Spring herbs and the liver

In classical Korean medicine the liver rises in spring. Not rises as an organ moves, but rises as sap rises in a tree — pressure seeks a way up, and when it can't find one, it finds a symptom.

Headaches that arrive with daylight savings. Irritability without a clear cause. Eyes that feel tight by mid-afternoon. These are not faults. They are spring asking for a channel.

Three things you can do at home

Eat slightly sour foods — a little pickled radish, a squeeze of lemon in water in the morning. Sour opens the liver gently without provoking it.

Move in the first two hours of the day. A short walk counts. The liver wants flow before it wants fuel.

Sleep earlier rather than later. The repair hours for the liver in TKM are roughly 1–3am — and they come whether you're asleep or not.