The change of season from summer to fall kicks my ass, every year.
Sluggish, achy, mental fog, tired…did I mention tired? My coffee isn’t even remotely strong enough for the juggling act that gets performed each day.
The problem is I forget this happens every damn year, so it isn’t until halfway through September that I remember ‘Oh yeah, I think I felt this way last year too…’ (cue eye roll)
So off to my acupuncture appointment on Monday. Why acupuncture you say? Well, traditional Chinese medicine says the change of seasons is awful. Okay, maybe not in those exact words, but I summarize to save time. It can cause a lot of havoc inside your body, and particularly from summer to fall. Acupuncturists focus on promoting inner harmony, like between your organs that is. Your liver talks to your spleen, your spleen talks to your heart, your heart talks with your lungs, etc. That is the harmony acupuncture works on, by inserting tiny hair-stand-size needles into specific points along an energy line called a meridian. Apparently this inner harmony has a lot to do with outer harmony, because if one is missing, so is the other. (cue stabby knife emoji)
One of the reasons I love the clinic is because of the ambiance. I lay face down on a heated bed, that curves to support all my curves, in a dimly lit room with soft music playing in the background. Just for a few moments I can forget that my name is Mommy too, and focus on connecting with my inner self. These are the treasured moments of self-care. As I am floating in my little oasis, Trudi puts the last needle in somewhere near my ankle and I feel this peace-shattering pain. What the…? That’s part of your liver meridian she says…same as the tender spot behind your knee. Oh. My liver meridian. Well shit. As she leaves the room I begin to drift off and I wonder, does that mean more wine or less wine?
As I am leaving the appointment, I am feeling really well-rested and like I can take on the world! Pfft, I got this I think to myself. After only five minutes of being with my kids again, I realize that was preemptive. I certainly DO NOT have it, whatever the hell ‘it’ is anyways. So, here is the important part of this message…YOUR LIVER MERIDIAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TURNING YOU INTO A CRAZY YELLING BEAST. Definitely not my most glorious parenting moment, but a warning sign that I heeded. Okay, so now what? Will this crazy rage subside or are my kids going to stage an intervention? Thankfully it subsided a bit by Tuesday, and I booked a follow up acupuncture appointment as well as a visit to Dr. Yee.
When my liver is overburdened with toxic substances (eg. fatty fried foods, alcohol), it needs support filtering my blood and all the other amazing functions it does. I run at a fairly high level of stress, fairly constantly (most parents/working class fall into this category). Symptoms of this choice don’t show up immediately, but rather over time, and especially when the seasons change. And I become SO FULL OF RAGE. Acupuncture and Naturopathic Medicine work together to help support my body to regain the inner harmony and balance that is SO obviously gone with the damn wind.
Our lives are so much more busy than our ancestors. A visit to Fort Edmonton Park will remind you of how different and more simple life must have been in those times. Maybe that is why I love it so much there.