Liver’s role in female health
BY vanessa m. ho, L.Ac., Dipl.O.M., MSOM
On the stressed woman and her stressed liver
According to Chinese Medicine, the Liver is strongest in the Spring. It’s appropriate to cover its roles and how it affects women’s health, then, as we are in the midst of Spring!
The liver is already known as the organ that takes the biggest hit when it comes to stress. The idea is common knowledge in Western society, but there can be parallels drawn to the Liver’s role in Chinese Medicine. More specifically, the Liver is an essential organ in women’s health and serves as the root of many issues including various PMS symptoms, changes in fertility and menstruation, as well as mood changes.
QI STAGNATION & POOR CIRCULATION
The Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of Qi. In other words, it is essential for smooth circulation in the body. This is important when it comes to inflammation which is essentially when the flow is stagnated causing muscle tension, inflammation, or clotting of the blood.
EMOTIONS
The Liver is most closely associated with the emotion of anger. Another component of its job to ensure a smooth circulation is also in regards to circulation in a mental aspect. Imagine all of the times that you feel that you are withholding pent up emotions. This is even more common among women as women often feel societal pressure to “have it all together” while also staying “calm and collected.” These emotions can stay stagnated and develop into chronic stress. The mind and body are deeply connected and women oftentimes feel a physical toll on their body as their mental state is stressed. These include shoulder and neck tension, oppression in the chest, a feeling of a lump in the throat, or discomfort in the abdomen and stomach.
STORING BLOOD
The Liver is in charge of storing blood, specifically menstrual blood, in Chinese Medicine. In other words, it is in charge of sending the blood in the body to where it is needed the most. Let’s think about the different types of periods that are experienced by women. If there is not enough blood or nourishment in the body, then the Liver will have much less of it to pass during menstruation. The blood will be necessary to nourish vital organs first, and there may not be a large volume to pass once menstruation occurs.
Perhaps your period is late, but the volume of blood is also quite small with a bright and light pink quality. This is a sign of blood deficiency and it’s important to nourish the Liver by eating a well balanced diet and getting ample rest.
If your period is late but the volume of blood is large with clots, it is an indicator of Liver Qi Stagnation. In other words, a stressful lifestyle and mental state can cause stagnation in the body affecting your blood flow and blood retention. When circulation is stagnated, it can cause inflammation ,tension, cramping, and pain. When blood circulation is stagnated, the color of the blood will be darker and clots will be passed along with the darker blood.