Huang Di said the three months of spring revitalize all things in nature. This is the season of the year when heaven and earth are reborn. he said that one should attempt to be open and unsuppressed, both physically and emotionally. Arise early and go walking in order to absorb the fresh, invigorating energy. Exercise more frequently and do stretching exercises to loosen the tendons and muscles. Emotionally, it is good to develop equanimity. That is because spring is also the season of the liver, and indulgences in an excess of anger, sadness, depression or frustration can cause injury.

In Chinese Medicine, there are five seasons or phases relating to the cycles of the day and of the year. These are fire, earth, metal, water and wood. Spring is the wood phase which represents the early morning of the year, when everything comes alive again. Rain nourishes the ground, and life reawakens, returning flowers and leaves to the barren plants. Such sentiments are attributed to the legendary Chinese Emperor Huang Di, (the Yellow Emperor), who lived about 4000 years ago. Huang Di's thoughts were presented at a time when people lived in harmony with the seasons, consumed locally grown food (without chemicals), and who lived without the convenience of modern transportation but also without the frustrations of modern, hectic living. Still, it is interesting to observe that even in that time, it was suggested that people walk and exercise more in the spring as well as to avoid undue emotional strain.

In the view of Chinese medicine, the season of springtime and morning correlate to the liver. The Chinese view disease much like they view nature. We are affected by the wind, by damp, heat, cold and dryness. The liver relates to the tendons, the eyes, to the emotion of anger, the color green, and to the pathogen of wind which can cause spasms in the body. To further explain, just as the wind causes the limbs on a tree to shake, so can "wind" in the body cause tremors or even paralysis. Lack of proper nourishment can also cause the tendons to dry out thus becoming susceptible to strains or tears. An unbalanced liver from a bad diet or excessive anger can cause heat to rise up, resulting in hypertension, or an imbalance in the liver. Since the liver is responsible for the smooth flow of energy in the body and for helping regulate the emotions, stagnated liver energy often results in digestive problems such as acid reflux or irritable bowel syndrome. To put these Western maladies into Chinese medicine terms, spasms might be called wind invading the channels, liver qi stagnation (IBS), or liver yang rising (hypertension). Yet these descriptions rarely have anything to do with an actual disease of the liver.

From the view of Chinese medicine, the body is a system of energy channels (or meridians) and organ relationships. In a healthy person, the meridians and organ interactions are balanced. Acupuncture uses points along these meridians to balance the musculoskeletal system, to release pathogens and to help the organs communicate better. The effects of acupuncture are enhanced by the use of Chinese herbal medicine and other traditional techniques. Since Oriental medicine takes the whole patient into account, a myriad of symptoms are weighed along with the patient's physical and emotional history, their diet and sleep patterns, their digestion, elimination and many other aspects so that a complete story is developed. Sometimes acupuncture treatments are simple - for example, there may be short-term but annoying pain in a particular energy pathway that can be relieved in just a few sessions. Other problems may be chronic and involve many imbalanced aspects for which treatments can take longer and be more complex. A true Chinese medicine approach sees the patient as a new person on each visit, because the body and life itself are always changing. However, the ultimate goal of most acupuncture and Oriental medicine treatments is to restore a patient's equilibrium and to help them understand how to stay balanced and in good health through any changes in lifestyle. Meditation, exercise and a reasonable diet are all keys to health, and regular acupuncture treatments helps one stay balanced and healthy.

Dr. Martin Eisele (Doctor of Oriental Medicine) owns Evergreen Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, located just off University and Evergreen. He also teaches tai chi at Four Winds Tai Chi inside the studios of Barefoot Yoga behind Loca Luna restaurant. He can be reached for questions or appointments at 501-663-3461, or you can go to his website www.evergreenhealth.net.