Liver Health Harmony: The Link to Physical and Emotional Wellbeing

Since I began my Acutonics® practice almost 7 years ago, the one thing I’ve noticed is that nearly every health issue links back to liver health. Why? Because the liver is responsible for so many functions, acting as a kind of “Quality Assurance Operator” for the body. As such, it greatly impacts the quality of our physical and emotional health. The name itself implies this: LIVE-R

In Chinese Medicine, each organ is associated with a season, an emotion and one of the five elements. Liver is associated with the season of Spring, the emotion anger, and the Wood Element. Springtime is when everything begins to move up and out of the earth again after a period of dormancy. And whereas other organs have a job to do, they are responsible for moving energy in one or two directions, relaying that energy to another organ like members on a basketball team. But the liver is the Captain of the team, and is responsible for overseeing the harmonious movement of energy among the other organs. Like the season it’s associated with, it must move energy up and out in all directions to ensure a smooth flow of energy in the body. When it becomes bogged down with too much work, energy becomes stagnant, pain ensues and emotions become irritable. Frustration and anger occur when one feels unable to move forward with a new “season” or plan for life. It’s also important to note here that each organ has a partner, and the liver’s partner is gallbladder. So if someone has had a gallbladder removed, it can place more stress on the liver and becomes more important to take care of it. Liver is the “planner” and gallbladder the “implementer.” So if plans are not being carried out physiologically or emotionally, illness and stress result.

Is your liver working in harmony or causing a disruptive domino effect?

  • Anger or depression
  • Constipation
  • Nausea or diarrhea
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Muscle pain/cramping
  • Joint pain/arthritis
  • Tendonitis
  • Diabetes (adult onset)
  • Weak or Brittle Nails
  • Ridges on the Nails
  • Floaters in the eyes
  • Flushing/hot flashes
  • Food allergies
  • Headaches, migraines
  • Hay fever
  • Asthma (allergy-induced)
  • High cholesterol levels
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Hyperactivity
  • Insomnia
  • Intestinal gas, bloating
  • PMS symptoms
  • Prostate problems
  • Severe Body Odor
  • Skin Disorders: (acne, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, cysts/tumors)
  • Varicose veins

If the liver had a job description, it might look like this:

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)

  1. Responsible for the smooth flow of Qi energy. Potential problems arise when the liver is overworked and qi becomes stagnant: lack of energy, sluggish digestion, hormone imbalances, muscle aches and pains, joint pain and emotional stress.
  2. Stores and releases blood. If qi becomes stagnant, blood flow stagnates as circulation is impaired resulting in migraines, joint pain, muscle pain and cramping, menstrual pain, menopausal problems, neuropathy – blood is unable to reach extremities, chronic fatigue, anger or depression.
  3. Controls the Sinews -tendons, ligaments, connective tissue. Potential problems arise when qi or blood are deficient and joints do not get the nourishment they need. Body starts to steal minerals from bones to replenish itself, and potential bone loss occurs.
  4. Manifests in the nails -in TCM nails are an extension of the sinews. They can become weak, brittle, and uneven, with ridges.
  5. Opens into the eyes. Floaters, tired eyes, red or burning eyes.
  6. Houses the Ethereal Soul. Potential unrest or inability to deal with stress. If overloaded with too much to do, when the blood “returns home” to the liver it cannot rest. The Soul wants to rest/sleep and cannot because its “home” is invaded with too many toxins.

Western Medicine

  1. Stores and releases blood: same issues as above.
  2. Stores and releases sugar: potential hyper or hypo glycemia, or in severe cases diabetes. (works with pancreas and adrenals).
  3. Defends against disease and foreign invaders: allergies, autoimmune disorders, chronic infections, flu and colds. In severe cases cysts, tumors, cancer or neurological disorders, because the liver is unable to convert toxins into waste to be eliminated normally.
  4. Maintains cholesterol levels: potential heart disease, hypertension. Releases cholesterol to transport fat through the body and to capture toxins. Plays an extremely important role in weight management, especially around the waist and has affects heart and circulation.
  5. Produces bile for the breakdown of fat: affects cholesterol levels and heart health, intestinal health, skin disorders and obesity, especially around the waist. More important than ever if one’s gallbladder has been removed.

Many people turn to prescription drugs for relief of the symptoms mentioned above, and then what happens is that the liver has to defend the body against synthetic chemicals from medication in addition to toxins from everyday sources. This means the liver is working constantly to convert harmful substances into waste. When overloaded with toxins and unable to carry out the conversion process, waste contaminates the blood. When the blood returns to the liver to be stored, it starts the cycle over again, only this time with more toxins for the liver to convert. Thus begins the domino effect on other organ systems as the blood from the liver that should bring nourishment brings instead a host of other problems for the Kidneys, heart, lungs, digestive organs, etc.

The Good News

So what is the good news in all of this? We get a new liver every 6 weeks, and with the proper nourishment, care and some lifestyle changes, we can avoid or reverse many of these problems. Everything in the body can and will return to a state of balance when provided with the right support.

Foods that are good for the Liver: red beets, carrots, zucchini/squash, raw green leaf vegetables, tart cherries (sour is cooling & tonifies liver), black cherry juice, lemon water, rose hips, wolfberry, aka lyceum.
Bitter Herbs good for the Liver: Yellow dock, Dandelion, Blessed Thistle, Milk Thistle, Burdock, Oregon Grape

As an Acutonics® Practitioner, I use specific combinations of vibrations and tones that help liberate liver qi and gently restore harmony to the other organs. The healing tones of this system work quickly and soothingly on physical and emotional imbalances so that immediate relief can be felt.

I have also found that natural herbs and supplements do a lot to help prevent further damage to the liver and aid in the process of balancing emotions. Natural supplements also serve to stabilize and maintain progress between sessions.

Here are some natural herbal supplements that help restore liver harmony and emotional imbalances. If you’d like to order, you can click on the product to get to the website, then click shop now and enter the 3 or 4 digit stock number in the search bar.

If you have an order of $40 or more, you qualify for membership and savings up to 45% off the retail price. Orders of $100 or more receive a 10% rebate in addition to the 45% savings.Always consult your physician if you are taking medication or undergoing care for serious conditions.

Milk Thistle stock #4076 – excellent overall tonic that should be taken everyday by those who work around chemicals: hair salons, hospitals, industrial companies, etc.
Liver Balance stock # 1008 – good for sluggish liver qi with symptoms like bloating, gas, tenderness in upper right quadrant of abdominal cavity, has difficulty sleeping, is touchy, defensive, irritable or angry.
Mood Elevator stock #1035 – good for sagging energy and muscles, difficulty getting out of bed, feels depressed or deflated easily.
Blood Build stock # 1005 – good for those who also lack energy and have difficulty getting out of bed, but with less of a depressive emotion. More of a physical lack of energy – lacks blood, which is the fuel for energy movement. Generally have a pale complexion and pale, swollen tongue.
All Cell Detox stock # 1072 – excellent detoxifier for liver, colon and kidney
BP-X stock #803 – traditional blood purifier used for abscesses, skin conditions, acne, rashes, etc.
Tiao He Cleanse – the name means “balance and harmony,” and supports liver function while cleansing the body of metabolic waste.
To nourish the Liver, Heart and Immune Systems:
Thai Go – Powerful antioxidant replete with the nutrition that supports the liver’s immune defense.