19 Super Foods To Naturally Cleanse Your Liver

As these various toxins build up over time, they can begin to make you feel unwell, but often so gradually that it is difficult to define.

How detox diets work

Detoxification diets have been designed to rid your body of these accumulating unwanted toxins. The problem, however, is that the nature of detox diets requires that you give up particular types of foods and once you’ve finished the detox diet, you then gradually begin to introduce them again, trying to avoid those that are not particularly healthy.

Does detoxing really work?

Although detox diets do tend to make people feel better, there is no actual proof that this is because the toxins have been expelled. It could be that the improvements are the result of what is no longer being consumed.

The truth of the matter is that the majority of liver detox diets do not have any scientific facts behind them. The reduction in weight that is sometimes experienced is loss of fluid and/or muscle tone rather than fat, and is only a temporary. Once the diet is over, the weight usually begins to pile back on. It is also now being suggested that some long-term detox diets can actually cause harm, because you are denying your body certain nutritious foods and essential minerals.

Don’t detox – create a natural detox diet

Thinking is now beginning to turn to the fact that eating a proper well balanced, healthy, nutritious diet is a better alternative to forced, crash detoxing. Let your liver do the job it is designed to do; i.e. filter all the toxins out of your bloodstream, and separate them from the food and drink that you consume through the production of bile and your natural digestive function; a wholly crucial part of any holistic health lifestyle.

Great foods to include in your constant detox diet

Eating the right foods is key, so here is a list of foods you can include in a diet that will promote a wholly natural, and perpetual cleanse of your liver.

Apples contain high levels of pectin, plus other natural chemicals which actually support your liver and facilitate the cleansing operation.

Asparagus is an excellent diuretic. A diuretic is a substance that helps to promote the production of urine, and as urine is the way that you body naturals evacuates itself of any excess toxins, asparagus actively helps to support detoxification.

Alternative grains can lighten the work that your liver has to do. Ordinary grains such as wheat, and flour made from wheat, contain gluten, which can be difficult to digest and is an allergen for many people. Substituting different grains, the likes of buckwheat, millet, and quinoa can make a significant difference.

Avocados are fantastically good for you as a source of nutrition. This renowned super-food also contains a compound known as glutathione, which is essential in helping your liver to extract toxins.

Beetroot (Beets) and carrots are another good source of glutathione that aids your liver to detox. They are also rich in flavonoids and beta-carotene, which both support healthy liver function.

Brussels sprouts are a rich source of the mineral sulfur, and the antioxidant glucosinolate. Both of these substances encourage your liver in producing certain enzymes that can prevent damage caused by both dietary and environmental toxins.

Cabbage facilitates your body’s production of ITCs (Isothiocyanates), another important substance that promotes the manufacture of detox enzymes.

Citrus fruits, and particularly lemons and limes, contain boatloads of vitamin C. This boosts liver function and helps to transform toxins into substances that are them more easily mopped up by water. 

Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower also contain the antioxidant glucosinolate, the antioxidant that promotes the production of toxin busting enzymes.

Dandelion root makes a great tea which helps the liver to break down fat. It also boosts the manufacture of amino acids, another substance essential to the detox process.

Garlic s a rich source of Sulfur, (a great detox support agent), plus Allicin and Selenium, both of which are an important aid in helping to cleanse your liver.  

Grapefruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, glutathione, and antioxidants, all of which combine to boost the manufacture of specific enzymes that can rid your body of various toxins including certain carcinogens.  

Green tea contains a particular type of antioxidant known as catechins which are well known as substances that support healthy liver function.

Leafy green veggies contain certain chlorophylls that have the ability to absorb toxins that contaminate your body from the environment. They also help to deal with various chemicals, heavy metals and pesticides that find their way into your body system.

Olive oil and other cold pressed natural oils such as flax seed and hemp, also support healthy liver function, helping to produce a lipid base that assists with the absorption of toxins.

Spinach is another excellent source of glutathione.

Tomatoes are yet another great source of glutathione, but they also contain a substance known as Lycopene which can help to protect you against certain types of cancer including breast, lung, and skin cancer.

Turmeric s a spice that not only adds bags of flavor to soups stews and casseroles, but that also promotes the manufacture of detox enzymes.

Walnuts are packed with Omega 3 fatty acids, glutathione, and the amino acid, Arginine; all of which enhance the liver’s cleansing powers, and in particular help to rid your body of excess ammonia.

Don’t force it – go with the (natural) flow

What it all boils down to is that eating the right foods that will help your body to detox in a wholly natural way, the way Mother Nature intended; not forcing your body into an unnatural emergency cleanse, whereby you stop eating nutritionally rich food. It’s a much healthier way of ridding your body of unwanted toxins, and one which fits in perfectly with a holistic, health lifestyle.

 Acknowledgements:

http://www.curejoy.com/content/19-super-foods-to-naturally-cleanse-your-liver/

Source: http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/19-super-foods-naturally-cleanse-liver.html

---

 

15 Tips to Detox Your Liver

If you have been eating unhealthy foods, feeling off or fatigue then it’s possible that you need to detox your liver. The liver is responsible for detoxifying the chemicals in your body and sometimes it might need a little help. These 15 tips will help you detoxify your liver so that you can start feeling better quickly and have your liver functioning perfectly again.

1) Eat Brussel Sprouts

Most people don’t eat Brussel sprouts, it’s a generational thing where you hated when your parents made you eat them so now you don’t as an adult. And you won’t until it’s time to force them on your kids. But Brussel sprouts are packed with sulfur which is good for clearing your body of toxins, so time to forgo dinner until you eat your veggies

2) Dandelion

Yes this does mean the pretty little flower you see growing like the weed it is. However, it has been shown to remove toxins from your liver. While you might have a hard time finding dandelion at the grocery store you can opt for some dandelion tea. It might take some getting used to but adding it to your regular diet can work wonders for your liver.

3) Drink

Don’t get too excited, drinking alcohol is bad for your liver. However, just about anything else you should drink. Juice, tea and water are all great ways to naturally detox your body and the more your drink the better. So drink up and keep drinking, If you keep a tally and set goals you’ll find just how easy it is to up your water intake and how little you may drink normally.

4) Take Zinc

Zinc has been shown to be very beneficial in detoxifying the body. Zinc is actually very good at breaking down alcohol into a substance that is easier for the body to handle. Therefore if you do indulge in wine, beer or liquor then it is a very good idea to take a daily dose of zinc to help your body recover from the influx of alcohol.

5) Tumeric

Sounds fancy and obscure but really it’s just the spice that is gives curry it’s color…well it’s also used to dye clothes but it’s safe to eat. Tumeric fights inflammation throughout body and it is especially effective on the liver. So if you have a liver infection or other inflammation in your liver a hearty dose of turmeric can be very helpful.

6) Eat Like a Rabbit

You don’t have to surrender yourself to lettuce and carrots but eating a large amount of carrots can be helpful to your liver. There are proteins within carrots that are very effective at removing toxins from the liver. Not to mention carrots are full of healthy vitamins and minerals that keep you healthy, so what’s up doc? Eat your carrots.

7) Coffee Enema

Yes this one might sound strange, okay really strange. But it is actually highly valued by holistic professionals as a way to help keep toxins from poisoning the liver. The caffeine in the coffee causes the liver ducts to release their toxins into the colon so they can leave the body. Once your liver releases these toxins it can take in more and continue detoxifying your body.

8) Milk Thistle

Milk thistle has long been used a liver tonic because it produces a substance that has been shown to protect the liver. This substance protects and strengthens the cells of the outer membrane of the liver. This prevents toxins from entering the liver as well as improving the regenerative properties of the liver. So it will be able to perform better over time with regular doses of milk thistle.

9) Grapefruit

If you were not a big fan of the carrot suggestion, grapefruit is another way to get some good liver cleansing proteins. It has also been shown to have benefits for people who are trying to lower their cholesterol. Grapefruit is also delicious and low in calories, so you really can’t go wrong with adding some grapefruit into your diet.

10) Eat Organic

Organic food is always a better option because it is free of all the chemicals that can be found on food that are treated with pesticides. These chemically treated foods are one of the biggest burdens on your liver because your liver has to remove all those extra chemicals from your body. So eating organic is a great way to give you liver a break.

11) Exercise

Just about any health problem can be improved with exercise. Choose an exercise that fits your fitness level and do not put too much stress on your body too quickly, especially if you are having liver problems. Studies have shown that walking for just 150 minutes a week can improve liver health and function. So you do not even have to do a great deal of exercise to see huge results.

12) Use Natural Products

While you may think that all those chemical cleaners are the best ways to keep your house clean, they are actually putting unnecessary chemicals into the air and into your body. You can get just as much cleaning power with green products or simple vinegar and then you will not have harmful chemicals in your home.

13) Get a Water Purifier

Drinking plenty of water is a very good way to help cleanse your body and detox your liver. However, if your water has contaminants it can put more stress on your liver. Therefore, you should invest in water purifier. You can do this either through a water pitcher that you keep in your fridge or by adding a filter directly to your water line.

14) Use an Air Purifier

In turn with a water purifier, an air purifier can help keep the chemicals in your home to a minimum and reduce the stress on your body. If you reduce the number of toxins entering your body it allows your liver to catch up and cleanse all the toxins within your body and your liver. Therefore finding ways to remove chemicals in your life is just as important as removing chemicals in your body.

15) Limit Your Alcohol Intake

Obviously liver disease is often caused by drinking too much alcohol, so drinking alcohol is not good for your body. If you are already suffering from liver disease then you should not drink alcohol at all. If you are just trying to keep a healthy liver then you can drink alcohol but only in moderation. Some studies have shown that a glass of wine a day is very good for the body, but drinking more than that or drinking hard liquor can be bad for the liver.

Source: http://www.goodtips4life.com/15-tips-to-detox-your-liver