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Greetings!
This is such a gorgeous time of the year here in
Boulder, one of my favorite months. While we have a
mere few days left until the official last frost date
according to the Farmer's Almanac, we had still a light
dusting of snow last night. It is now sunny and 55
degrees and the trees are all flowering and the leaves
are newly greening, lettuce is up in the garden and the
air just sparkles with anticipation of possibilities.
Graduation happens and it posesses the energy of
embarkation. Anticipation of summer adventures,
travels, hikes in the high country, perhaps for some of
us a lightened schedule. This is also the energy
of the liver according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
While I am not a TCM practitioner, every discipline has
its truths. Liver energy is about wanting to manifest, to
create, to push through the ground from the seeds of
that creativity. If the liver is functioning well, there is
that creativity and initiatory energy. If the liver is
burdened with toxins, or its detoxification mechanisms
are compromised, or its energy is obstructed, there
can be frustration, anger, and even depression. The
word "melancholy" comes from Latin roots that mean
"black liver". There was some deep truth there.
This issue is dedicated to the liver, connected
syndromes and detoxification. Starting June
1st the office will be on its summer schedule. I will be
seeing patients M, W, and Th. Friday afternoon
appointments will resume once school is back in
session mid-August. Receptionists will still be
available to take your calls, direct messages and
schedule appointments at (303) 443-2206 M-F 8:30
AM - 5 PM. Enjoy
the beauty!
| PMS and the Liver ( a nice comprehensive article) |
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Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is the most common
disorder experienced by women during the menstrual
years. Up to 90% of women are affected to some
degree. [1] Many woman have just a few mild
symptoms, while others suffer severe discomfort which
adversely effects their quality of life. If the mood
swings, irritability and depression are consistently
severe, the disorder is called PMDD( Premenstrual
Dysphoric Disorder), and is often treated by
conventional physicians with fluoxetine hydrochloride
( Prozac® , Serafem®). Although drug therapies may
help mask symptoms, it does little to address
causative factors. by Ellen Kamhi
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| Turmeric (Curcuma longa) May Prevent Liver Damage |
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Action Points
Explain to interested patients that this study shows that
curcumin appears to delay liver damage in mice. It has
not been evaluated for this purpose in humans.
Note that investigators believe curcumin might be
pursued as a treatment for chronic cholangiopathies in
humans.
A major component of the Indian spice turmeric was
found to decrease inflammation and fibrosis in vitro
and in an animal model of chronic cholangiopathy, a
new study found. From Medpage Today
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| Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) for Hepatitis C and other liver conditions |
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Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used for
2,000 years as an herbal remedy for a variety of
ailments, particularly liver and gall bladder problems.
Several scientific studies suggest that substances in
milk thistle (especially a flavonoid called silymarin)
protect the liver from toxins, including certain drugs
such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), which can cause
liver damage in high doses. Silymarin has antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory properties, and it may help the
liver repair itself by growing new cells.
University of Maryland Medical Center
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| Dandelion Recipes |
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This is the time of the year for Dandelions! While
many people see them as a lawn nuisance , they
have many health benefits that should not be ignored.
The roots can be dried into a tea or tinctured into an
effective liver tonic. Also they can be integrated into
recipes so that you can let food be your medicine.
Here is a collection of interesting recipes to add
variety to your table this spring. Just be sure that the
lawns you are harvesting the dandelions from have
been untreated by chemical fertilizers, pesticides,
herbicides and are away from where any pets relieve
themselves. From Prodigal Gardens
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The Liver Friendly Life |
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Springtime is the perfect time to adopt these liver
friendly lifestyle habits. While they work well for one's
whole life, they are especially relevant for the period in
the northern hemisphere or March to June. 1.
Drink plenty of water. 64 oz per day of purified water
is a good amount to keep hydrated and to flush out
toxins from the liver and kidneys. 2. The following
foods aid in liver function: beets (root and greens),
lemons, artichokes (related botanically to milk thistle),
turmeric (curry anyone?), burdock root and dark leafy
greens will help support the liver's detoxification
pathways. 3. Eat plenty of fiber in the form of fruits
and vegetables. This will help improve colon function
which helps to excrete the toxins processed by the
liver. 4. Adequate Sleep. According to TCM
(traditional Chinese medicine) 3AM is the liver's most
active time to process the toxins. This occurs most
effectively when the body is in deep sleep. Lack of
good quality sleep at this time of the night can lead to
weight gain, a depleted immune system, and mood
disturbances. Several studies regarding "graveyard"
shift workers also show a higher incidence of
developing cancer which could be due to
compromised detoxification mechanism of the liver.
5. Exercise. Moving your body stimulates the
activity of many metabolic pathways, including
improving the efficacy of the liver's detox abilities.
Also sweat is another route of detoxification since the
skin is also an elimination organ. 6. Stress
management. Just as an imbalanced liver can lead to
emotional symptoms such as irritability, depression,
sadness, anger, those same emotions can also cause
the liver to become imbalanced according to TCM.
Yoga, meditation, breathwork , exercise, and
counseling can also help to mitigate the cortisol
response of stress . While stress in life seems to be
unavoidable, how we manage it is completely under
our control. Taking time for self care whenever
possible and making that a priority is an important part
of managing life. 7. Last but not least , avoid when
you can exposure to environmental toxins. This can
be done partly by paying attention to cleaning
supplies (use healthier options available through
companies such as 7th generation, boulder
ecoproducts, etc), paints (use low VOC), solvents
(avoid as much as possible), new carpets (high in
formaldehyde - better options available at stores such
as Planetary Solutions), and if you are in the market
for a new mattress, spend the extra money and by an
organic mattress if you can, or use a mattress that is
more than 5 years old- (that is when they started using
nasty flame retardants which are toxic on all
mattresses), lawn chemicals (there are cleaner
options out there). It is also important for these
reasons to consume as much as possible an organic
diet to avoid unnecessary exposure to herbicides and
pesticides. Exposure to toxins on a regular basis can
further burden the liver while increasing your cancer
risk.
Find out more....
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