Damn Girl, Your Liver Is Hott!

Someone with a legit background took a look at my tongue recently and told me that I have heat in my liver. I thought that was sort of a weird statement (second only to the request, “lemme see your tongue”), but I was very open to listening to what that means. Apparently there are foods that irritate our organs. Cheeses (especially cow’s milk) and red wine effect the liver. Let it be known that I love red wine, and shredded 2% sharp cheddar appears atop most of my dinners. Just as the students of South Park Elementary woo their classmates with promises of punch-n-pie, I am as easily swayed by wine-n-cheese. So, I have begun to watch my intake of these liver offenders and tickle my cheese fancy with more sheep’s milk and goat cheeses (although sometimes a girl just needs her cheddar cheese stick and almond combo protein-y snack). Likewise I am aiming to eat liver cooling foods such as artichokes, dandelion tea, and incorporating the spice tumeric (sometimes called Indian Saffron-used in a lot of South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking). A little soy butter or I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter with a pinch of tumeric for steamed artichoke dipping anyone??? Please try it. You shall love it and your liver will too. Yum! I have been dashing tumeric into my stir fry for a few weeks now and it is such a nice flavor punch! Warning: It will turn your cauliflower yellow, don’t let that freak you out.

How can you detect a hot liver by looking at your tongue? According to the person who gave me the diagnosis, there is an inflammation of your tongue and a curling that indicates liver heat.

As I’ve delved more into research I have learned that another factor that can contribute to liver heat, or liver fire, is anger. The liver can actually hold on to anger, and it sort of boils up creating this heat. Hmmm….BB30=struggling artist + frustrating day job. An equation for anger some might say. Could it be that my liver is my emotional trash compactor? (I call dibs on penning that as a country/western song!) My Liver’s An Emotional Trash Compactor by BB30. In all seriousness, I am a true believer that your insides (emotions and organs) must be in tact before you can fully take on your outsides!!

According to Eastmountain.com here are some foods I should avoid:

Chilies (Okay, but I find chili powder such a delish seasoning)
Cinnamon (I thought cinnamon was good for metabolism -this is confusing)
Garlic (Whaaaa??? Maybe I will just deal with a hot liver.)
Ginger (No cleansing my pallet between makis?? Isn’t tumeric a cousin of ginger?)
Wasabi (What will become of sushi Fridays?)
Onions (Dammit)
Coffee (Double Dammit)
Vinegar (Fine, I am typically salad dressing free!)
Mustard (Shut your face!)
Horseradish (I am loyal to Koop’s Horseradish Mustard-this does not bode well for me)
Chocolate (No comment, it’s too painful)
Red meat/Veal (No problem!!)
Shrimp/Prawns (Crap)
Cheese (sniff)
Citrus Fruits (Ok)
Peanuts (Easy)
Lard, Margarine (Ew-narsty!)
Fried foods (no prob those do not promote bikini readiness)
BBQ’d foods (although a native Texan, actually easy, and again, not conducive to bikini readiness)
Cigarettes (I don’t partake.)
Alcohol (Afterwork drinks can be a necessity, but I get it-we are dealing with the liver afterall.)
Artificial preservatives, artificial colorings and all highly processed foods (I will try, but I have the fact that I reside in America working against me.)

Here are some links to info I found about this subject:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Liver-Fire-Is-it-the-Cause-of-Your-Pain?&id=553465

http://www.eastlandpress.com/preview/add3.pdf

Stay tuned as I work to cool off my insides!