Why ice cream tastes so good when it hits your lips
We all have seen the scene in a movie or have been the person who is eating ice cream after a break-up or an emotional life episode. This treat has the sugar for comfort and also has a cooling or “cool off” effect on our emotions.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine the liver is considered to represent resentment, frustration, and irritability. An excess of rich blood is believed to make one prone to anger, and can affect the liver, causing this organ’s energy to rise to the head and result in headaches or dizziness. The ice cream may offer relief initially, however if you wake up at 2 am (1-3 am is the time the liver does its balancing act) with night sweats and stomach pain, you are not going to have an easy time in the morning.
Each organ and gland has its very own unique set of tasks that it performs daily. When the liver is not balanced you may notice these symptoms:
- Depression or moodiness
- Spots in visual field
- Bloating, irritable bowel, flatulence, weight around abdomen
- Red, irritated eyes, yellow in the whites of your eyes, red face
- Run hot, night sweats and fever
- Spasms of neck and shoulders
If you notice that at the same time of day you consistently want “creamy” such as ice cream, yogurts or other dairy products, you may be wanting to “cool” down an emotion. Creamy textures can be giving you a sign that you are dehydrated. Also, from a digestive point of view you may be having trouble absorbing vitamins and minerals in your small intestine.
What to do if the creamy craving is making you feel a bit powerless & frustrated:
- Add in probiotics, fermented veggies, kombucha
- Try chia seed pudding: 1/4 cup chia seeds, 1/4 cup honey, 1 cup coconut milk, combine and chill for one day. Chia seeds contain essential fatty acids and the coconut milk and honey will offer the cold and creamy effect
- Substitute for coconut ice cream (Dairy Free)
- Journal regarding why you are feeling angry
The ice cream can’t aways fix it, however observing and honoring the emotions can. Let us know if you need any additional support to help your liver take a break.
Stay cool,
Heather Fleming, C.C.N
Photo by: Veganbaking.net
