Seven liver-boosting herbs
We never think about our liver until it becomes inflamed or scarred, or it gets infected or overwhelmed and stops functioning properly. Probably the most common liver ailment is food poisoning, which leads to inflammation of the liver. This is called hepatitis in medical terminology.
There has been a sudden rise in children experiencing liver inflammation, and it’s happening across the United States. In other words, it’s not limited to an outbreak in one state from a bad sandwich.
The weird rise in hepatitis has attained global scale. This week alone, there have been more than 300 reported cases of hepatitis, spanning 20 countries.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are looking into causes for the terrifying uptick and disturbing trend in otherwise healthy young children. So far, the children impacted are very young, like age 5 and under. The current thinking is that an a virus is involved, one called “adenovirus.”
Regardless of the cause, it’s very sad to think about, so today I’d like to help you understand what your liver does in simple terms, and how you can support good liver health.
Your liver is the largest organ in your body, after your skin. The liver has the mundane task of secreting all sorts of chemicals which break down food, or medications, or synthetic dyes, hair color treatments, plasticizers, and other chemicals. Its job is to clear out chemicals that don’t belong in your body.
It is also the place where we make CoQ10, glutathione and catalase, three critical antioxidants that keep us healthy and thriving.
The more pollutants we encounter or toxins we ingest, the harder our liver has to work to function. Some of the very first signs of an inflamed liver include vomiting, or a sensation of nausea along with itchy skin, a stomachache, and eyes that appear a little bit yellow. Furthermore, there could be weakness, fatigue, ankle swelling, abdominal pain or swelling and a darker colored urine. Another less discussed but common first sign of hepatitis is a strange, bitter or “metallic” taste in the mouth.
Aside from the three antioxidants I mentioned above, here are other ways to support the liver:
• Milk thistle: Contains silymarin which is a strong liver antioxidant.
• Artichoke leaf: Contains cynarin which helps clear out poisons.
• Dandelion: A mild diuretic, popular as a tea and herbal supplement.
• Yellow dock: Cleanse the liver and lymphatic system, and provides natural vitamin C.
• Beets: The reddish-purple pigments are great at reducing liver toxins.
• Selenium: A mineral that helps your body make the liver antioxidant glutathione.
• Phosphatidylcholine: Helps shuttle triglycerides and cholesterol out of the liver.
Please talk to your physician about any herbs, teas or vitamins that you’d like to take, because we all have an individual response. These also may interact with your current medication or supplement regimen, so always seek professional opinions about making changes to your health regimen.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For a longer version of this article, visit Suzy Cohen’s website at www.suzycohen. com.