Steps to Detox your Liver
The Liver
Steps Detox your Liver. The liver is an amazing organ. It removes the toxins from your blood, which is essential in this day and age, when our bodies are being bombarded with toxins at every turn. Even if you mitigate your toxic load by using all-natural products, our environment still contains pollutants, as well as our water. The liver also produces proteins that aid in blood clotting, provided we have enough vitamin K to assist in this process. And speaking of vitamins—the liver stores many of the vitamins and minerals that we consume. Specifically, the fat-soluble vitamin A, vitamin D, E, and others, as well as iron and copper. As if that weren’t enough, the liver produces the bile our bodies require to digest the fat in our diet, giving us sustained energy and assisting with brain function.
Why to Detox
Your liver works so hard for you, in fact, outside the heart, it’s your hardest working organ. Your liver processes all the toxins you come in contact with, and allows your body to process medication properly. For your body to function optimally, your liver absolutely has to be in good working order. It even affects your mental health. I recall once, when I first began practicing self-detox with coffee enemas in particular, I was very anxious one day. While I don’t recall why, I do know that it was intense. After the coffee enema, the feeling of anxiety abated rapidly, almost instantly. How many of you are living with a feeling of unexplained anxiety that is only a result of your body trying to process toxins?
Signs You Need to Detox
Your body speaks to you, if you will only listen. It has its own language and if you tune in, you can be aware of what needs attention and what steps you can take to help. When your liver has said “enough is enough” – there are specific symptoms that your body uses to communicate with you.
- Bloated abdomen
- Unexplained weight gain
- Digestive issues, specifically with fat digestion
- Acid reflux, which when ignored, can cause a host of problems
- Excessive sweating
- Acne
- Moodiness
- Anxiety/anger
- Cravings, especially for sugar
- Gallbladder issues
- Insomnia
When experiencing several of these symptoms, it’s highly likely that your liver is in distress and needs attention. Give some of these detox methods and try and the symptoms will likely dissipate fairly quickly.
How to Detox
Coffee Enema
During my journey, I took steps to cleanse my liver. While there are many, many liver detoxes out there, there are easy and straightforward ways to self-detox. One of my most helpful tools was the coffee enema. In the beginning stages, I did these frequently. While I still do them, I do them less often than before. Learn more about coffee enemas as a therapy.
Juice Fast
Another step I took was juice fasting. Juiced fruits and vegetables are a powerful combination for detoxing your body in general. They are packed with anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals that nourish your body and purify your blood, allowing your liver to rest a bit. Cucumber is a diuretic, and aids in cleansing your liver, as well as dandelion, if you’re feeling adventurous.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar helps to flush the liver, cleaning it out and preparing it to function more efficiently. Even more than that, it is a powerful antioxidant that has been proven to protect against oxidative damage to the liver. Because it is so intensely sour, as vinegar is, the easiest way to drink ACV is mixed with water and raw honey. You can also make your own salad dressings with ACV as the base.
Herbs
There are a lot of herbs that can aid in liver detoxification. Many of which have been known for thousands of years and some of which have even been studied and proven effective by modern medicine.
- Milk Thistle, was studied by Galen, the ancient Roman doctor, and found to be extremely effective in liver detoxification. Modern researchers agree.
- Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant and is beneficial to the liver, to the point that it can actually reverse some of the effects of cirrhosis.
- Peppermint helps to cleanse the liver by stimulating bile flow.
- Burdock Root has been used to promote liver health for centuries, with current studies proving that it can actually prevent liver damage commonly caused by the overuse of acetaminophen.
Clean Diet
Because your liver does process toxins, it is vitally important to eat as cleanly as possible in order to maintain good liver health. Stay away from the processed foods that contain so many artificial chemical ingredients. And while consuming a plant-based diet is a decision I made to promote my own health when diagnosed with cancer, it is also a very healthy choice for your liver. The liver creates the bile needed to process fats, and if you are eating an excessive amount of fat, it can stress your liver. So if you do eat meat, choose clean meats, like grass-fed beef and free-range chicken. And avoid overly fatty or processed meats like bacon and deli meats. Collagen peptides can act as a great source for nutrients.
Final Thoughts
It’s oftentimes surprising how just small changes can make a huge difference in your overall health. That is absolutely the case with your liver health. Simple things like juicing, taking liver-supporting herbs, and doing coffee enemas can ensure that your liver is the powerhouse organ it was designed to be. In the case of a cancer diagnosis, it is vital for me to constantly detox. Following the listed steps is the beginning however I would strongly encourage you to seek the supervision of a health provider when following any heavy duty detoxing regimen.