Springing Into Action: Why the Real New Year Starts Now (Sorry, January)
- misunwahyafoundati
- Aug 7
- 4 min read
Well, well, well—look who’s made it through the depths of winter without turning into a human cinnamon scroll. If you’ve been following our winter blogs, you’ve been nourishing those kidneys (hello, Water element), toasting your Ming Men fire, and avoiding that bone-deep chill with moxibustion, acupuncture, herbs, warm stews, and perhaps the odd electric blanket.
Now that we've cozied up to our Water Element and tended to the Kidney–Bladder system, it’s time to say goodbye to our seasonal hibernation and stretch into Spring, ruled by the Wood element and the Liver–Gallbladder pair.
Yes, that’s right—the real New Year starts now. Sorry, Gregorian calendar lovers. Spring is where our internal systems get their wake-up call from nature: flowers bloom, animals stir, and humans finally consider unpacking their activewear from under the bed.
From Storage Mode to Movement Mode: What’s Changing Internally
In East Asian medicine, each season influences a different organ system, emotional state, and energetic process (minus the word we agreed never to use—starts with Q, ends in "i").
Winter (Water Element) was about storing, resting, preserving essence.
Spring (Wood Element) is about growth, action, direction, and smooth movement—both physically and emotionally.
The liver governs planning, decision-making, creativity, and vision. The gallbladder governs judgment and courage. Now’s the time we emerge from our winter slumber, and if you didn’t rest well in winter, your liver might be more grumpy than inspired.
If your Liver system is a cranky toddler right now—hello headaches, PMS, irritability, digestive bloating, tight shoulders—it’s likely because you skipped the stillness of winter and tried to stay in summer mode. (We warned you!)
What Western Medicine Says About Spring Reboots
In Western biomedical terms, spring is a great time for:
Detoxification - cue: liver support, dietary resets, reducing inflammatory foods
Hormonal balance - spring light shifts cortisol and melatonin rhythms
Gut health resets - seasonal fibre increases, beneficial flora rebalancing
Allergy prep - immune modulation, antihistamine herbs, acupuncture for sinus support
Your metabolism naturally starts picking up as you move more and get exposed to more daylight. This is the time where intermittent fasting might feel easier, digestive enzyme production improves, and your circadian rhythm comes back online after being Netflix-flattened all winter.
Spring’s Emotional Cleanse: Letting the Liver Breathe
Here’s where we bring in some past wisdom: remember when we discussed grief and the Metal organs (Lungs and Large Intestine)? That internal letting go made space for what’s next.
Well, guess what?
Spring is the "what’s next."
The liver doesn’t just manage bile—it’s your internal project manager. If your internal hard drive is still clogged with winter grief, trauma, or blocked expression, you’ll feel stuck. So be honest: Are you holding tension in your jaw, clenching your fists, snapping at your family, or stress-scrolling into the night?
If yes, it’s time to move the blood, soothe the liver, and regulate your emotions.
How East Asian medicine (and Yours Truly) Can Help
This is the season where acupuncture shines. Treatments at this time of year support:
Liver-gallbladder function
Menstrual health and hormonal regulation
Migraines, irritability, and insomnia
Smooth digestion and bowel regulation
Allergy support and immune balancing
Planning, vision, and personal direction
Whether it’s a Neoclassical 6-Elemental session, SAAM-style constitutional balancing, or gentle TCM Liver regulation protocols, your treatments now should be weekly for 3–6 weeks, followed by reassessment. Why? Because the body likes rhythm. It thrives on consistency—not heroic one-off efforts.
Lifestyle Tips (That Don’t Involve Buying a $700 Juicer)
🧄 Eat bitter, green, and sour – think rocket, lemon, dandelion, vinegar. These flavours support Liver function.🧘♂️ Stretch and move early in the day – Liver energy loves morning movement.📵 Reduce stimulation – too much screen time = Liver wind rising (a.k.a. you lose your cool).📓 Journal or mind-map – The Liver wants vision, not confusion. Planning reduces internal pressure.🛏️ Sleep by 10:30pm – This supports detoxification and hormonal reset. Drink chrysanthemum and peppermint tea – mild, accessible Liver soothers.🦠 Consider NAC, milk thistle or turmeric (with practitioner guidance) for liver detox support, inflammation, and immune resilience.
In Conclusion: Now’s the Time to Bloom
So here’s the truth: if you’re going to start something new, do it now. Your liver system is primed to take the baton and run. The Wood element is upward-moving, driven, ambitious—but it needs balance. Too much push? You burn out. Too little direction? You feel stuck.
Book a seasonal tune-up today, and let acupuncture, food, herbs, movement, and connection help you build the right kind of momentum.
Dr. Ash Dean, a Doctor of East Asian Medicine & Licensed Acupuncturist at the Misun Wahya Foundation, Toowoomba City, has an affinity for integrative approaches that blend these perspectives. The General-Practice of East Asian and Western medicine approaches, like that offered at the Misun Wahya Foundation, can help support your hormone health, immunity, pain, digestion, and that sometimes-emotional liver of yours.
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