Spring Cleaning For The Liver

Spring is here and it is time to clean your liver. We all know what we had too much of this winter. The liver’s job is to eliminate the toxins which come from alcohol, coffee, cheese, sweets, fats and just about anything else we put into our mouths. So, all of our livers need an overhaul!

The liver sits right between the digestive tract and the bloodstream. Nothing can get into the bloodstream from the digestive tract without first passing through the liver. The liver’s job is to trap what is undesirable, try to detoxify it and eliminate it. Trans fats are so dangerous becuase they are very difficult to eliminate. What we don’t eliminate stays trapped inside us, slowly contaminating us. If the body is not detoxifying properly harmful substances may accumulate, causing symptoms such as fatigue or chronic fatigue, pain, chronic hormonal problems (including PMS), fibroids, heavy menstrual bleeding, even serious illnesses. Toxicity often affects the liver which in turn interferes with the brain’s functioning as well as our moods.

The reason the effects of alcohol or caffeine eventually wear off is that the liver has cleared the substance out of the bloodstream. The same is true for the effects of medications, harmful poisons, carcinogens or other toxins. By supporting the liver and reducing its burden of detoxification, we can promote its long-term healthy functioning. The liver is one of the organs of longevity. By addressing detoxification (cleansing) in general we can eliminate one of the underlying causes of many illnesses and diseases, and thereby, prevent those disorders from developing. So the logical thing everyone, is to take care of your liver.

Practical Tips: The Liver Cleanse
1. The liver needs bitter foods and herbs to eliminate the bile. If the bile is not eliminated, it can harden into stones i.e. Gallstones.
2. In the natural food stores you can find a 10 day cure in the form of ampoules that contain artichoke, black radish and boldo. i.e. Flex-o-bile. Take the ampoules with water and lemon juice every morning before breakfast. We can sometimes experience unpleasant side effects from doing a cleanse. These side effects may include increased bowel movement, headaches or other symptoms.

Liver Maintenance
It is a good habit to start the day with a half a lemon squeezed into a glass of warm or hot water.
Try a mesclun salad mix. Add endives, radicchio, chicory and watercress. Rappini, lemon and artichoke are also in the bitter food family. Eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables daily (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, bok choy).
Try dandelion greens to support liver detox and improve the flow of bile.
Try fresh vegetable juices including carrot, celery, beet, parsley, and ginger. Add dark green leafy vegetables which contain chlorophyll, a helpful detoxifier.
Keep your liver clean by taking herbal teas or tinctures containing mixtures of burdock root, dandelion root, ginger root, licorice root, sarsaparilla root, and other herbs on a regular basis.

Certain exercises found in Yoga, Tai Chi and Qi Gong are specifically for the liver. Join a class and enjoy the benefits of these body/mind approaches.

Go on. Take care of your liver and enjoy a long, healthy life. I have provided you with a wide variety of possible actions. A few must be just right for you.

Lisa

About The Author

Lisa

Lisa McLellan founded Age Smart Fitness in 2006. Age Smart Fitness is dedicated to the health, fitness and mental well-being of people age 40 and over.

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