LOVE YOUR LIVER ... is it time to clean the filter?

The results are in, the numbers are up and your liver is in desperate need for a good cleanse. You are told to check back in a month to see what changes…. But what now?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO?

If you are one of the many who have not been given any guidance on what to do to cleanse and detox your liver, fear not, below are a few things you can do to improve your numbers by your next doctor's visit. My favorite point is #3!

1. HYDRATE

I know... It is always #1 on my lists but it is so important to drink plenty of water! You must consume enough H2O to flush out toxins but be choosy - filter your water or find a good source of spring water. Chlorinated, unfiltered tap water will damage your health so stay away from that. Also, try to drink from glass rather than plastic if possible. How much is enough? Divide your weight in half and the number you get is what you should aim for in ounces.

But don’t just drink plain water! Add lemon or ginger to your cup for it’s health benefits or have some GREEN TEA! Polyphenols (called catechins) in green tea have been proven to be strong enough even to interfere with cancer cell reproduction - so drink up! The powerhouse of all green teas is Matcha tea.

2. LOVE YOUR LIVER WITH THESE FOODS

Make sure you have your staple foods handy in your fridge and eat them daily - breakfast, lunch and dinner!

These foods include: CRUCIFEROUS veggies like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower or bok choy; DARK LEAFY GREENS such as kale, brussels sprouts, spinach or dandelion greens; POTASSIUM RICH foods like yams, potatoes, tomato sauce, beet greens; but always have GARLIC, ONION and fruits such as APPLES and BERRIES on hand too. PUNGENT and warming foods such as ginger, turmeric, carrots and yams can aid in mobilizing toxins.

The best part? So much to eat, no need to starve or count calories to love your liver if you use these foods as the base of your meals!

3. HOLY GUACAMOLE!

Guacamole has my favorite ingredients in it and I seriously could eat this dish daily. (Wait, I do eat it almost daily!) AVOCADO promotes liver health by helping the liver produce an antioxidant called glutathione. Glutathione filters toxins out of the liver and helps liver cells recover from damage. The healthy fats in avocado also help reduce bad cholesterol and contain essential anti-inflammatory vitamins. Use a generous amount of fresh CILANTRO which grabs heavy metals that burdens the filtration activity of our liver and add plenty of fresh RED ONION and LEMON for a burst of flavor and all the super nutrients your liver is asking for!

4. THE BITTER TRUTH

It’s better with bitters! Bitter taste not only reduces sugar cravings and helps balance blood sugar, but bitter herbs support the liver in the detoxification process. Bitter taste also sends signals to our liver to start producing bile which is important as our liver uses bile as a way to get rid of toxins and cholesterol. What are the best bitters? I’d love to say Jagermeister and Zwack lovers this is for you, but the alcohol and sugar content in those drinks are not for liver cleanse… Best herbs are DANDELION, MILK THISTLE or ARTICHOKE and you can find some good detox teas that contain a mix of liver loving ingredients.

COFFEE LOVERS this is a sweet moment for you: learn to love your coffee black for its bitter taste! If coffee is not your thing or you want to supplement, check out the European or Chinese bitters for added benefits.

5. SLEEP MORE AND STRESS LESS FOR LIVER HEALTH

According to the Chinese Traditional Medicine liver cleanse happens between the hours of 1-3am. Therefore, it is important to BUILD A GOOD BEDTIME ROUTINE; don’t eat for a couple of hours before bed and head to bed early if you can, so you allow your body to get into a deep sleep state and which will also help you get a good 6-8 hours of sleep. If you tend to wake up during the hours of liver cleanse, it could be a sign that your liver is overwhelmed and may be having energy problems with your detoxification pathways. It is also an established fact that STRESS puts an immense burden on the liver by our body’s inflammatory response. Find ways to release stress that suits your lifestyle, whether it be gentle movements like yoga or walking or a more vigorous activity like running, dancing or even a boxing class.

AND THE USUALS…

As always, DITCH the foods that impair your immune system, like ALCOHOL, PROCESSED FOODS, SUGAR, GRAINS AND DAIRY. It is also important to keep REGULAR BOWEL MOVEMENTS so the toxins dumped from your liver do not get reabsorbed making you feel sick. How many bowel movements are regular? Generally it means we should eliminate waste 2-3 times a day, about the same as the number of meals we eat per day. If this is not your number, take a look at how closely you are following the points above and look for gentle colon cleansing supplements.

Not sure where to start or you are ready for the next level? Allow me to be your guide in your healing journey and let me give you the helping hand you have been waiting for!

Best in health,

Viktoria

References:

www.cancer.gov

www.chinesemedicineliving.com

www.liversupport.com

www.thelifetree.com

www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/liver/bile.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2702105/

https://sleep.org/