Liver Health
Why an annual Liver Cleanse is important.
Your liver is so important for your overall wellness. It’s responsible for critical functions like expelling and breaking down toxins entering the body. The liver doesn’t just stop there. It even produces bile that your body requires for breaking down fats from food. Who knew the liver was so amazing! Proper liver function is absolutely essential for a healthy body and improved digestion, and any toxic buildup will leave you feeling not like yourself. Signs of an unhealthy liver include changes in mood, weight gain, and even low energy. That’s why we recommend you liver cleanse. Check out the 5 reasons below.
Top 5 Reasons You Should Try a Liver Cleanse
- Weight Loss
Many people are unaware that the liver is highly instrumental in the breakdown of fat. In every respect, the liver is just as essential to weight loss as are the intestines and the stomach. The liver produces bile, which is used by the digestive system in the breakdown of fat. When you cleanse your liver, you help it promote the production of bile, which will, in turn, assist your body in metabolizing fats. If you are serious about losing weight, then a liver cleanse should definitely be placed at the top of your priority list. - Eliminate Liver Stones
Did you know that you could possibly have up to 200-300 liver stones?
Liver stones develop in the body from a buildup of excess cholesterol. This cholesterol causes bile to harden into crystalline stones that create blockages within the liver and the gallbladder. These stones will inhibit the liver’s ability to detoxify the body. Liver stones also impair the liver’s ability to deliver nutrients back to the body, and they have been found to cause an imbalance in the body’s retention of salt and water. When you cleanse your liver, 100-300 of these stones can be purged from your system. - Detox Your Body
Did you know that a liver cleanse will help detoxify your body?
Anatomy of the Digestive System
It makes perfect sense to detoxify an organ that is responsible for removing toxins from the body. The liver changes toxic agents into harmless agents and waste products in a two-phase detoxification process. It is, therefore normal for some toxins to be present in the liver because this is where the body sends them for processing. A concern develops, however, when a buildup of inorganic and organic toxins begins to inhibit Phase I and Phase II detoxification. Removing these foreign substances from the body will help the liver get back to operating at optimal levels. - Increase Your Energy
Did you know you can increase your energy with a liver cleanse?
The liver is an organ of transmutation. By this, we mean that it changes one substance into another. Some toxins that enter the liver are broken down and passed out of the body as waste. Others are actually changed into substances that the body can use. However, when the liver’s normal function becomes impeded by a buildup of foreign substances, these nutrients are not released back into the bloodstream in the necessary amounts. Liver cleansing will maintain this proper supply of nutrients to the body and noticeably increase your energy for exercise and daily activities. - Look and Feel 5 Years Younger
Did you know that a healthy liver can help you look and feel up to five years younger?
By restoring your liver’s optimal health and functionality, you reduce the toxic buildup in the cells of your body. Your skin looks healthier and brighter, and the renewed breakdown of fat makes it easier for you to tone up, feel great, and look healthier than you have in the past five years.
Reference: Dr Group – Global Healing
Liver-friendly foods.
Next, add in specific liver-friendly foods: Once you’ve got the basics down, you can start adding in foods that promote healthy liver functioning, i.e., promote glutathione production, bind heavy metals and toxins, and stimulate bile flow.
Here are 13 of our favorite liver-friendly foods:
Almonds
Almonds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, wheat germ, salmon, and avocado are all great sources of vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that research suggests can counter the oxidative stress associated with fatty liver disease.
Artichoke
Bile helps to transport toxins so they can be removed from the body, so an impairment of bile flow can result in the buildup of toxins and liver injury. Artichoke contains phenolic derivatives that have been used for centuries to stimulate bile flow and protect the liver.
Berries
Deep-hued berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries aren’t only loaded with fiber; they contain phytochemicals called anthocyanins, which have potent antioxidant properties that have been shown to scavenge free radicals and promote normal inflammatory processes.*
Beets
These ruby-hued roots contain pigments called betalains, which help promote normal inflammatory processes and support cellular repair in the liver thanks to their potent antioxidant properties.*
They also contain betaine, which helps liver cells eliminate toxins, and pectin, a type of fiber that helps bind and clear toxins.* Consider trying one of these 10 delicious beet recipes for a healthy liver.
Broccoli sprouts
Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and watercress contain sulfur-containing phytochemicals called glucosinolates, which are protective against chronic conditions and help the body remove toxins.*
One study found that a drink made with broccoli sprouts activated enzymes that help pick up pollutants from the bloodstream and flush them out via urine, and another found that broccoli consumption slowed the progression of fatty liver disease in mice.*
Citrus fruits
Lemons, tangerines, and oranges contain a compound called D-limonene, which has been shown to help slow oxidative damage caused to the liver as a result of a high-fat diet. Sipping on lemon water throughout the day is also a great way to stay hydrated, which promotes the movement of toxins out of the body.
Dandelion root and greens
Dandelion is known for its cleansing properties, and one study found that both the root and leaf helped rid the body of reactive oxygen species that cause oxidative stress. Reap the benefits by sipping on dandelion root tea, which makes a great caffeine-free alternative to coffee. Dandelion greens (along with other bitter greens such as mustard greens and arugula) are great, too, because they help stimulate bile production and promote healthy digestion.
Fermented foods
Sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, lacto-fermented pickles, kefir, yogurt, and other fermented foods are loaded with beneficial probiotic bacteria that promote healthy digestion and integrity of the gut lining, thereby helping keep toxins out of the bloodstream. According to functional medicine expert Frank Lipman, M.D., they can also help clear heavy metals out of the body.
Glutathione-boosting foods
Glutathione is an antioxidant concentrated in the liver that helps bind toxins and escort them out of the body via urine or bile.* Glutathione can be obtained directly from a few foods, including raw spinach, avocado, and asparagus, and it can also be produced by your body from the amino acids glutamine, glycine, and cysteine. Foods containing the building blocks of glutathione include bone broth, whey protein, and sulfur-containing foods such as broccoli and garlic.*
Green tea
In addition to promoting healthy inflammation levels in the body, the phytochemicals in green tea help trigger both phase-one and phase-two liver detoxification.* In phase one, toxins are made water-soluble by enzymes, and in phase two, toxins are bound to protective chemicals that neutralize them and allow them to be eliminated via bile or urine.
Leafy greens
Dark leafy greens such as dandelion greens, arugula, spinach, and kale contain plant chlorophylls, which help remove chemicals, pesticides, and heavy metals from the bloodstream.* Specifically, early research shows that chlorophyll reduces the risk of liver damage caused by aflatoxins (dangerous compounds produced by fungi that can be present on a variety of foods, including peanuts) by activating certain enzymes.*
Lentils
Get plenty of fiber-rich foods that bind up toxins in the gut and help promote regularity. If you’re constipated, then toxins from the bowel can be reabsorbed into your system. Try legumes (especially lentils), raspberries, root vegetables, apples, pears, avocados, and almonds.
Salmon
There are plenty of reasons to get more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, and the health of your liver is one of them. A recent research review found that omega-3 consumption was associated with lower liver-fat levels and higher HDL “good” cholesterol levels.* Other good sources of these healthy fats include sardines, walnuts, and flaxseed.
- Try a form of intermittent fasting.
A nutrient-rich diet is key. But once you’ve mastered that, you might want to consider intermittent fasting for additional liver detox support. Research suggests that during periods of fasting, cells in the liver produce more of a protein associated with improved sugar metabolism and reduced levels of liver fat.
More research in this area is needed, but a number of experts promote intermittent fasting for a variety of reasons. “I love the power that intermittent fasting can have on the body’s natural detox processes,” William Cole, D.C., functional medicine expert and bestselling author of Ketotarian, told mbg. “Periods without food give our body [and liver] a chance to repair and clean itself out since it doesn’t have to focus on or funnel energy to our digestive system.
“Think of this as your body’s chance to leave work and catch up on some house cleaning. One of the cool self-cleaning tools utilized during fasting is something called autophagy, which literally translates to ‘self-eating.’ When this process is allowed to do its thing, our body’s healthy cells gobble up unhealthy cells, leading to a true cellular detox.”
A good introduction to intermittent fasting is the 16-hour fast, in which you confine all of your daily eating to an eight-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours. Try this for a week or two and see if you notice any changes in energy and mood. For more specific guidance, check out our guide to intermittent fasting meal plans and schedules.
There are no real quick fixes… rather the good old constant support with good habits and thoughtful choices.