Spring
It’s that time of year when the sun starts shining, and the wind starts blowing, and our clinic gets busy with hay fever suffers.
More and more we hear people saying they “…never used to get hayfever”, or “it never used to be that bad”.
So why is it getting worse? Well, according to Chinese medicine, our Liver energy resonates with spring, and with wind. The liver is very susceptible to heat and inflammation, it is also affected by stress. And in the crazy world we live in, this tired and wired society, no wonder hay fever is getting worse.
So what are some good tips to maintain liver and immune health in Spring?
Hydration:
- Drinking lots of water
- Having some electrolytes, naturally one (add some lemon and a pinch of salt) or a store bought bottle)
- Avoiding coffee
- Drinking Chinese herbal teas, such as honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, goji berry and peppermint tea.
- Diet: Reduce sugar & processed food to take stress off the liver.
According to Chinese Diet Therapy, eating lots of leafy green vegetables is great for our liver energy.
Alcohol:
Wine has histamines that make hay fever worse. If you’re going to drink, stick to gin or vodka, clear based spirits with some soda to reduce sugar intake.
Nasal Saline wash:
Click here for Nick’s DIY Nasal Saline Wash.
Something you can do at home in the shower.
Written by Jane Ferguson
Practitioner of Chinese Medicine
