liver

For the first time in 53 years and the first time in my life it looks like the Knicks can do it. I never thought this would happen. Even in the past few years, as they improved and made progress in the playoffs, my non-expert understanding was that we were a second-tier team. We’d make some runs, it’d be exciting and interesting for the first time in a quarter century, and that was enough to stoke the passion of hometown fans. But we’d always fall short of the top tier.

Now here we are, atop the mountain, two games to win to be considered the best, and I’ve already lost sleep over it. Like a kid on Christmas, but instead of sugar plums, visions of dancing in the streets with strangers, causing a ruckus, crying tears of joy in embrace with old friends who I watched the Knicks of the 90’s with as a kid.

It only happened once, but last week I tossed and turned for hours, intermittently frustrated but also laughing at how ridiculous I was, a victim of my own “heart fire,” an over-stimulated central nervous system, hyper-secretion of serotonin, and/or cortisol. So how do we treat this?

“Excessive joy,” as it is referred to in the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic, which sounds almost paradoxical. Why should any amount of joy be labeled “excessive?” What it means is over-excitement. Excessive indulgence, as in intoxicants or sexual pleasures, manic behaviors, and/or over-celebration, as in if your team should win a title for the first time in half a century. Of course, keep in mind for purposes of practicality, that none of these overt examples are requisite to induce heart fire. Some of us are just more so inclined—more prone to anxiety, insomnia, ruminating thoughts, or panic. For heart fire patterns, the following is advisable:

Avoid spicy foods, which induce upward surging of chemicals, the last thing they need. Prioritize bitters: green tea, coffee, and cooked leafy greens. Herbal formulas must be customized by a licensed clinician, but will revolve around medicines such as coptis root, gardenia fruit, scutellaria root, and/or rhubarb root. Keeping in mind that excessive consumption of bitter foods and medicines can weaken metabolism. It can be mitigated by exercise and foods that are mildly bland or sweet, such as yams, rice, and steamed vegetables.

Conversely, what if the Knicks lose? Then the stages of grief, beginning with anger, or “liver fire.”

Liver fire—that is uncontrollable fury—can be calmed by consuming sweets. Not sweet by modern American standards, although plenty of us have reached for junk food in moments of stress and can attest to having felt temporary relief. Instead, foods like rice or yams, even breads, butter, honey, or fruits can behave accordingly functional and are advisable for PMS cravings. Herbal formulas revolve around licorice, red dates, longan fruit, and/or rehmannia root. Keeping in mind that excessive consumption of sweet foods can also weaken metabolism by creating fluid retention in the gut. It can be mitigated by exercise and foods that are mildly bland or acrid, such as ginger, cooked onions, and steamed vegetables.

Finally, we have grief. Logically the opposite patho-mechanism to heart fire, grief causes vital substances to plummet in the body. Fluid metabolism is impaired as a result and we feel heavier, lethargic, depressed if you will. The body requires the opposite of bitter: Spicy, when appropriately dosed, can help metabolize fluids and bring our energy back up. Ginger, garlic, onions, turmeric, and even moderate doses of chili pepper. Herbal formulas might revolve around dry-fried ginger, Sichuan peppercorn, aconite, cinnamon, or ephedra. Keeping in mind that excessive consumption of “acrid” foods can weaken metabolism by dehydrating the gut’s mucosal fluids and digestive enzymes. It can be mitigated by exercise and foods that are mildly sour or sweet, such as yams, rice, and lemon water.

Clearly, and unlike my daughter, we are rooting for BITTER! Sleepless nights, heart palpitations, and a touch of anxiety, are symptoms any die hard Knicks fan would sign up for a few days of in exchange for a title. So get your green tea, kale, and dandelion greens ready. GO KNICKS!