The liver is one of the most important organs in the human body, with the functions of regulating protein, sugar and fat metabolism; generating and excreting bile to help digestion and absorption of fat; detoxification; blood clotting; and regulating blood volume, water and electrolytes.
Chinese medicine believes that the liver is the organ of blood storage, both to store blood, but also to regulate the amount of blood, and the vitality of the body is inseparable; liver at the same time affects the spleen and stomach transport, if the liver has evidence of disease, the spleen and stomach function will also be dysfunctional; furthermore, the liver is the main emotion, if angry, anger will cause liver qi stagnation, liver Yang hyperactivity, etc., in turn, liver disease patients are prone to emotional excitement, depression, temper.
Since ancient times, Chinese medicine in China has a tradition of seasonal health care. According to Chinese medicine, the Spring Festival is the time when everything comes to life, trees grow, and the five elements are wood, while the liver Chinese medicine five elements belong to the same wood, spring is suitable for nourishing the liver.
Spring excursions are good for health
In spring, all things are renewed, animals in hibernation wake up, grass and trees begin to grow and sprout. Therefore, it is said that “spring is the main wind, and movement is its nature”. According to the reasoning of taking elephants and analogies, people should properly increase exercise in spring, which helps the human body to release liver qi and develop yang qi.
First of all, you can get up a little early in the morning for morning exercise. In winter, “early to bed and late to rise”, after the sunrise in the outdoor activities, while in spring, “night sleep early, wide walk in the court”, that is, get up early, do appropriate exercise, such as walking.
Secondly, spring excursions are also very good activities, good for physical and mental health. However, we should pay attention to the exercise should be moderate, too much exercise but hurt the body. “Exercise can make the body hot, too warm will make the body Yang Qi dissipation, is not conducive to health.” In addition, swimming, playing Taijiquan is also a better exercise program. “Older people are better off with a brisk walk, controlled at 120 steps/minute, with a heart rate controlled between 100 beats/minute ~ (200-age derived value) beats/minute.”
Patients with chronic liver disease must be careful not to overexert themselves. “There are mitochondria in liver cells, which are the ‘manufacturing plant’ of the body’s energy. The ‘energy manufacturing plant’ of patients with liver disease is already damaged, and if they are overactive again, consuming more energy will deplete their vitality. “
Sour foods are good for the liver
The diet is based on light, tasty and nutritious foods. In spring, the five organs should be liver, five tastes should be sour, so this season you can eat a little more sour or sweet and sour food in moderation to soften the liver and nourish Yin.
For example, vinegar used for flavoring, “modern research shows that vinegar has the effect of softening blood vessels and lowering blood lipids.” In addition, spring fruits with a sour taste, such as apricots, prunes, peaches, citrus, lemons and apples, are also good choices. “It is best to eat seasonal fruits, do not often pick anti-seasonal fruits. Eating watermelon in winter, autumn pears in spring and strawberries in autumn are not good choices. “One has to follow nature in order to benefit one’s health.”
Spring in the dishes as little as possible to use seasonings, such as pepper, pepper, star anise, “these seasonings are pungent and warm, easy to consume blood and hurt Yin.” You can eat more cabbage, spinach, lilies, rape, peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables that are good for the liver. “Especially cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower and broccoli), which also have anti-cancer effects, are best eaten regularly. “There are also capers, known as the ‘top of the wild’, rich in vitamins, trace elements, especially B vitamins.”
The spring climate warms up faster and is drier, so fried, deep-fried and spicy foods must be eaten sparingly. “Greasy, spicy foods tend to produce dampness and heat, so that dampness and heat accumulate in the body, which is not conducive to the draining of liver qi. “Only normal liver qi drainage can ensure bile secretion, excretion, thus ensuring normal digestive function. If damp-heat is stagnant in the liver and bile, it will affect digestion and symptoms such as bitter mouth and dry mouth will appear.”
Moreover, it is not only in spring, but also in normal times to eat less greasy, otherwise it will easily trigger fatty liver. “Nowadays, living conditions are good, while young people in their 20s also have fatty liver, which will develop into cirrhosis in the long run. After cirrhosis can lead to many complications, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, liver coma, and even lead to liver cancer.”
Smoking and drinking should also be in moderation. “Alcohol, is a double-edged sword. For the elderly, a little wine in small amounts can help prevent cardiovascular disease. In Chinese medicine, it also helps to nourish the heart and blood. But more wine hurts the body, especially the liver.” Therefore, it is important to get the measurement right. Take 24g/day (for healthy people) as the limit (pure alcohol content), under which it is good for the body, and if it exceeds, say, about 40g regularly for 5 years in a row, it can cause cirrhosis of the liver. If you drink 100g of alcohol per day for about 10 days in a row, it can cause acute fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and even liver failure.”
Listen to music to soothe the mood
It’s also important to smooth your mood, try not to be annoyed, angry or excited, and keep your mind calm. “Spring is dry, Yang Qi rises, and emotions are easily excited. Chinese medicine says that liver is wood, so it is better to be smooth and not depressed. Patients with chronic liver disease should pay special attention to adjusting their mindset and keeping their emotions stable.”
First, the family should create a caring and warm atmosphere. Second, patients themselves should relax their emotions. “Patients are advised to listen to some soothing classical music, such as High Mountain Flowing Water and Spring River Flower Moon Night. If the mood is low, you can choose rain beating banana, joyful and so on.” In addition, to ensure sufficient sleep. “People sleep blood to the liver,” therefore, more sleep can nourish the liver. Especially at noon, you can take a nap, the elderly can sleep for 30 to 60 minutes.
Avoid wind and cold, it is better to cover than to cool
As the saying goes, “Spring covers autumn freezes.” In fact, it is said in Chinese medicine that “spring and summer nourish Yang, autumn and winter nourish Yin.” “Spring and summer are the time when Yang Qi rises, Chinese medicine pays attention to the situation, so spring should be properly covered, more Yang Qi accumulation. On the contrary, in autumn and winter, when the weather turns cool, you can freeze and store some yin from nature. When the Yang Qi rises in spring, you will be able to maintain the balance of Yin and Yang in your body.”
The elderly, in particular, should not take off their cotton clothes too early. “When it is warm at first, hot and cold is unstable, it is easy to induce colds, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, etc.”
Four Seasons Liver Remedies
Spring
Mint, rose, white plum flower drink for tea
Treatment: emotional discomfort, liver distension and pain, dry mouth.
Cassia seed tea
Treatment: hyperactive liver yang, constipation. (Note: should not be consumed for a long time, otherwise it will aggravate constipation. 1~2 weeks is better)
Mustard and pig liver congee
Treatment: deficiency of liver yin and blood (excessive sweating at night, dizziness, spermatorrhea in men, menstrual disorders in women).
Tips: Boil the congee first. When the congee is almost ready (10-15 minutes before starting) then cook the mustard and pork liver prepared in advance in the pot to avoid destroying the vitamins in the mustard and pork liver.
Mother of pearl snapper soup
Treatment: Yin deficiency and fire, restlessness and poor sleep.
Angelica Spinach and Egg Blossom Soup
Treatment: deficiency of yin and blood.
Summer
Summer diet is mainly light. Can eat more beans, such as mung beans, red lentils, lentils, has the effect of relieving summer heat and dampness; duck, can nourish Yin and clear heat, water and swelling, liver disease, kidney disease patients prone to lower limb swelling, can be used duck meat and red lentils soup; American ginseng, not restless and not hot has a beneficial effect of Qi and fluid;
Fish, can supplement the gas nourishment, lowering blood lipids, protein; seasonings can be more ginger, garlic, vinegar, should not use pepper, pepper, star anise, etc.; fruit to watermelon, peaches, plums, peaches and other seasonal is good. In addition, summer can eat more bitter food, such as bitter melon, bitter tea. According to Chinese medicine, bitter can nourish the heart, and eating bitter in summer can clear heat and dampness.
Mung bean porridge, red bean porridge
Treatment: Lower limb edema, damp-heat syndrome.
Cold bitter melon
Treatment: Liver fire, metabolic syndrome, high blood fat, diabetes, etc.
Cold fungus
Treatment: Fatty liver, anemia, constipation. Wood fungus has the function of nourishing blood, and can be seasoned with sesame oil and vinegar.
Steamed live fish
How to do: Wash the fish, put it on the fire and steam for 8 minutes, add soy sauce and other seasonings, then boil it with boiling oil.
Treatment: Hypoproteinemia (liver has the role of synthesizing protein, patients with chronic liver disease often suffer from hypoproteinemia).
Note: contraindicated for patients in liver coma.
Winter melon boil fish ball
Treatment: hypoproteinemia, ascites.
Tofu stew loach
Directions: Tofu and loach are steamed together and seasoned until cooked.
Treatment: Hypoproteinemia.
Silver fungus and lotus seed soup, lotus leaf and glutinous rice porridge, duck blood and eggplant casserole
Treatment: Liver yin and blood deficiency, anemia.
Stewed old turtle with shiitake mushroom
Treatment: Adjuvant treatment of liver cancer (shiitake mushroom has anti-cancer effect).
Autumn
Diet is mainly to nourish Yin, you can eat more vegetables and fruits that nourish Yin and moisten the lungs, such as persimmon, which can remove annoyance and clear heat and produce body fluid; pear, which can moisten the lungs, eliminate phlegm and quench thirst, and cure constipation; longan, which can strengthen the body and calm the mind and replenish blood. Sesame, walnuts, glutinous rice, honey, lotus root, etc., is also more suitable for autumn eating.
To try to drink more water, more dairy products, less onions, ginger, garlic, leeks, etc.
Winter
Angelica Ginger and Lamb Soup
Treatment: Yang deficiency for a long time, first recovery from a serious illness, cold hands and feet, etc.
Stewed old duck with Cordyceps
Treatment: Old slow branch, asthma.
Paeonia lactiflora stewed with old turtle
Directions: 10g of peony and old turtle simmered in soup over slow fire.
Treatment: Chronic liver disease, cirrhosis of the liver.