In Chinese medicine the season of spring is associated with the wood element and the corresponding organs are the liver & gall bladder. With spring energy comes a natural tendency for outward growth, motivation, planning, and an overall improvement in mood & outlook as the days get longer & brighter. Spring is the perfect time of year to pay special attention to these organs even if you do not have a gall bladder as the meridians in which qi (energy) flows are still present. The dominant qi associated with wood element and spring is wind which you may have noticed these last few weeks. The liver not only corresponds to our physical heath but our psycho- emotional health as well and when wood element is out of balance we start to see symptoms appear that impact our physical body and also impact the way in which we orient to the world and connect with others.

WOOD PERSONALITY TYPE

• • • Core values are around growth & progression.
    • They are action oriented humans who love to organize, plan, and strategize. These are your go- to people when things need to get done!
    • Wood personalities are objective, logical, assertive, and straight shooters.
    • Communication is blunt and they are not afraid of confrontation, thus they can be harsh at times without realizing it. Their voice is often deemed to be loud & at times aggressive.
    • They LOVE movement especially vigorous exercise and becasue it proves to be so therapeutic for them they can often overdo it and leave themselves depleted & exhausted.

EATING IN HARMONY WITH SPRING & WOOD ELEMENT

One of the many ways to support our wood element and thus liver & gall bladder is to eat in harmony with spring season. The taste of

wood element is sour and the color of wood element is green. Foods to focus on this spring:

• Citrus (orange, lime, lemon, grapefruit), tamarind, leafy greens
• Berries (black, rasp, marion, tay, logan)
• Mango, rhubarb, plum, sour grape, tart cherry
• Kimchi, kraut, pickled veggies, vinegar, sourdough, olives
• Quinoa, adzuki beans, cheese, yogurt, dill, tomato, leeks

EMOTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SPRING & WOOD ELEMENT

When out of harmony:

• Frequency of anger, rage, resentment, frustration, irritability, jealousy & envy.

When in harmony:

• Patient, flexible, graceful, and tolerant. They understand that growth is about time & spaciousness for restoration.

Other ways to support your wood element include regular movement, getting enough sleep, and avoiding alcohol.

* This post was originally printed in the Village Medicine Seattle’s Wellness Quarterly Magazine, 2Q24 Edition. Read and download the full publication

About The Author

Dr. Tiffany Jaramillo is a Naturopathic Physician and practitioner at Village Medicine Seattle. Tiffany loves empowering, educating, and reconnecting patients to their inner wisdom. Learn more about Dr. Jaramillo