The Necessity of Happy Hour.

In TCM, the liver is associated with our anger. We need to release our anger. If we don't, it builds-up in the body, causing us stress, tension, high blood pressure, mental restless, and even chronic disease. Now, I'm not talking about screaming and raging out loud every time you're angry. Rather I'm talking about: responsibly confronting what is causing the anger, venting (in a nice way) to family and friends, journaling, meditating, running, kickboxing, video games, etc. However, today I present you with another way to release anger: through a wee bit of alcohol.

Hence the popularity of happy hour. Happy hour consists of a bunch of workers coming together over a drink and commiserating about their day. A small amount of alcohol (one drink MAX per day), is actually good for the liver because alcohol is bitter and bitters stimulate the metabolism of the liver. This end-of-the-day, anger-releasing drinks should be drunk slowly and consciously. Pay attention to exactly how you feel. With only one or two sips, you should be feeling more relaxed, the angers of the day are fleeting, and you feel more focused. You should notice slightly better vision too (the liver is linked to our eyes, thus when the liver is stimulated, so are our eyes. Also related to this is that too much alcohol blurs our vision).

NOTE: If alcohol is not your thing, you can still enjoy happy hour by drinking sour or bitter drinks (they also work on the liver, releasing anger and helping the body unwind). Think lemon, lime, coffee, or herbal tea.