Cleanse your liver naturally
YOUR liver is a dynamo of an organ performing a variety of essential tasks, ranging from producing proteins, cholesterol and bile to storing vitamins, minerals and even carbohydrates. It also breaks down toxins such as alcohol, medications and natural by-products of metabolism. Hence, keeping your liver in good shape is important for maintaining health.
Here are foods you can incorporate into your diet to help your liver:
• Coffee: Coffee increases antioxidant levels in the liver, all while decreasing inflammation. It also lowers the risk of developing liver disease, cancer and fatty liver.
• Tea: Black and green tea may improve enzyme and fat levels in the liver. If you are thirsty from all the liver-benefiting foods, try some green tea. This beverage contains catechins, plant-based antioxidants known to improve liver function. However, exercise caution and stick to green tea and not green tea extract, which can potentially negatively impact liver health. • Beets: Beets assist with increasing oxygen by cleansing the blood and breaking down toxic wastes to be excreted quicker. They stimulate bile flow and boost enzymatic activity. Beets also contain fibre and vitamin C, which are both natural cleansers for the digestive system.
• Avocado: Avocados are a superfood. In addition to cleansing your arteries, avocados help the body naturally produce glutathione, the compound that helps the liver rid itself of toxins.
• Fish: Eating fish at least twice a week, especially fish containing omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, sardines, tuna and trout is beneficial for your liver. Omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent fat from building up, keep enzyme levels normal, fight inflammation and improve insulin resistance. While consuming omega-3-rich fatty fish appears to be beneficial for your liver, adding more omega-3 fats to your diet is not the only thing to consider. The ratio of omega-6 fats to omega-3 fats is also
important. The recommended ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet is 4:1 or less. An omega-6 to omega-3 ratio that is too high can promote the development of liver disease. So, it is just as important to keep your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in check.
• Walnuts: Walnuts are high in the amino acid arginine and assist the liver in detoxifying ammonia. They are high in glutathione and omega-3 fatty acids, which all provide support to natural liver cleansing.
• Vegetables: Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower contain glucosinolate, which helps the liver to produce detoxifying enzymes. They also contain sulphur compounds that aid with liver health. Leafy vegetables are high in chlorophyll, which leaches toxins out of the blood stream. They can neutralise heavy metals to protect the liver.
• Fruits: Fruits such as grapefruit, oranges, limes and lemons all boost the liver’s cleansing ability. They help the liver to produce the detoxifying enzymes that flush out pollutants. Besides that, apples contain high levels of pectin, a chemical that helps the body cleanse and release toxins from the digestive tract. With fewer toxins in the digestive tract, the liver can better manage its toxin load, being able to better cleanse the rest of the body. Other than those fruits, berries, grapes and pears also help with cleansing the liver.
• Olive oil: Consuming one teaspoon (6.5 ml) of olive oil per day improves liver enzyme and fat levels as well as blood flow to the liver, hence, encouraging a healthier liver.
• Garlic: Garlic contains selenium, a mineral that helps to detoxify the liver. It also can activate liver enzymes that can help your body naturally flush out toxins.
• Turmeric: This herb works wonders for the liver. It helps the enzymes that flush out toxins and contains antioxidants that repair liver cells. It also assists the liver in detoxing metals, while boosting bile production.
Your liver is a vital organ with many essential functions in your body. Doing what you can to protect it and incorporating healthy foods into your diet is one way of keeping your liver functioning at its best.