Spring + Traditional Chinese Medicine: Common Imbalances & How to Stay Balanced
Spring is a season of renewal, growth, and movement—just like plants sprouting after winter, our bodies are waking up from the stillness of the colder months. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), spring is associated with the Liver and Gallbladder, which help keep our energy (Qi) and blood flowing smoothly. When this flow is blocked or out of balance, it can feel like a traffic jam in your body, leading to stiffness, stress, restlessness, and even digestive issues.
Spring & The Liver: The Season of Movement
In TCM, spring is the season of the Liver, which is like the manager of your body’s energy flow. If the Liver is doing its job well, you feel energized, flexible, and emotionally balanced, like a river flowing smoothly. But if things get backed up, it’s like a dam blocking the water, leading to:
Muscle tension & stiffness
Digestive issues like bloating
Irritability, frustration, or mood swings
Restlessness & trouble sleeping
Allergy symptoms like itchy eyes & sneezing
Spring energy is all about movement, and if your body isn’t keeping up, energy can get stuck or rush too fast, causing imbalances. Let’s break down the most common springtime issues and how to fix them!
Muscle Stiffness & Tendon Tightness
Why it happens:
The Liver rules the tendons. If its energy isn’t flowing, you’ll feel tight, like a stiff rubber band that hasn’t been stretched in a while.
Spring brings more wind, and in TCM, wind can “invade” the muscles, causing spasms or aches that move around.
After a long, slow winter, suddenly jumping into activity can feel like trying to sprint without warming up.
How to fix it:
Stretch & move daily: gentle yoga or walking keeps your body flexible.
Massage Liver 3 (on your foot) & Gallbladder 34 (outer knee) to loosen tension.
Protect against wind: wear a light scarf to keep drafts from stiffening your muscles.
Restlessness & Trouble Sleeping
Why it happens:
Spring energy rises up, like sap in a tree, this upward movement can make it harder to wind down.
Liver Qi can overheat, making your mind race or waking you up between 1-3 AM (Liver’s time in TCM).
More daylight and movement can overstimulate your body, making it harder to relax.
How to fix it:
Avoid screens & bright lights an hour before bed to keep your mind calm.
Sip chamomile or chrysanthemum tea to cool the Liver’s excess heat.
Press Yintang (third eye) & Liver 3 before bed to settle your mind.
Digestive Issues & Bloating
Why it happens:
The Liver and Spleen work together, if Liver Qi is stuck, it’s like someone putting pressure on your stomach, making digestion sluggish.
Spring brings more raw foods (salads, smoothies), which can be too cooling and hard to digest if your system isn’t ready.
Stress and frustration (common in spring) make digestion slower, like trying to cook with a low flame.
How to fix it:
Eat lightly cooked foods instead of too many raw, cold meals.
Add ginger or warm teas to aid digestion.
Practice deep breathing & chew slowly to prevent bloating.
Allergies & Spring Wind Attacks
Why it happens:
Wind carries pollen & allergens, which in TCM, is like an uninvited guest barging into your body.
If your defenses (Wei Qi) are weak, Wind sneaks in and stirs up symptoms like sneezing, itching, and congestion.
Liver heat rises, making symptoms like itchy eyes and headaches even worse.
How to fix it:
Cover your neck with a scarf to block Wind from entering.
Drink peppermint or chrysanthemum tea to soothe allergy symptoms.
Massage LI-4 (hand) & GB-20 (back of the neck) to release trapped Wind.
Spring is like a fresh start! It’s a season of growth, movement, and renewal. If you go with the flow by moving your body, eating seasonal foods, and managing stress, you’ll feel lighter, more energized, and in sync with nature.
Try these simple TCM tips and see how much better you feel this spring! Let us know in the comments—what’s your biggest struggle this season?