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Spring Cleansing: Refreshing Body and Mind

Valerie Greguire
Mar 19
7 min read

The path to health and vitality requires us to move in harmony with life’s natural cycles. Just as the seasons change in nature, our bodies and lives go through their own seasons of transition. Spring, in particular, is a time of growth and renewal—a season when we may feel a sudden urge to learn something new, release what no longer serves us, or step into a fresh chapter of life. Flowers push through the earth, reaching for the light that fuels their growth. Birds sing songs of renewal, building nests in preparation for the life to come. People everywhere feel the instinct to clean, organize, and refresh their spaces, drawn to the new energy emerging all around them. As nature awakens, so do we—inviting in transformation and the promise of new beginnings.

If we don’t recognize or respond to these inner shifts, life may create change for us—sometimes in unexpected ways, like the loss of a job or the departure of a close friend. While these moments may feel disruptive, they often serve as catalysts, pushing us toward opportunities we may have longed for but hesitated to pursue.

When we resist change—whether it feels positive or challenging—it creates stress in the body, often manifesting as tension or physical symptoms. These symptoms serve as important signals, pointing to areas that need care and healing. By tuning in to our body's messages and responding with compassionate self-care, we can move through life’s transitions with greater ease and resilience.

Did you know your body also undergoes its own spring cleaning? Constantly repairing and rebuilding cells, your body works to remove toxins from both its environment and metabolic processes. As spring arrives, this natural cleansing process intensifies, helping to clear out old waste and restore balance.

Supporting the liver during this season is key to overall well-being. A gentle cleanse—incorporating fresh greens, bitter herbs, and proper hydration—helps the liver process toxins more efficiently. Movement, deep breathing, and emotional release further assist in restoring balance. As nature awakens with this spring season, so too can you awaken your energy, creativity, and sense of renewal.

Creating your Spring Renewal program…

The liver, which plays a vital role in detoxification, is especially active during this time. When healthy and balanced, it supports motivation, clarity, and creativity, helping us move forward with purpose. But if the liver is congested—after months of heavier foods, stress, and reduced movement—it can lead to sluggishness, irritability, poor digestion, and even feelings of being stuck or overwhelmed. Fortunately, with gentle support, we can help our bodies restore balance and embrace the season with renewed energy.

Nourishing Your Liver for Spring

The liver thrives when we lighten our diet and lifestyle, giving it the support it needs to cleanse and restore itself. Here are a few simple ways to nourish your body during this season:

Incorporate Bitter and Dark Greens – Foods like dandelion, escarole, radicchio, and spinach are especially beneficial for liver function. If the weather is still cool, lightly steaming your vegetables or adding them to soups can make them easier to digest.
Hydrate with Purpose – Just as we water plants to encourage growth, our cells need hydration to function properly. Start each morning with a glass of room-temperature water with a squeeze of lemon to gently stimulate the liver. If your digestion feels sluggish, try 1-3 teaspoons of raw apple cider vinegar in water before meals.
Choose Whole, Natural Foods – A diet low in processed foods, fried foods, and excessive fats helps the liver cleanse itself. Focus on lightly cooked vegetables, whole grains, and simple, nourishing meals.
Make Time for Movement and Breath – Gentle movement like walking, yoga, or Qi Gong encourages circulation and detoxification. Taking deep breaths and stretching throughout the day helps release tension and stagnant energy.
Express Yourself Creatively – The liver is linked to emotional flow, and holding in emotions can contribute to congestion. Journaling, painting, singing, or dancing just for fun can help release stress and bring joy.
Re-evaluate Your Daily Routine – The liver is affected by more than just diet—chronic stress, excessive work, and emotional suppression all weaken its function. Take breaks, avoid overloading your schedule, and make time for quiet reflection.

A Gentle Approach to Detoxification

Rather than harsh cleanses that may deplete energy, a gentle and supportive detox allows the body to release toxins without overwhelming it. Cellular Detox is a blend of 17 herbs that helps clear toxins from the liver, kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system, and digestive tract while nourishing the blood and intestinal lining. Because it works in a gentle and balanced way, it’s ideal for those who are feeling depleted or stressed, offering a renewal program that supports rather than exhausts the body. Chinese Liver Balance is my choice for targeted liver support in the spring. This gentle formula enhances the liver’s natural ability to cleanse while harmonizing the flow of life-force energy through the body.

For my spring cleanse, I start by taking two Cellular Detox capsules along with two Chinese Liver Balance capsules twice daily. After several days, I assess how my body responds and adjust the dosage if needed. I also include a daily fiber supplement and a powdered greens drink each morning to further support the cleansing process.

A congested liver can lead to a sluggish gallbladder, affecting digestion and detoxification. The gallbladder produces bile, which aids in fat digestion, helps the liver eliminate toxins, and stimulates peristalsis in the colon to promote waste elimination. For those with sluggish digestion I like to add in Gallbladder Formula to further support the process of cleansing.

This formula contains Oregon Grape to enhance gallbladder function, along with a powerful blend of herbs that improve digestion, relieve spasms in the digestive tract, and reduce gas. These include catnip, ginger, crampbark, fennel, wild yam, and peppermint—an excellent combination for digestive support. Since the herbs in this formula enhance digestion, I like to take one capsule with each meal during the cleanse.

A typical spring cleanse is followed for 7 -14 days although I often take these formulas for a full month - your body should help guide you as to how long you want to remain on them.

Aligning with the Season of Growth

As spring unfolds, take time to reconnect with nature. Step outside and soak in the sunlight, which provides healing frequencies that uplift the spirit. If you find yourself sitting for long periods, take short breaks to stretch and move. Surround yourself with reminders of renewal—whether it’s a beautiful image of nature on your desk, fresh flowers in your home, or simply a moment of gratitude for the changing season.

Embrace this time of transition with intention. Keep a journal to explore your thoughts, desires, and inspirations. Pray or meditate on what your heart is calling you toward and take small steps toward positive change. Spring is an invitation to move forward, to cleanse what no longer serves you, and to nurture both body and soul. May this season bring you clarity, renewed energy, and a deeper connection to your own well-being.

The Wood Element in Chinese Medicine – Liver & Gallbladder

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Liver’s primary role is to ensure the smooth flow of Qi (energy) and Blood, keeping all organs and muscles nourished and energized. When Liver energy is balanced, you feel motivated, creative, and able to move forward in life with purpose. However, when the Liver becomes congested, emotions such as anger and frustration arise, leading to stagnation and a sense of being stuck. The Liver is the organ most affected by repressed emotions.

Emotional Imbalances: Anger, resentment, frustration, irritability, bitterness, sudden outbursts ("flying off the handle").
Liver Functions: Supports the smooth circulation of Qi and Blood, regulates bile secretion, stores blood, and influences the health of muscles, tendons, and eyes.

Liver Imbalance Symptoms Chart

The left side of this chart reflects symptoms commonly associated with acute liver stress, often triggered by poor diet and stress. These symptoms can often resolve quickly with dietary and lifestyle changes, emotional shifts, and supportive supplements. The right side represents symptoms of long-term liver congestion, which may take several months to improve and often require a more structured and consistent self-care regimen.

Acute Liver Stress Symptoms	Long-Term Liver Congestion Symptoms
Frequent nausea or vomiting	Frequently fatigued
Irritability, short temper, anger, defensiveness	Hypochondriac feelings – "can’t find what’s wrong with me"
Food allergies/sensitivities, chemical sensitivity	Low blood sugar/afternoon fatigue
Alternating diarrhea & constipation	Depressed, discouraged, indecisive
Very competitive, aggressive in work	Headaches, dizziness, migraines
Stiff, aching muscles, tendons, or ligaments	Gallstones/indigestion after eating fats
Frequent acne, rashes	Cold hands & feet
Discomfort under right side of rib cage	Bitter taste in mouth
Frequent gas or belching	Fatigue in mornings – hard to wake up
Low resistance to disease	PMS/Moody
Difficulty getting to sleep/late-night energy	Blurred vision, irritated eyes
Itchy/crawling feeling on skin

Foods That Strengthen Liver Function: Focus on small, balanced meals primarily consisting of vegetables with a small amount of animal protein. Incorporate lemon or lime wedges in water, along with liver-supporting foods such as yogurt, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cranberries. Green vegetables—especially celery and asparagus—help strengthen and tone liver function. Steamed dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, and escarole are particularly nourishing. A great breakfast option is oatmeal topped with raw nuts, seeds, and fresh berries. Beets, dandelion greens, prunes, spirulina, and chlorella also provide excellent liver support. Avoid fried foods, processed foods, and caffeine.

Supplements That Support Liver Function: Consider adding Chinese Liver Balance, Gallbladder formula, Milk Thistle Combination to help gently cleanse and rebuild the liver. Liquid chlorophyll and green supplements such as alfalfa, barley greens, spirulina, and chlorella also help promote liver health.

Disclaimer: Supplement recommendations are not designed to treat disease conditions. Discussions are for educational purposes only. Supplements should be used to nourish and strengthen the natural function of the various body organs and systems so that they will have a greater capacity to heal themselves. It is not intended to replace your doctor's recommendations. Any questions or concerns that you have regarding existing medical conditions, or the use of medications with supplements, should be discussed with your nutritionally oriented medical doctor.