earlier than expected
Some common reasons why insomnia can occur include:
- Medical conditions like sleep apnea
- Chronic pain
- Mental health disorders like anxiety
- Improper sleep schedules
Many doctors enjoy offering their patients options, so offering their patients a safe alternative or addition to their medication can make them feel better, at least mentally and emotionally. Moreover, it has fewer risks compared to drug therapy. The current research suggests that acupuncture could help obstructive sleep apnea, anxiety, insomnia and restless legs syndrome. However, the evidence should not get exaggerated because they are somewhat mild to moderate, but it is still there.
Primary Insomnia
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Some evidence suggests acupuncture could treat insomnia if it does not have specific causes. While there needs to be more research before there is a conclusive answer, many patients who have insomnia can benefit from getting it done. Traditional acupuncture is when the needles do not get inserted far into a person’s skin. One study had 72 people who had primary insomnia get this treatment 3 times a week for about 4 weeks. The results found that it was effective at enhancing total sleep time, sleep efficiency and insomnia symptoms during the sessions. Another double-blind study involved 180 patients who had primary insomnia. In this study, they noticed that traditional acupuncture had good results when it came to daytime functioning and enhancing sleep quality compared to sedative medication and sham acupuncture.
Sleep Apnea
OSA, or obstructive sleep apnea, is when a person stops breathing when they sleep, which is a dangerous condition. Even if a person sleeps all night, it causes oxygen deprivation that makes them feel tired the following day. Several studies suggest that acupuncture could alleviate sleep apnea symptoms. However, the evidence is not solid enough to make it a viable treatment option for sleep apnea.
Mental Health Disorders and Insomnia
People who have depression and anxiety are more likely to have trouble sleeping. Limited research is available to state that acupuncture can help. However, one study with 90 people who had insomnia and depression found that electroacupuncture (acupuncture with electro currents) 3 times a week for about 8 weeks experienced:
- Better sleep efficiency and quality
- Depression
- Total sleep time
There are no big studies that study acupuncture’s effects on people who have insomnia and anxiety. However, one review of the 20 studies of the effects of acupuncture on anxiety showed that it can improve anxiety symptoms, so it is not a complete loss.
Pain and Insomnia
Certain people can find it hard to sleep because of chronic pain. Chronic pain is pain that would last for 3 months or longer. One review was done for nine studies that had almost 1,000 participants with insomnia that was from chronic pain. The review found that acupuncture offered better results at enhancing sleep quality when compared to medication and sham treatment.
Acupuncture for Sleep: What Should You Expect
You can expect a few things when you visit an actual practitioner, which includes:
- An hour-long session
- A very thorough intake from the practitioner, which would include medical history
- Around 20-30 needles were inserted in different points
- The practitioner may palace seeds or needles in your ears
Before any session, practitioners in the acupuncture clinic diagnose what the potential root cause of the patient’s problem would be. For instance, they will try to figure out if stress causes your sleep problems so that they can choose acupuncture points to correspond to the diagnosis.
All in All
Acupuncture could help patients who have insomnia. While there is no conclusive evidence yet, it definitely has more benefits that outweigh the small risks of acupuncture.
Featured image photo by bruce mars on Unsplash
How to Cope with Stress: Learn How Pandemic Impacts Kids and Parents in Different Ways
By Tiffany Harper
There is no secret that the Coronavirus pandemic affected us all. While parents have lost their jobs or need to work from home, children have a hard time adapting to the new life format. Classes are held online; they no longer interact with their school friends or take part in group activities. Stress is a natural reaction to these hard and new times. In fact, stress appears when there are big changes in one’s life, like this one. It has effects not only on your mind or wellbeing but on your body and habits too.
Stress caused by a world pandemic will likely be felt by anyone, by parents and children alike. But the most important thing is your perspective on stress.
There are many ways you can cope with stress, but as a parent, it is important to help your children do the same.
Stress Effects
The effects of stress are quite visible, although not anyone is aware of them. Kids will have a harder time identifying them, but they might have digestive problems, headaches, throw tantrums, or have difficulties falling asleep. They do not socialize as much as they did before, and meeting your friends, playing games, and talking with them is something all kids long for.
Social support is important not only for children but for their parents too. Stress might arouse emotions of anxiety, anger, frustration, and fear. You might have a hard time focusing or making decisions, and physical symptoms such as the loss of appetite, chills, or stomachaches are present.
One of the most important things about this unpleasant and stressful situation is that children learn how to cope with stress as they grow up. They learn all these mechanisms from their parents because we all know that kids are like sponges.
So, it is important how you choose to face the current context of the world. Because this will help your kids learn healthy ways of coping, and this will be very helpful not only in this moment but later in their lives too.
Limit Your Time Watching or Reading the News
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We often think that if we gather more information about this subject, we have more power over it. But the truth is, it is a virus that spreads very quickly. All we can do is try to protect ourselves as much as we can and follow strict hygiene measures.
As stated in some reports of the lab report writer, hearing and reading all day about the coronavirus pandemic will not do any good. It will only intensify the feelings of anxiety, fear, and helplessness. And it is not only about the TV or news, but about social media too.
So, limit your time spent watching or reading the news and try to replace this habit with another one more positive. Like this, you will teach your child to try and find comfort in pleasurable activities, instead of focusing on what you cannot control.
Find Activities You Enjoy
This relaxing photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič on Unsplash
Stress makes us often think that there is nothing pleasurable in our lives anymore. Think about your kids, too. They take their happiness and positive feelings from play with friends, games, sweets, travelling, and small things.
They are mostly deprived of interaction and socialization with friends, and even though they can do this online, face-to-face socialization is necessary for healthy cognitive development. So, it is important to find things and activities you all enjoy.
Some of them can be board games or card games to play with your kids. They will surely help you get some fun and feel good.
But you can also find other interesting activities such as watching docuseries, reading, painting, coloring or drawing. All these can be done together with your children, and so you lead by example and nurture a genuine desire to learn more about the world around us in your kids.
Also, educational games might be a great choice. Some great options could help you learn along with your child the mysteries of chemistry, physics, science, astrology, biology, and many more.
Write Your Feelings Down
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We need to admit that this period is marked by uncertainty. We do not know much about this virus, how long it will last or when it will be eradicated. Its impacts are visible: the demand for resources has gone up, while the rate of employment has gone down.
Even though kids do not completely understand the current world state, they can feel it. And they do not have the necessary equipment to face these strange times, so parents need to provide security and comfort.
You can do this by encouraging your children to write their feelings down. This is a helpful activity not only for them but for you too. So, you can do it together.
Writing your feelings down helps you put things into context. It acts as a stress relief because it helps you get rid of negative thoughts. Also, considering the uncertainty of the situation, it can help children understand that it will eventually pass. By writing down your thoughts, you can better learn how to label your emotions, become aware of them, identify their source, and work on them.
Exercise
This joyful photo by Robert Collins on Unsplash
Kids surely miss the energy and outdoor activities they were doing at school. And this is understandable. Every type of sport leads to a release of endorphins in our brains, which makes us feel better.
Give yourself the time to exercise and keep your body healthy. Find some interesting physical games and activities you can do with your children. Exercising acts as a stress relief for parents and kids alike,
so it is a healthy stress-coping mechanism.
Conclusion
The coronavirus pandemic changed the world totally and it will never be the same. All these abrupt changes come with stress and negative feelings and emotions. Children and parents react differently to these stimuli. And while parents can be more equipped to face this stress, kids need guidance and help to understand the context we are living in now.
So, it is important to know that you lead by example and kids learn how to cope with this kind of moment from you. Limit your news intake and find interesting, funny, and educational games and activities to play with your kids. Encourage your kids to write down their thoughts to better define the context and their emotions.
Lovely featured image photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash (thank you <3)
About the author:
Tiffany Harper is a training guru who’s been working in the corporate sector as a technology expert for several years now. She is a management graduate and loves to share her experience through blogs and expert articles. For her love of writing, she provided online consultations for one of the dissertation help writers, while working with UK Best Essays. Please do not hesitate to contact her on LinkedIn.
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How Meditation Changes The Brain, Exterminates Depression
By Tiffany Harper
Meditation is an old spiritual exercise, commonly associated with Oriental spirituality. The method involves mindfulness, relaxation, and breathing patterns. The goal is to achieve a general state of well-being, specifically a psychological one. Today, meditation is a widespread wellness practice. You can find through meditation tutorials in books, on Youtube, or by taking classes.
So, chances are you tried meditation at least once. Therefore, you can agree that meditation is undoubtedly an excellent way to relax and unwind. But does it have real scientifically proven benefits on the brain? In this article, you’ll find out more about how meditation changes the brain and exterminates depression.
Meditation Against Depression And Anxiety
Mindful meditation is just as powerful as antidepressants. According to some research, the subjects experienced less anxiety, pain, and depression after practicing meditation. The result was incredible: meditation had a 0.3 effect on the subjects (moderate), which is just as much as the 0.3 of antidepressant medicines. Moreover, meditation can help reduce social anxiety. A precise type of meditation, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which focuses on stress, showed significant results in research. The participants took a course of MBSR for eight weeks, and the results were reduced physical and mental anxiety and stress. Furthermore, the effects lasted over the years. Lastly, meditation was found as a solution to social anxiety disorder: mindfulness reduces the activity of parts of the brain associated with unhappiness.
Meditation Improves Focus
A common problem among the global population is the difficulty to focus. Meditation was found to help increase concentration and attention. In one study, participants had meditation training for a few weeks. Then, they were tested for cognitive skills, including focus. The results revealed that they improved by 16%. This means that people who teach, work, or use their intellectual power for tasks can tackle their jobs better.
Likewise, kids were tested for their concentration skills since they are often associated with a lack of focus. In this case, meditation had a massive impact on developing minds. It can help with cognitive skills as well as emotional skills. Some schools implemented short meditation breaks, which brought an increase in GPAs and attendances, and a decrease in suspensions.
Meditation Helps Against Brain Aging
UCLA conducted a study that linked meditation to brain aging. They compared the brains of participants who meditated regularly to participants who didn’t. The results proved that the brains of the subjects who meditated still aged. However, they had more gray matter volume than the others. Even comparing old participants with young ones proved that meditation could slow the aging process of the brain while reducing the loss of gray matter.
Meditation Decreases The Activity Of The DMN
The Default Mode Network (DMN) consists of various parts of the brain that regulate self-referential and mind-wandering ideas. These thoughts are associated with unhappiness, worrying, and anxiety. A study by Yale University proves that meditation quiets the DMN. The participants who meditated could switch back to the present moment, while non-meditators would get lost in negative and worrying thoughts easier.
Meditation Positively Changes The Brain
A Harvard study showed that meditation could change the volume and dimensions of various brain parts. The research studied the participants in the eight-week program of MBSR:
- The subjects had increased hippocampus thickness, which means that they improved their memory, emotional control, and learning skills.
- The subjects showed diminished amygdala, which means that they are less likely to be afraid, anxious, and stressed.
- The subjects showed a different perception of moods and emotions.
Meditation Against Addictions
Since meditation is centered around self-control, it was found to be useful against a variety of addictions. One research study proved that smoking addicts were more likely to give up smoking after meditation training. So, mindfulness showed even better results than the “Freedom From Smoking” program (FFS) after the 17-week follow-up. The reason behind the study’s success is that meditation helps people resist temptations, withdrawals, or cravings because it interrupts the connection between those and the addiction itself.
How To Effectively Meditate
Now that we know how many benefits meditation can bring, it’s time to practice it. At first, meditation can seem a challenging activity to do, or that requires special techniques and training. Nevertheless, meditation is a simple method to refocus the brain on the present moment, thus reducing stress, anxiety, brain aging, and other issues. Initially, it may seem impossible to quiet the mind. Still, after a couple of sessions, you may improve your cognitive skills.
Here is a simple guide to meditation:
- Find a peaceful place in your home. It could be your living room, or even in your backyard. You can light up some candles or open up the window to create a pleasant atmosphere. If you’re going to focus on your breathing, you might want to have fresh or lightly scented air in your space. You also might want to play some calming music, especially if the environment you’re in isn’t quiet enough.
- Find a good position. You can sit upright on a cushion on the floor with your legs crossed. Alternatively, you can lay on the bed or a mat and blanket. Just make sure that you’re comfortable and that your back is straight. If you’re sitting horizontally, make sure that your belly’s facing the ceiling.
- Close your eyes. If you wish to work with your mind, you might want to rest your eyes to focus better.
- Start to breathe slowly. You can inhale for four seconds and exhale for four. Take as many as you need to ease into it.
- Observe your thoughts rather than thinking about them. Your brain will inevitably want to wander off and think about chores, fears, and feelings. Please don’t beat yourself up for it. Just try to observe them and gently come back to your breath.
- Continue breathing and observe every sensation in the body.
- Try to reach a mental state where you’re focusing on your sensation and your brain instead of thinking thoughts.
Keep coming back to your senses and breathing every time you get distracted.
- Accept that your mind may not want to settle down. Just keep trying.
- Once you reach a calm state, continue to breathe.
- When you’re satisfied with your session, bat your eyelashes open and slowly return to your day.
Conclusion
The spiritual practice of meditation has a myriad of benefits, from reducing brain aging to improving mood, focus, and self-control. If you want to start meditating, find a quiet place in your home to focus on your breath with your eyes closed. The first day you may not be able to concentrate on your breath well. Nonetheless, if you keep trying, you’ll get there.
Author Bio
Tiffany Harper is a freelancer and blogger from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She specializes in psychology, natural remedies, and wellness topics. Tiffany is also a yoga lover, so every Saturday if she is not working as a consultant with an essay writer from Write My Essay, she spends her free time meditating in the local park. Please do not hesitate to contact her on twitter
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Emotional Healing In A Time of Crisis
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
We are living in unprecedented times in our world. We have just lived through a global pandemic of COVID-19 and the world we knew no longer exists. Anger and frustration are coming out in so many ways all over the world as people struggle with the new reality and many struggle to survive.
Photo by To me, it isn’t the physical challenges that the virus presents that worry me, it is the emotional state of our global population. In the US we see riots, campaigns to defund the police, racial tensions, destruction of property and businesses and unprecedented violence. No matter how many of us may want to politicize what is happening, I think it points to something much deeper that has been brewing for much longer than many people realize. People are angry. They are frustrated. Life is getting harder. People work more for less money. There is so much uncertainty about the future. Many have lost their businesses. Their jobs. Their abilities to support their families. People are exhausted and scared. And they see more and more corruption at every level of business and government - which only feeds the anger and frustration that a few profit at the expense of so many.
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I can’t offer a solution to the problems we face as a global community, but I think that we need to be honest about what is happening and be able to express those feelings. We have a right to be angry, frustrated and afraid. And we need to give those feelings a place to go. There is so much “political correctness” that people these days feel that they can’t say anything for fear it will offend somebody. We need to be able to have honest discussions about what is REAL and TRUE. And yes, it might offend somebody. In the present climate, the truth seems to have become a dirty word. The truth might hurt someone’s feelings. The truth might not be what someone wants to hear. And this is part of the problem. Because the truth is what is going to save us.
For most of my life and career, I have been very conscious of focussing on the good. The positive. Practising kindness. Being loving. Having compassion. But I don’t insulate my life and not let anything negative come in. That would be delusional. When you are healing, people come and they need those things. They are hurting so they need love, kindness, compassion and your positivity and light. Those are the things that start the healing process, and support it until the end. But now I see that we seem to be having a reality problem. Some people are unable or unwilling to accept what is happening in the world. I understand this, as often, the reality is dark. It’s hard. There are things that are difficult to accept. And they hurt.
There have been a lot of difficult truths coming to the surface lately. And if you don’t know what I am talking about, then you aren’t paying attention. This has been causing a lot of pain and a lot of grief. The new reality, for many, is difficult to accept.
Another theme I see that is contributing to a lot of pain is that there seems to be a conscious effort to divide us. Break us apart and make us fight with each other. This breeds fear, fear of the “other” and only compounds the feelings of grief, depression, anxiety and isolation that have exploded since this all began. They want you to feel that you are alone. But the truth is, that you are not alone. There are more than 7 billion of us on the planet. We are a global community, and we have the intelligence and creativity to solve any problem we may face. But we can’t solve problems when we are angry, sad and afraid. You cannot focus your energy on solving problems when you are fighting an enemy.
I have been thinking about how we might go about trying to heal from so many of the powerful emotions we are dealing with right now. Both ones that have been building up for years, and the ones that are a result of this new situation that we find ourselves in. Chinese Medicine is really unique in how it looks at our emotions and how important they are to our health and wellbeing. As many of you know, each of the emotions is associated with an organ or an organ pair and when that emotion is healthy and in balance, it is strengthening to the body and that organ in particular. But when that emotion is out of balance, in excess or unexpressed, it is depleting to the body and its respective organs, causing problems in all aspects of your life and health. Generally in our culture, we are not taught that emotions can make us sick, but I think that most of us instinctively know that this is true. How does your stomach feel when you worry? Or how about those headaches when you are angry and stressed? How does your heart feel when you are grieving?
The good news is that because emotions are built into the system of Chinese Medicine, it also offers solutions and practices we can use to keep emotionally healthy. Each of the seasons, for example, offer us an opportunity to really work to clear old emotions we’ve been holding on to and balance and strengthen the system. I have been thinking that this wisdom is so needed right now.
The emotions - things that hurt us, cause us grief or stir up anger can be an opportunity to learn something about ourselves. Why are we having these reactions to things that are happening? Why does one person respond to a situation in anger when another might feel grief?
Treating Emotions in the Real World
Helping us to manage the tsunami of emotions we are all feeling right now is the understanding that we must first become aware of the emotions, and then work to change not WHAT we are feeling but how we REACT to those feelings. Read that again. It's so simple, but it will likely change the way you think about how you may be feeling.
In my work with patients, we often start with simple awareness. Let's use an example.
If you are struggling with a particular emotion, let's say grief. Usually (but not always), the person is aware of the grief. The cause is the death of someone close to them, their loss is causing the grief. The lungs in Chinese Medicine are associated with grief, so there might be lung symptoms as well- shortness of breath, asthma, dizziness (not enough oxygen), coughing, etc. Their grief can literally be causing the lung symptoms because intense or excessive grief weakens the lungs' Qi. The person is describing how they are feeling, saying they feel consumed by their grief, out of breath, have no energy and are anxious and stressed because the grief is making it difficult to function because they still need to go to work and look after their young children. And this is it. The grief is a completely natural result of someone important in your life passing away. But the reaction is an increasing feeling of anxiety and panic because there is no space for the grief in their life because they have to keep going to work and looking after children.
So, we look at those feelings first - the anxiety and panic - and we figure out a way to help to manage them. Are you able to take some time off? Could the children go to stay with a grandparent for a few days? Can you take some time to allow yourself the space to grieve? Do you have someone you can talk to about everything you are feeling? All of these things will help release some of the pressure that can make these emotions so overwhelming. Just the acknowledgement begins the healing process. We start with the reaction - the anxiety because of the pressure to keep going normally while you are suffering - and work backwards to the grief itself.
When we get to the grief, there are a few ways that we can help reduce its intensity. We work to strengthen the lungs and build up their Qi, which very often helps lessen the grief's potency. We create a space for the grief to be felt, fully allowing those feelings to be expressed. In Chinese Medicine, the way emotions can be causes of disease is if they are repressed or unexpressed, leading to a stagnation in the body and eventual toxicity. Anyone who has a secret or something in their past they have been holding on to for years can tell you. It has an effect. Holding on to emotions isn't good for you, so finding the proper avenue for their expression is an important part of the healing process.
We are living in challenging times that are unprecedented in our history. Our struggles are multi-faceted right now. People are struggling to find their way in the new reality we face as a global community. The good news is that human beings have incredible intelligence, adaptability and resiliency. If we are able to stay positive, stick together and express what we are all feeling honestly, we can come out the other side of these difficult times stronger and with a new appreciation for everything good that still exists in this world.
If you need help working through what you are feeling right now or healing in general, I am here for you. My information is below.
Featured image photo by Mitchell Griest on Unsplash - Thank you!
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The Positive Impact Of Chinese Medicine On Men’s Health
By Sally Perkins
There is an undoubted disparity in how men and women engage with healthcare globally, with the global life expectancy of men five years lower than that of women, according to The Lancet. With this disparity more present in highly developed countries than the converse, this indicates that the problems are not merely related to gender but are actually a holistic reflection of the lives men are leading. In this respect, the all-encompassing approach of Chinese medicine can have a wonderful impact on men’s health.
Mental Health
Mental health is a key driver behind many of the problems impacting men. From simple mental illness to heart disease, there are a wide range of problems in men of which the risk factors are enhanced by mental health conditions. As one influential study published by The College of Family Physicians of Canada found, the idea of being masculine and keeping a stiff upper lip contributes to this. The impacts of mental health can filter into several areas of life that you might not expect. For instance, even a relatively mild diagnosis of depression can lead to weight loss or gain, feelings of resentment for family and physical conditions such as erectile dysfunction. The spiritual basis of Chinese medicine provides a good remedy to mental health conditions; Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism all provide a philosophical and spiritual basis on which to live life and ultimately keep people feeling mentally healthy.
Protecting the Heart
Mental health and the heart have a symbiotic relationship, and using Chinese medicine to protect against vascular disease and stress can have an all-round positive impact. Tomatoes, beef, cherry, saffron – there’s a long list of foods that will benefit the heart and also produce a feeling of wellness and content. With this feeling the body can protect against the types of stress that men will often harbor when not paying close attention to their mental health. In turn, this can provide a safety jacket against the stresses of the world as a whole and improve health overall.
Relieving the Strain
Prevention is one matter; remediation another. A powerful way that Chinese medicine can rectify issues is through acupuncture, which is noted by The Mayo Clinic to have studies showing it’s efficacy. The act of acupuncture itself is often described as relaxing and stress-relieving, and the impact after the fact is long-lived and has a great benefit on all-round health. Men can work towards all-round areas of health that intersect, like the heart and mental health, and likely feel greater ranging benefits as a result of the holistic treatment.
In holistic treatment lies the key to improving men’s health. The issues that predominantly impact men and lower their life expectancy have an impact on one another, with vascular and mental health being particularly interlinked. Reducing stress and protecting those vital systems is an ideal pursuit for Chinese medicine, and can possibly help to close that life expectancy gap wherever men are in the world.
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Tomato image photo by Thomas Martinsen on Unsplash
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Chinese Medicine Aids Deep Sleep to Revitalize Mind and Body
By Sally Perkins
It is widely recognized that sleep is essential for good health, and new research confirms that irregular and insufficient sleep can lead to a greater risk of experiencing metabolic disorders. Chinese medicine places importance on preventative measures to help the body remain balanced and free from disease, and its treatments and formulas have been shown to be effective in aiding deep and restful sleep. This is when critical body restoration takes place, resulting in increased immunity, the correction of internal imbalances and the strengthening of organ function. In addition, quality sleep, during which REM is experienced, can help stimulate and heal the mind.
Sleep to Stimulate The Mind
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Reaching the REM stage of sleep is important as this is when neural connections essential to health and well-being are made. REM only takes place after 90 minutes of sleep, so to aid a deeper sleep, jujube seed is often prescribed as it strengthens circulation and calms the mind. REM is also the period of sleep where dreams most often occur, as activity in the brain resembles that seen during wakefulness. During REM sleep, it becomes possible to stimulate lucid dreams where control can be exerted over the unconscious self and the fabric of its surroundings. As the wonders of the mind are explored, lucid dreaming can promote emotional healing, help overcome fears and encourage problem solving. Occasionally, even when the REM stage of sleep is successfully reached, some people may experience REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) where they act out their dreams physically, so disrupting their sleep. However, studies have shown that, as well as aiding restful sleep, herbal remedies are as effective as tranquilizers and antidepressants in treating RBD.
Rest to Repair The Body
Sleep is vital for the body to grow and repair muscles, organs and other cells, so ensuring a good night’s sleep is essential to avoid serious health issues. For over 2000 years, a variety of Chinese medicines and formulas have been successfully used for the treatment of insomnia and other sleep disorders. In Chinese medicine, insomnia is typically linked to heart function and so the heart tonic Fu Ling is recommended as it also has a sedative effect. As well as herbal remedies, studies show that acupuncture can improve the quality of sleep. It triggers the release of neurotransmitters including serotonin, which helps to regulate sleep patterns and induce REM sleep.
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A good night’s sleep is vital for health and well being. Herbal medicines and alternative treatments aid restful sleep, and once the body and mind are relaxed, balance and health can be restored.
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The Theoretical Side of Guo Lin’s Anti-Cancer Walk: How and Why It Works
By John Voigt
This entry is a continuation of The Anti-Cancer Walk …Guo Lin New Qigong Therapy which appeared in Chinese Medicine Living, May 30, 2019.
[Walking] Qigong readjusts the mind, the body, and the breathing. The peace of mind, the strong motive and faith to get well, combined with all the benefits from this holistic exercise, promote the body's neuroendocrine systems to adapt to the new mental and physical changes, which in turn triggers the immune system to function at higher and more competent levels. The end result is increased resistance to fight off diseases.
Source. http://www.orientalhealing.net/archive/03282000-2.html
Guolin Qigong can also transport our internal qi, dredge the meridians, harmonize the blood, improve the circulation, and adjust the balance of yin and yang in our body. Therefore, through practice, we can achieve self-regulation and self-repair in the body. This will improve the body's resistance. Our immune function is improved, it can cure cancer, but also prevent cancer.
Source. http://www.guolinqigong.net/site/index.php?cat=18&page=16
Disclaimer. This article is not offered as a cure for cancer or any other illness. It is meant only for educational purposes. If you are sick, you must seek proper medical care. However, in the author’s opinion additionally to any standard western health providers, it is suggested that a person have a qualified licensed and skilled Traditional Chinese Medicine professional on their health team. Western Medicine can cure; Traditional Chinese Medicine can heal. Use them both, and then judge accordingly by the results, and not by the hearsay or propaganda. Contraindications: “Guo Lin Qigong is not suitable for the treatment of acute diseases, infectious diseases, trauma, mental illness and so on.” From: Guo Lin Qigong Training and Guidance 100 Questions.
Source. http://www.maisondelamedecinechinoise.com/%E9%83%AD%E6%9E%97%E6%B
We will now briefly examine the following theoretical foundations of healing in Guo Lin New Qigong:
1. Oxygen enrichment Breathing.
2. Relaxation and Peaceful Thinking.
3. Bioelectricity and healing energetics.
4. Social gatherings as healing modalities.
5. Acupressure Points and Meridians.
6. Meaning.
Additionally, contact information for worldwide Guo Lin Associations, and more about Guo Lin’s life and powerful creative personality will be offered at the article’s end..
1. Oxygen Enrichment Breathing.
Guo Lin taught: An important cause of cancer is when the body, or a region of the body, is deprived of adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level. This condition is known as hypoxia. That is why I created my “wind breathing method” [i.e., inhale-inhale-exhale, repeat] where a large amount of oxygen is inhaled during the practice of my Walking Qigong. This encourages immune cells to destroy cancer cells. This is best practiced during all four seasons of the year, outdoors in clean air. It is important that the breathing be done without any exertion and that body movements are loose and natural; and that the mind is silenced. The length and intensity of the practice are dictated by the physical condition of the person. It is also necessary to study the theory of my new qigong therapy with a verified master. [Taken in part from “Why Does Guo Lin Qigong Fight Cancer?”
http://www.360doc.com/content/18/0124/11/2901197_724675042.shtml . And from “[Guo Lin Qigong] Guo Linxin Qigong Therapy for the Scientific Mechanism of Cancer Treatment, Zhou Guangqing, Ph.D., editor.”
http://www.51-kf.com/plus/view.php?aid=806
2. The Mental Aspect: Relaxation, and Peaceful Positive Thinking.
Guo Lin repeatedly taught that the most important aspect of her qigong was relaxation: “The whole emphasis in this practice is relaxing.” …. “Relaxation is the core of all qigong, and [my] Guo Lin Qigong in no exception.” Guolin New Qigong: An Introduction; 2.1.2, p. 14. http://www.cllam.com/contents/contenthtml/SSW-Doc/0804kuolin.pdf
Guo Lin also often emphasized that patients should constantly practice having a still peaceful mind where they exclude all distracting thoughts. She wrote:
For our healing work this is so important because the impact of negative emotions is another cause of the disease. Emotional depression can lead to a decline in the immune function and accelerate the death of cancer patients. I repeatedly stress to my counselors the need to listen and understand the thinking and emotions, as well as the pains and sufferings, of their patients; then to make a supreme effort to resolve such negative thinking by guiding them in increasing their mental confidence in an increased belief in the success of their fight against the disease.
Source. ftpguolinxqg.cl543.4everdns.com
3. Bioelectricity and Healing Energetics.
Guo Lin taught that the potential of the bioelectric voltage of tumors is always lower than that of normal cells; and that people who practice qigong can produce a kind of magnetic static electricity. It has been reported in the medical literature that if treated with this positive potential magnetism, a cancerous tumor may disappear. The secret of this cancer treatment is that it mobilizes human bioelectricity through scientific practice methods [of breath, movement, and meditation], and uses this bioelectricity to transform puerile cancer cells into mature normal cells, and cancerous tumors disappear without a trace. Cancer patients recover rapidly, spontaneously, unconsciously and without pain.
Source. http://www.51-kf.com/plus/view.php?aid=806
4. Social Gatherings - Oncology.
(“Oncology” means the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. Humans interacting with other humans in ways to promote recovery from cancer is known as “Social Oncology.”) Guo Lin was instrumental in introducing the practice of social oncology to many hundreds of thousands of people in China. [For further information about Guo Lin and social oncology see Dr. Jerry Alan Johnson. “Medical Qigong Therapy and Clinical Oncology.”
https://www.daoistmagic.com/articles/2017/12/15/medical-qigong-therapy-and-clinical-oncology and Roger Jahnke. The Healer Within, pp.168-170.
It is not going too far afield to say that if Guo Lin did not invent social oncology, at least she, and those who followed after her, developed its techniques so that hundreds of thousands of people began practicing it: They have Walking Qigong gatherings and yearly reunions in many Chinese cities, where ex-cancer patients come to sing, dance and talk about their experiences.
The atmosphere is always very alive, optimistic and at times dramatic when they describe what they have been through before discovering Walking Qigong. John Dolic. Qi Gong Chinese Health.
http://www.qigongchinesehealth.com/walking_qigong
Group Singing as a healing modality. Throughout Asia, Guo Lin Anti-Cancer groups perform singing social oncology in a variety of ways. For example, here is the “Song of Cancer” performed by the Malaysian Guolin Qigong Research Association.
http://www.guolinqigong.net/site/index.php?cat=48 .
Here are the words of the song translated into English:
You don’t have to be sad when you find out you have cancer.
You should not delay the surgical operation when it is needed.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy have to be carried out timing.
Drink Chinese herbs as it helps strengthen the immunity system.
Don’t go for any improper treatment. Practice Guo Lin Qigong unceasingly.
Your recovery will bring great happiness to the entire family.
Guo Lin Qigong Dance.
Here the formal movements of qigong become transformed into a seemingly ritualistic dance performed by members of the Malaysian Guolin Qigong Research Association for their 20th anniversary and 3rd Cancer Warrior Celebration during 2013 in Xiandu, Kuala Lumpur. 郭林气功舞蹈 – [Guo Lin Qigong Dance]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc5dcisj0w4
Note: For more examples in pictures and text of such colorful musical and dancing social oncology go to Jinan Anti-cancer Club 2013 Spring Festival Gala http://www.jncajlb.xinwen365.com/710.htm
5. Acupressure Points and Meridians.
The Guo Lin Walking Qigong opens important acupuncture points in the palms of the hands and in the Gall Bladder channel (meridian) near the hip joints. The lifting of the toes opens the Kidney- 1 points. Lifting and stepping down on the heels opens the Yang Heel vessel, called the Yang Qiao Mai.
https://tcmwiki.com/wiki/yang-qiao-mai.
This extra-ordinary meridian tones and regulates the flow of Qi that connects to many other important life-energy channels. [More at “Guolin Qigong.” http://albanycomplementaryhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Guolin-Qigong.pdf]
Yang Heel Vessel. Source: https://tcmwiki.com/wiki/yang-qiao-mai .
6. Meaning and Importance.
A basic factor that triggers healing is the meaning and importance that a person consciously or subconsciously gives to
the medical procedures that they are undergoing. Traditional Chinese scholars might explain this by saying that life energy is led and guided by what the mind is thinking—(as in vital qi follows mental intention). This is about the power of the mind, the power of imagination, and the power of the will. The power to heal is something that we ourselves have; it is not something only possessed by a doctor, druggist, or surgeon. (This relates to the power of belief and faith, and not to the negative filled connotations of such words “placebo.”)
Each of the components of Guo Lin New Qigong carry at least one positive meaning. Doing the walking exercises in a public park, early in the morning, with like-minded people, often dressed in a semi-official Guo Lin uniforms, moving qi in the body and ridding the body of pernicious qi, all create a meaningful sense of doing something worthwhile that will aid in the
conquering of a vicious disease. Add to this, working [usually] under a charismatic hard working and able leader to create even more belief in that its practitioners will once again become healthy. And even more so, all this directly connects to doing a qigong created by Guo Lin who brought herself back from certain death by doing the same qigong that you and those around you are now doing. Guo Lin, a woman who put her life in danger in adverse political situations, and brought her no-cost health treatment, largely independent from any governmental or medical industry control, to people throughout China.
It is no surprise that participating in such a grand communal ritual of striving together to gain personal health creates an overflowing sense of personal meaning which dramatically increases the potential of any healing effect.
And even if death is inevitable, the calming and relaxing exercises of Guo Lin Qigong done with other people in similar situations, in a natural setting, with a meaningful possibility and hope that life itself can be somewhat extended, can
create a sense of pleasurable wellbeing even as a person’s life draws to a close. Worldwide Guo Lin Associations. Given the legal difficulties, especially in the United States, in practicing any cancer healing modality that is outside accredited hospitals or governmental approved practices, it is difficult to find trained Guo Lin Qigong instructors and healers. However, the International Guolin Qigong Culture Research Association based in Hong Kong has a web site in English that does list worldwide organizations.
http://www.guolinqigonghk.com/contactus_en.html
More About Guo Lin:
During the dangerous time of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) with its continual personal criticism and life-threatening harassment, Guo Lin applied for and was granted a visa to come to the United States to live with her daughter. But she changed her mind; later she wrote why: I suddenly thought that Qigong was one of the treasures of the motherland's medicine. I saw many patients suffering from pain, and determined to bear the burden of humiliation. I resolutely withdrew my application abroad and became more active in qigong cancer treatment [and] practice. New Qigong therapy has been repeatedly validated in many cancer and chronically ill patients, saying that it has a unique therapeutic effect and that Guo Lin has explored a new path for Qigong to strengthen the body.
Source. http://qigong.blog125.fc2.com/blog-date-201404.html
More information is at "Recall Guo Lin" written by her husband, Lin Xiao. www.kangaiweb.com
Source: Today in History http://history.04007.cn/en.php/HisMain/11443.html
Guo Lin with her husband Lin Xiao. They married in Macau when she was a teacher and he a student on December 8, 1941—one day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Source: https://wemp.app/posts/cfa28107-cdec-4b7b-a86d-f81e1cee09b0?utm_source=latest-posts
David A. Palmer. Qigong Fever. Columbia University, offers extensive information about Guo Lin, her work, and the China in which she found herself
https://books.google.co.cr/books?id=RXeuibmD2dsC&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=guo%20lin&f=false
Guo Lin was also a famous landscape painter and art educator. Here is a picture of her at work:
Source: http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_55da355b0102wvr8.html
Here is one of them:
More of her paintings may be seen at www.dealshaker.com
Concluding Comments
This entry is no more than a short introduction of Guo Lin’s anti-cancer walking qigong to an English-speaking audience. In actuality her complete “New Qigong” Therapy is composed of much more than the one set of coordinated steps, arm swings and breathing as presented in this article—(although that regime is what is most commonly found in books and on YouTube. However, the reality is that are at least twenty-six kinds of her qigong that are applied to help heal different diseases. For example there is Stick Rolling Exercises;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRBwHi7EtWI and the vocal techniques of “Guo Lin Qigong Expelling Sounds”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9X7P8gBNRY&t=681s .
Space limitations and the author’s limited abilities prevented any exposition here of that important information. And as always, consult your physician—trained in western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, or preferably both—before commencing this or any other exercise program.
Living in Harmony with Spring According to Chinese Medicine
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
Chinese Medicine Theory
Chinese Medicine has such a beautiful way of looking at us - human beings, our place in nature and in the universe. We are part of a greater whole and are inseparable from it. In Chinese Medicine, we are healthy when we are in harmony with our surroundings, and for much of human history, we have honed the skills needed to be able to feel slight changes in our environments, so that we could change behaviours, to remain in balance. In our modern world, we seem to be losing this connectedness to both our natural environments and ultimately, ourselves. Chinese Medicine can teach us how to regain this connection by giving us some simple guidelines on how to live in harmony with the seasons.
Spring - The Season of the Liver
Spring is the season associated with the Liver and the emotion of Anger. Its energies are expansive - moving upward and outward like newly budding plants, flowers and trees. It is a time for growth and renewal. Spring is the best time to strengthen the Liver, and to deal with any unresolved feelings of Anger or frustration as they can build up and cause stagnant Qi or energy in the Liver and elsewhere. The colour associated with Spring and the Liver is green. Eating green foods in the Spring strengthens the Liver. To keep your Liver healthy, be sure to be in bed and asleep before 11pm.
The Liver is the organ associated with Spring. In Chinese Medicine the Liver has the following responsibilities:
- Opens Into the Eyes
- Controls Planning
- The Flavour that Supports the Liver is Sour
- Houses the Hun (Spirit) The Liver is the organ associated with Spring.
- Stores Blood
- Responsible for the Smooth Flow of Qi & Blood
- Controls the Sinews / Tendons
- Manifests in the Nails
Behaviours in Spring
- Engaging in uplifting and creative activities that expand our energies and consciousness (journaling, meditation)
- Seek personal development and growth
- Cooking should be of shorter duration and at higher temperatures
- Sautéing with high-quality oil over high heat, or light steaming with water is best in Spring
- Manage Anger (and frustration) - excess, intense and unexpressed anger congests Qi in the Liver
- Liver time is between 1am-3am - this is the best time to strengthen the Liver
- For optimum Liver health, go to bed before 11pm (the Gallbladder time - it is the Liver’s Yin/Yang partner organ)
- Eat green foods to strengthen Liver
Photo by Dariusz Sankowski on Unsplash
Activities in Spring
- Engage in activities that feed your creativity - drawing/painting/writing/photography/making music/dancing
- Making plans for the future
- Spring cleaning of your internal environment - physical, emotional, spiritual
- Acknowledging, processing and releasing any unresolved emotions, especially Anger & frustration
- Any activities that push our self-imposed boundaries
- Gentle exercises on a daily basis, especially stretching as the Liver controls the smooth flow of Qi as well as the tendons
- Walking meditation in nature (gentle exercise, feeding the spirit and taking in the green of new Spring plants through the eyes)
- Avoid stimulants like caffeine, spicy foods, alcohol, tobacco, recreational drugs
Beneficial Foods in Spring
- Lemon
- Lime
- Grapefruit
- Sprouted Grains, Beans, Seeds
- Many Green Foods Nourish the Liver
- Radish
- Daikon Radish
- Tofu
- Fermented Food
- Legumes
- Seeds
- Dandelion Root
- Milk Thistle
- Mung Bean
- Lettuce
- Quinoa
- Cucumber
- Watercress
- Celery
- Millet
- Seaweed
- Mushroom
- Beet
- Carrot
- Onion
- Mustard Green
- Rye
- Romaine Lettuce
- Asparagus
- Alfalfa
- Amaranth
Photo by Scott Eckersley on Unsplash
The Liver and Anger
Photo by We've all seen that impressive display of anger. Someone losing it in the lineup at the bank, an exasperated parent yelling at a child having a tantrum, or someone, after being on a plane for a bazillion hours being told that they have missed their connecting flight and that the airline has lost their luggage. Yeah, we've all seen that. And it is most of our instincts' to back away a few steps because of how powerful that anger can be. That, my friends, is your Liver talking.
Now in the West, this doesn't make much sense. The liver, we are taught, is the body's filter, making sure that we stay clean and toxin-free. But in Chinese Medicine, each of the organs has an emotional component, which is just as important as its physical functions in the body - and the emotion of the liver is anger.
When the liver is balanced and healthy we are able to move freely because of the liver's responsibilities of governing the smooth flow of Qi in the appropriate directions. You may wonder what happens when Qi flows in the wrong direction? Well, each of the organs has a natural direction in which its Qi flows. For example, the Qi of the stomach flows downward, helping to move food and drink through the digestive system, but when the flow of that Qi is reversed due to pathogenic factors it causes belching, hiccups, nausea and vomiting. A healthy liver means a strong immune system because the liver is responsible for the body's resistance to exterior pathogens. Because the liver opens into the eyes, if you have a healthy liver your vision will be clear and your eyes moist. If your liver is in a state of balance you will have strong nails, recover quickly from physical activities, your movements will be smooth and your body flexible. Those with a healthy liver will also have great courage and resoluteness, and will easily be able to plan their lives wisely and effectively with a clear sense of direction.
Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash
Some Symptoms of Liver Stagnation & Imbalance
- Frustration, depression or repressed anger
- Hypochondriac pain
- A sensation of oppression in the chest
- A feeling of a "lump" in the throat
- Abdominal distension
- Women - pre-menstrual tension, depression, irritability, distension of the breasts
- Belching, sour regurgitation, nausea, vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Bitter taste in the mouth, belching, jaundice
- Contraction and/or spasms in the muscles and sinews, impaired extension/flexion, numbness of the limbs, muscle cramps, tremors
- Dark, dry or cracked nails
- Blurred vision, myopia, floaters, colour blindness, a feeling of dryness or grit in the eyes
- Bloodshot, painful or burning sensation in the eyes
- Irritability, outbursts of anger, red face, dizziness, tinnitus, headaches
- Lack of direction in life, feeling of being stuck
Chinese Medicine gives us many ways that we can help our bodies, mind and spirits stay balanced and healthy - in every season. Eating green foods, spending more time turning inward, processing our emotions and being in bed by 11pm are only some of the ways we can live in harmony with the spring season, and keep our energies flowing freely so we can be happy, healthy beings all year long.
Beautiful featured image photo by Sylwia Pietruszka on Unsplash
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