Experts say that in spring, the "liver qi" is exuberant, which can affect the digestive functions of the spleen and stomach. Therefore, people with weak spleen and stomach should eat more yam, red dates, and lotus seed porridge in spring to control excessive liver qi and prevent the worsening of symptoms such as bloating caused by chronic gastritis and hepatitis. After Lichun (Start of Spring) and Yushui (Rain Water), those with usually weak digestive systems must maintain a light and moderate diet, especially avoiding hot-natured foods like lamb or allergenic foods like seafood. Below are several methods to nourish and protect the liver in early spring:
Drink more water. This helps prevent toxins from damaging the liver. In early spring, the cold and dry weather can easily lead to dehydration. Drinking more water replenishes bodily fluids, enhances blood circulation, and promotes metabolism. It also stimulates the secretion of glands, especially digestive and pancreatic fluids and bile, aiding digestion, absorption, and waste elimination while reducing the damage of metabolic by-products and toxins to the liver.
Maintain a balanced diet. This ensures the proper functioning of the liver. Experts advise that people with poor liver health should avoid overeating or frequent hunger, as irregular eating habits can cause abnormal secretion of digestive fluids, leading to liver dysfunction. Therefore, keep your spring diet balanced—maintain proper proportions of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals in your food. Also, avoid favoring any single flavor excessively; try to eat less spicy food and more fresh vegetables and fruits.
Drink less alcohol. This supports the ascent of liver yang. In early spring, when cold is still relatively strong, moderate alcohol consumption helps promote circulation, activate blood flow, dissolve stasis, and encourage the ascent of liver yang. However, don’t overindulge. The liver’s capacity to metabolize alcohol is limited, and excessive drinking can harm the liver. According to medical studies, a healthy person weighing 60 kilograms can only metabolize 60 grams of alcohol per day. Exceeding this limit can impair liver health, even leading to alcohol poisoning, which may be life-threatening.
Stay optimistic and cheerful. This benefits the smooth flow of liver qi and keeps your mood pleasant. Since the liver prefers free flow and dislikes depression, anger and rage can easily cause stagnation of qi and blood in the liver, leading to illness. Conversely, being in a good mood and maintaining a peaceful state of mind help the liver qi to flow and regulate normally. Experts say that to maintain liver health, you must first learn to control anger—even if you’re upset, try not to stay angry for more than three minutes. Aim to remain calm, optimistic, cheerful, and carefree, which helps extinguish liver fire and ensures normal and smooth liver qi flow. Disregarding this natural rule can harm liver qi, and over time, may lead to liver disease.
Engage in moderate exercise. In terms of daily habits, gradually shift to going to bed later and waking up earlier. Additionally, as temperatures rise, gradually increase time spent on outdoor activities. This boosts blood circulation and promotes healthy qi and blood flow. However, since early spring is still unpredictable with lingering cold, it's better to stick to gentle exercises such as spring outings, flying kites, walking, jogging, and non-intense ball sports. Keep in mind that exercise in early spring shouldn't be too strenuous or cause heavy sweating or shortness of breath, as these may deplete yang qi and be counterproductive to health. Since the climate remains dry after Lichun, it’s also essential to stay hydrated during exercise.