Unlocking Vitality of the Wood Element: The Factors That Undermine Liver and Gallbladder Health

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, our organs are not simply part of our physical makeup. 

They are integral to our being on earth.

Spring is the season that highlights the Liver and Gallbladder.

The Liver is significant in allowing qi to flow through the body unimpeded. That's one of its main jobs. Anger, frustration, and similar emotions affect this part of its job and we find ourselves feeling stagnant. Not only in the tasks at hand but internally. There are many ways in which stagnation appears in the body - from a simple bout of constipation to the long haul of clogged arteries.

This is a very simplistic example, but you get the idea.

The paired yang meridian to the Liver is the Gallbladder. It also helps in regulating Qi flow through the body. It does this by helping us make decisions, to have the courage to move through difficulty - without force.

Various factors can damage the gallbladder and liver. These factors include:

Emotional stress: Chronic or excessive emotional stress, particularly anger and frustration, impacts the liver and gallbladder. These emotions disrupt the smooth flow of Qi (energy) and blood, leading to stagnation from build-up and imbalance.

I remember when I was pushed to reach a deadline, working overtime to complete what was asked of me. I didn't question whether the task was designed for more than one person or more than one day!

If I couldn't complete the work, it was due to my inadequacy and incompetence.

If I did get the work done, my hero archetype and my ego leaped with false pride!

Can I hear an a-men out there?! 

Poor diet: Consuming excessive amounts of fatty, greasy, or processed foods can burden the liver and gallbladder, impairing their functions. Additionally, irregular eating habits, such as skipping meals or eating late at night, can disrupt the digestive system and contribute to imbalances in these organs.

Poor diet goes along with high stress.

Any moms/dads out there scarfing meals off uneaten plates of your children? We've been there.

Not making time to prepare a lunch, perhaps skipping it and coming home with ravenous hunger and overeating?

By far the easiest to relate to is late-night eating. That's how many delay dealing with stress you didn't have time to process.

And others simply don't eat when stressed, not giving themselves the nourishment for basic survival.

Toxic substances: Exposure to environmental toxins, pollutants, and chemicals can overload the liver's detoxification capacity, leading to liver and gallbladder imbalances over time.

Not living in a clean environment messes with qi flow. There are sometimes few things we can do about environmental factors especially when finances are tight. Yet another stressor.

Inactivity: The spirit of Wood (called Hun) is a mover! It makes sense because we see activity naturally rise in the springtime. Lack of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle habits can hinder the smooth flow of Qi and blood, potentially leading to stagnation and congestion in the liver and gallbladder.

External pathogenic factors: In Chinese medicine, external pathogenic factors such as wind, dampness, heat, and cold can invade the body and disrupt the normal functioning of the liver and gallbladder, causing symptoms of illness.

I watch kids coming back from school wearing shorts in the middle of Ohio winter. Their parents, like so many others, are simply done. They have bigger battles to deal with. The resiliency of youthful bodies is pretty amazing. However, it changes as one ages!

My teacher always said two things: maintain a healthy qi jacket and wear a scarf! A qi jacket is what you cultivate to maintain your protective qi (wei qi) that helps defend against pathogens. A scarf helps external pathogens not enter the many meridians that flow through the neck. Wear one on windy days, cold days, or any day you're feeling you need extra help to stave off a cold. 

The bottom line comes down to awareness. Being aware of your stress levels and creating the space to pause and observe without activating yourself to swirl around in the stress is invaluable. But it takes practice, just like taiji, qigong, yoga and all of the other incredible arts we enjoy. Day by day we get better.