Living For Your Liver

The liver is a very popular organ to target for detoxification purposes.  Why is this?  The liver is extremely busy! Many of us don’t realize that the liver performs at least 400 to 600 jobs daily to support four basic functions.  These functions include:

• aiding in digestion by allowing the absorption of fats and vitamins like A,D,E and K, and producing bile, a digestive substance
• distributing nutrients found in food
• acting as a filter for the blood, removing toxins from the system like chemical materials and waste products
• producing vital proteins for the blood such as those needed to make blood clot during an injury

Additionally, the liver is responsible for converting carbohydrates into glucose, which the body uses as fuel.  The liver stores it and regulates its release into the bloodstream.  The liver also has a lot to do with the way our hormones are regulated, which has everything to do with how we feel on a daily basis!

Obviously all organs are vital to our bodies, but the liver does more jobs than any other organ.  It becomes taxed quite easily and has to work extra hard every time a toxic substance is ingested- think alcohol, refined sugar, prescription drugs and/ or any kind of drug.  When the liver is taxed, other bodily functions are impaired.  The liver can become so taxed by alcohol and other substances that a condition called cirrhosis sets in.  End-stage liver cirrhosis causes the liver to shut down completely and the body dies soon after.

However, as long as end-stage cirrhosis is not what the body is dealing with (and it takes a lot of abuse to get to that point!), the liver is incredibly resilient, repairing itself remarkably quickly once given a chance.  There are many foods and herbs one can eat/drink in tea to help cleanse the liver, including:

• milk thistle
• dandelion root
• nettle
• parsley
• ginger
• beets
• turmeric
• cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts
• fresh, organic, raw vegetables

Focusing on cutting out toxic foods (the usual suspects: white flour, refined sugar, red meat, dairy, and alcohol) and ingesting the above foods and herbs along with plenty of water is a great way to give the liver a rest and allow it to cleanse itself.  A healthy liver means a far healthier existence.

Click here for a quiz that will help you decide whether it’s time to do a liver cleanse.