Archive for June, 2010
The Liver in Chinese Medicine
June 25th, 2010 | 
Author: In Chinese Medicine, the Liver performs the following functions:
* It stores the blood and deals with the menstrual cycle.
* It controls the distribution of Energy throughout the body. By Energy with a capital E, I am referring to chi. Chi can be translated as ‘life force‘ or ‘energy and information‘.
* The Liver is related to our eyesight and tears.
* It looks after our sinews, tendons and ligaments.
* The condition of our fingernails can indicate certain patterns of the Liver.
In Chinese medicine, each internal organ of the body has a mental-emotional aspect and a spiritual aspect.
The mental-emotional aspect of the Liver is anger. The positive aspect of anger is assertiveness and being able to stand up for yourself. The negative aspect of anger is being aggressive or easily irritated.
If you bury your anger or don’t express it in a healthy manner, it affects the functions of the Liver. If you’re not assertive and avoid expressing your anger or emotions in general, it also affects the functioning of the Liver.
The Liver deals with vision. This refers not only to physical eyesight but foresight, forward planning and your ability to see the big picture.
The spiritual-aspect of the Liver is called the Hun or the Ethereal Soul. If you’re lacking direction or a clear focus in your life, then this could be described as a problem related to the spiritual aspect of the liver.
Posted in 
The Liver
The Liver is the largest gland and organ in the human body, dark red brown in colour and located on the right side of the body just under the ribs.
The Liver has about 500 different important functions which include:
* the production of bile which breaks down fats in the food we eat and helps to carry waste products away
* the production of cholesterol
* storage of iron and vitamins
* regulating blood sugar levels
* clearing the blood of drugs, alcohol and toxins
* regulating blood clotting
* breaking down food and converting it into energy
* fighting infections in the body, especially those in the bowel
The Liver, as the name suggests, is essential for living. (Although the word ‘liver’ literally seems to mean ‘fatten up’).
In Greek mythology, the Titan, Prometheus was chained to a rock by the gods as a punishment. Every day, an eagle would come and eat his liver and every night, his liver would grow back.
The liver is the only organ in the human body that can regenerate itself.
The name Prometheus is often used as a symbol or associated with regenerative medicine and stem cell biology.
Healthy Breathing
A singing teacher once told me that when we are babies, we breathe deeply from the diaphragm. But as we grow older, we literally forget how to breathe properly and start breathing from our upper rib cage instead.
When we breathe from the diaphragm, as nature intended, we pull more air into our lungs because our lungs are wider at the bottom. The oxygen is then carried by the blood to the brain and throughout the body. Breathing from the diaphragm also helps to prevent the onset of coughs and chest complaints.
Breathing from the diaphragm also activates the parasympathetic nervous system which creates a sense of relaxation and calm.
Breathing from the diaphragm helps to prevent stress but doesn’t work effectively if you are already in a stressful state as this can sometimes make things worse.
The diaphragm also gently massages the stomach, liver, spleen and intestines when we breathe properly. This improves digestion and the flow of blood throughout the body.
If you find it very difficult to breathe from your diaphragm, you can practise a simple exercise for five minutes each day:
Lie down and place a small object on your abdomen. As you breathe in and out, the object should rise and fall.
If you wish to activate your parasympathetic system to create relaxation and calm, listening to calming music, receiving massage or doing a simple meditation exercise (such as mentally chanting OMMM for ten minutes) can help. These activities also make it easier for us to breathe deeply from our diaphragm, sometimes without conscious effort.
