Liver Support

When we overeat or eat processed or fried foods, and, anytime we are exposed to environmental pollutants or stress, the liver becomes overworked and overloaded. When the liver is taxed, it can’t process toxins and fat in an efficient way. There are many foods that can help cleanse the liver naturally by stimulating its natural ability to clean toxic waste from the body.

Include foods such as artichoke (contains compound called caffeolyquinic acid which stimulates the flow of bile from the liver) , Beetroot (liver tonic, detoxifier and good for improving fat digestion), Rocket (stimulates bile flow), berries, green tea, turmeric, ginger, onions, garlic, coriander, dill, parsley, rosemary, mint, citrus zest.

Olives contain heart helping monounsaturated fats. They are also a quick and easy snack that is very morish. Look out for ones stuffed with whole garlic cloves and almonds for extra liver boosting power. Eat about a handful or about 8 olives as a snack.

Grapefruit is High in Vitamin C and glutathione, grapefruit increases the natural cleansing processes of the liver. More specifically, one grapefruit contains over 70 mg of glutathione, a protein that boosts the production of liver detox enzymes. In addition, grapefruit contains a special kind of pectin that appears to lower cholesterol – a notorious liver sieve clogging fat. *Make sure to check the insert on any medications you take because grapefruit interferes with certain drugs.

Turmeric has been shown to contain a powerful antioxidant that may help support normal, healthy liver detoxification.

Avocados help the body produce the antioxidant glutathione, an extremely valuable compound needed for the liver to filter out harmful materials. Glutathione is the primary antioxidant your liver needs during both phases of detoxification. Avocados are also a good source of monounsaturated fats and have been shown to lower liver-clogging cholesterol levels when eaten regularly

Avoid adrenal stimulants such as sugars, refined carbohydrates, alcohol and excessive levels of caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee, cola and chocolate.

Cut out processed foods, especially those with added sugar and trans hydrogenated or oxidised fats.

Abstain from Alcohol The more alcohol you consume the more antioxidants you need. This is because alcohol is detoxified by the liver using a liver enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, but when you consume more alcohol than this enzyme can handle the liver will instead metabolise the alcohol to chloral hydrate, also known as Mickey Finn drops, which knocks you out. Normally alcohol is metabolised to acetaldehyde by an enzyme called acetyldehyde oxidase and from here to harmless chemicals that can be excreted from the body.  However if this enzyme is overloaded or underfunctioning you end up with too much circulating acetaldehyde. This is very acidic and toxic substance leads to ketoacidosis – which leads to headache, nausea, mental and physical tiredness and aching muscles.  The liver enzyme responsible for detoxifing alcohol depends on a good supply of antioxidant nutrients, especially vitamin C.

Every Day

·         Drink at least 1.5 Litres of water daily. Add ½ lemon squeezed into a mug of hot water twice a day.

·         Have a garlic clove every day. Garlic has the ability to activate liver enzymes that help your body flush out toxins. Garlic also holds high amounts of allicin and selenium, two natural compounds that aid in liver cleansing.

·         Eat at least 2 portions of cruciferous vegetables daily Eating broccoli and cauliflower will increase the amount of glucosinolate in your system, adding to enzyme production in the liver. These natural enzymes help flush out carcinogens, and other toxins, out of our body which may significantly lower risks associated with cancer. Cruciferous Veg-broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale.

·         Eat 5-6 Walnuts daily Holding high amounts of the amino acid arginine, walnuts aid the liver in detoxifying ammonia. Walnuts are also high in glutathione and omega-3 fatty acids, which support normal liver cleansing actions. Make sure you chew the nuts well (until they are liquefied) before swallowing.

·         Eat at least 1 portion of Sulphur Daily – onions, spring onions, garlic, shallots are excellent food sources of sulphur containing amino acids.  Sulphur drives a critical liver detox pathway called sulphation. The amino acids in these foods also give the body the raw materials to make glutathionine which drives another critical detox pathway.  Red onions are especially good because they are high in quercetin, which is a natural anti inflammatory.

·         Aim to eat red meat no more than, twice a week, fish at least twice a week and vegetarian twice a week. 

·         Drink this daily  Lemon Water Detox 6 Cups of filtered water,  1 tbsp grated ginger, 1 cucumber sliced, 1 lemon sliced,  1/3 cup mint leaves.

Let the mixture infuse overnight and drink it all the next day. 

To see if you need a tune up answer the following questions:
If you answer yes to any of them you definitely need to pay attention to detoxification:
Do you feel that you are not as healthy and vibrant as other people your age?
Do you have low energy levels?
Do you often have difficulty thinking clearly?
Do you often feel blue or depressed?
Do you get more than one or two colds a year?
Do you suffer from premenstrual syndrome, fibrocystic breast disease, uterine fibroids?
Do you have sore achy muscles for no particular reason?
Do you have bad breath or stinky stools.

Is improving detoxification really an effective solution to help all of these symptoms ? In most cases the answer is absolutely yes. Toxins can damage the body in an insidious and cumulative way. Once the body's detoxification system becomes over loaded, toxic metabolites accumulate, and we become progressively more sensitive to other chemicals, some of which are not normally toxic.