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Cathy’s Wealth of Health: Healing the Liver in Spring
By Cathy McNease, Dipl CH, RH
Healing the Liver in Spring
Spring has arrived with its chirping baby birds, windy weather and multitudes of fragrant blossoms. The Spring is associated with the Wood Element (Liver and Gall Bladder). We will be the healthiest when we attempt to attune our energies to that of the natural seasons around us. Imagine your energy is like that of a tree – if you observe the natural flow of the tree’s Qi (vital energy) through the seasons, you get an idea of being in harmony with Nature. In the winter the energy is deep in the trunk and roots, storing up for seasons to come. In spring the tree’s Qi (vital energy) moves upward and outward to the branches, forming buds.
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Cathy’s Wealth of Health: Eyes: A Window to Liver Health
By Cathy McNease, Dipl CH, RH
Traditional Chinese Medicine has given us a way to physically view how healthy or unhealthy is our liver via the eyes. So much information is provided to me as a practitioner by simply observing my patient’s eyes. The tongue is used in Chinese Medicine for diagnosis. The sides of the tongue tell you about liver health…pale = blood deficiency; red = heat; purple = stagnation. If your eyes are still in good condition, but you observe one of these colors on your tongue, start now to remedy the imbalance in your liver and protect your precious sense of vision. One of the beauties of tongue reading is that it empowers us to prevent diseases before they strike.
Here are some of the most important messages seen in the eyes, followed by some simple remedies:
Red eyes show heat, inflammation, or irritation.
Dry eyes show lack of body fluids, deficiency of blood or too much heat.
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Cathy’s Wealth of Health: Essential Oils for Mental Wellness
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Cathy McNease, Dipl CH, RH
Essential oils are amazing for relieving uncomfortable emotions and feelings, and they work fast. The olfactory route to the brain connects the scents almost immediately. I always keep floral oils such as Lavender, Jasmine or Neroli (orange blossom) with me so that I can have an immediate reset in case a stressful event occurs. I put 1-2 drops in the palm of my hand, rub hands together, then cup them around the nose, and inhale my way to peace. I take several slow, conscious breaths. In my home office and bedroom, I like to use an atomizer for the essential oils to put their scent into the room.
I have learned so much from my Aquarian sister and essential oils expert, Tiffany Carole.* Her classes and presentations using essential oils on specific acupressure points are inspiring and informative. I will share some of what I learned from her and have been passing on to my patients. For class details and exquisite essential oils, including diluted ones for children and sensitives, please check out her website at monara.org. You can also access her classes on YouTube.
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Being Well: Healthy Digestion in Times of Stress
Coming soon: the Second Edition of herbalist Cathy McNease’s In Harmony with the Seasons: Herbs, Nutrition and Well-Being including new chapters and a new introduction.
By Cathy McNease, Herbalist
It is a familiar problem: stressful events occur and our digestion goes to hell. For some it means loss of appetite, others will resort to binges on comfort foods. Diarrhea, constipation, bloating and indigestion are other common reactions to stress. I fall prey to all of these as well and over the decades have figured a few things out to help. First, minimize stress as much as you can. Second, don’t allow the stress to send you off the rails in your food choices.
If we can minimize the increase in stress hormones being produced, that is a step in the right direction.
Maintaining an anti-inflammatory diet, as much as possible, is a good start. The following tips will reduce cortisol and adrenaline, which increase when we’re under stress. Limit these foods as much as you can: added sugars, processed foods, dairy products, gluten, too much meat, and refined oils. Rely more on non-starchy vegetables. Also, watch your intake of coffee and alcohol.