Our liver is the largest organ of the body and the main detoxification organ. It is located on your right side on the end of your right rib cage, just below the diaphragm. The main role of the liver is the detoxification of drugs, cholesterol, hormones, food additives, and chemicals in cosmetics, blood, and protein. The liver also helps produce bile. Because of what we eat (fried food, process food) as well as what is in the environment like a pollutant, pesticides, polluted water and chemicals we can’t detoxify our liver is overloaded and overworked. When our liver is overworked we cant properly and efficiently detoxify.

If your liver is not working properly you can experience digestive problems, hormonal imbalances, skin related allergies, blood sugar fluctuation, intolerance to coffee and alcohol and more. It is crucial that our liver work properly in order to be in optimal health.

Steps to take to help your liver detoxify:

• Eat clean
• Drink water with lemon right after you get up
• Drink green juice every morning
• Do coffees enemas
• Eat liver or take liver tablets
• Take supplements
• Do herbal/liver detox flush once a year

Food, certain supplements as well as lifestyle can help make out liver more efficient.

Source: https://www.hawaiinaturopathicretreat.com

Food supporting liver detoxification:

• Cruciferous vegetables: they contain DIM – diindolymethene, which supports detoxification pathways. Cruciferous vegetables are cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, kohlrabi, mizuna, turnip, rutabaga, mustard seeds, radish, maca, arugula, and collard greens.
• Sea Vegetables: they help remove heavy metals form the body. Look for kombu, arame, nori, dulse. Add to the salad, stews, and soups.
• Lemon, including lemon peel: lemon peel is rich in limonene, which is necessary for the methylation pathway of liver detox. Use in water, dessert, salad, dressings, juices, and smoothies.
• Bitter greens: move toxins out of our body and promote bile excretion. Found in dandelion, mustard green, and radishes. Add them to the salad, stir-fry, smoothies or juices.
• Choline-rich food: necessary in the methylation pathway. The richest sources of choline are eggs and avocado.
• Vitamin B-rich food: they support all detoxification pathways. The richest food in vitamin B is liver.
• Vitamin C- rich food: they help in glutathione detoxification pathway. Found in camu-camu, goji berry, citrus fruits, bell pepper, papaya, and tomatoes.
• Sulphur- rich food: it supports the sulphation detoxification pathway. Found in eggs, garlic, onion, and broccoli.
• Selenium: helps with breaking down toxins. Found in Brazil nuts, turkey, sardines, and herring.
• Increase stomach acid: drink water with lemon, take bitters 10 minutes before meals or take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar 10 minutes before a meal.
• Eat cilantro: it helps chelates heavy metals from the body.

Food does not support liver detoxification:

• Fried Foods
• Fast food
• Processed food
• Coffee
• Soda
• Alcohol
• Non-organic meat and dairy

Others:

• Food allergies can inhibit liver function.
• Fluoride: inhibit the glutathione pathway. Found in tap water.
• Medications: they inhibit the detoxifications pathways. Check with your doctor before discontinuing any medications!
• Smoking

Supplements helpful with liver detoxification:

• Milk thistle: helps with the detoxification of poisons and toxins such as alcohol, stimulation of bile production, regeneration of damaged liver tissue and improved digestion. You can buy herbal teas, tinctures, and capsules.
• Dandelion: it helps to stimulate bile flow from the liver. Used to help fight fatty liver, cirrhosis, and estrogen dominance.
• Burdock tea: stimulate the bile and purify the blood.
• Turmeric: it protects the liver and it helps liver cells to regenerate. It helps to flush out toxins and carcinogens from the body.
• Vitamin B: they are a cofactor in all liver detoxification pathways.
• DIM: diindolymethene is the product of indole 3-carbinol (I3C), the phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables. Supports the livers natural detoxification process and cellular health

REMOVE FROM YOUR LIFESTYLE:

• Skin care, which contains chemicals: buy natural cosmetics and check the labels for parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulphate, aluminum, and more. For clean cosmetic go to www.ewg.org
• Cleaning products, which contains chemicals: buy natural cosmetics and check the labels
• Plastic bottles, food containers. They contain BPA, and even though some of they don’t they contain other toxic loads.
• Non-stick pans.

ADD TO YOUR LIFESTYLE

• Sauna: dry, steam and infrared saunas.
• Epsom salt baths: contain magnesium sulphate, which is necessary for liver detoxification.
• Detox baths
• Lymphatic massage
• Skin brushing
• Castor oil packs: it helps with liver congestion, helps with the detoxification pathways. Pre-soak towel in the castor oil and warm water for 15 minutes. Put the towel on your liver and wrap it with plastic wrap. Leave it for one hour.

Detox at least twice a year.

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In Health

Angie