Spring Wellness

The Earth Element – Is the Alchemist in you !  
Boost your immune system, prepare for change, become grounded
The spleen releases hormone to fight virus and bacteria





Element - Earth – Adapting To and Creating Change - the caterpillar to the butterfly
Yellow Square
Sound HU 
Change of season, especially between summer and autumn 
Organs working the strongest in this season - Spleen, Stomach and Pancreas and Muscles
Emotions related with organs - Panic, Anxiety, Worry OR Confidence, Strength and Energy Feeling grounded, Connected to earth mother, feeling nurtured. 

Well this is the time of change and there is a heck of a lot that going on at the moment for us and earth mother, not that we are separate, we are one entity!!
 
In this time of life there is a lot of fear, which can lead to strong feelings of anxiety.  Even more so as the stomach, spleen and pancreas can make these feelings emerge quite strongly if the organs are under or over stimulated.  So now more than ever is the time to balance these organs, allowing them to benefit us rather than be ruled by unwanted emotions.  So let’s embrace confidence, energy and allow us to adapt to change comfortably, easily and gracefully.
 
The spleen is a fist-sized organ that sits just under the diaphragm more to the posterior side.  If you make a fist with your left hand, (this is the size of the spleen) and touch it to the back of the lower left ribs you are probably on the spleen.   It releases b-lymphocytes that target virus and bacteria and mark them for destruction.  The spleen also controls our mucous (and to a great extent our blood) as we move through change, such as in-between seasons or changes in life, this change often involves a cold.
 
Our body induces fever, which encourages lymphocytes to release killing off virus and bacteria, it burns out old mucosa lining and pulls a fresh new adapted lining through.  It is important not to lower your temperature unless you are in a danger zone, as we need to keep our natural heating/cooling system working. 
 
Seeing’s as there is such a strong virus at this time it really is important to start working the spleen, giving it strength to bring through confidence and anti-bodies.  The same goes for the hara or the dantian in Chinese medicine – approximately 3 fingers below the navel and three finger widths in, often forgotten in yoga today but soooo essential.  This energy centre is connected with the tiny lymph in the small intestine called the peyers patches, which release lymphocytes to kill bacteria and virus that enter the gut.  The hara/dantian build energy/qi in the body that also helps heat the body and fight infection.
 
The spleen loves the flavours of bitter sweet so foods such as a salad of bitter green leaves with some grapes or drink Swedish bitters as they have massive immune and healing properties and chase that down with a teaspoonful of the healing golden elixir of honey!! Mmmmm 
The spleen also likes all the earth foods such as pumpkin, which is delicious when cooked with aduki beans that help to strengthen and balance the kidneys, mix that with a little kelp as well, and you help to strengthen and balance the thyroid.  Sounds like a couple of good remedies to me.  Eating yellow fruits and vegetables.
 
Foods to eat for spleen qi include:
·      lentils
·      oats
.      Quinoa
·      malted grain beverages
·      root vegetables including sweet potato and taro
·      pumpkin (how to grow) and (health benefits)
.      and other squash
·      miso soup
·      orange peels
·      mustard leaf Foods to avoid Foods to avoid for spleen qi include:
·      refined sugar
·      refined grains
·      fried or salty foods
·      iced or refrigerated foods or drinks
·      dairy products
·      citrus fruits
·      pork
·      yeasty foods, such as beer or dough
banana 

Read more about spleen energy   
 
Here is a little spleen meditation for you  https://youtu.be/W1y5dmI_GVs 

If you would like to practice pre-recorded yoga and Chi Kung classes for wellness, I have a private Facebook page "Our Wellness Community"
Membership is $30 per month.  This gives you the opportunity to ask questions and have them answered sharing the knowledge with the other members.  This will lead onto short and long courses.   If you wish to join the monthly classes please subscribe.

---