November 2020

The liver stores large amounts of sugar in the form of glycogen, which it releases into the blood stream as glucose whenever the body requires extra infusions of metabolic energy.  The liver receives all amino acids extracted from food by the small intestine and recombines them to synthesize the various forms of protein required for growth and repair of bodily tissues.
The liver controls the peripheral nervous system, which regulates muscular activity and tension.  The inability to relax is often caused by liver dysfunction or imbalance in Wood energy.  Liver energy also controls ligaments and tendons, which together with muscles regulate motor activity and determine physical coordination.  Liver function is reflected externally in the condition of finger- and toenails and by the eyes and vision.  Blurry vision is often a result of liver malfunction rather than an eye problem, and even Western medicine recognizes the symptomatic yellow eyes of liver jaundice.
Through its association with Wood energy, the liver governs growth and development, drive and desires, ambitions and creativity.  Obstruction of liver energy can cause intense feelings of frustration, rage, and anger, and these emotions in turn further disrupt liver energy and suppress liver function, in a vicious self-destructive cycle.

Liver: Psycho-Emotional Aspects
The Liver is responsible for planning and creativity, as well as instantaneous solutions or sudden insights; it is therefore considered The General in Charge of Strategy.  The Liver houses the body's Hun and governs fright.  Its positive psycho-emotional attributes are kindness, benevolence, compassion, and generosity; its negative attributes are anger, irritability, frustration, resentment, jealousy, rage, and depression.  The Liver is also called the "root of resistance to fatigue."  Whenever the Liver is not functioning properly (stagnate or excessively Hot due to suppressed emotions) the patient can experience fatigue as well as physical weakness.