Written by: Katherine Ehresman
How to Naturally Detox Your Liver
Things you can do at home…
So, now that you’ve learned about some of the signs and symptoms that indicate you may have a toxic liver you’ve determined that perhaps it is time to put down the margarita and chips and queso and start paying attention to your health. Not to worry, there are some simple changes you can make that will help and if those still are not enough, I’ve got some other suggestions that you may want to try that involve more than just diet and lifestyle modifications. One that, well, let’s just say it is a technique that begs to be in medical bloopers (if there was such a thing)!
First let me explain a little how the liver works. According to DelishiouslyOrganic, “When the liver sees a toxin, it creates bile and puts the toxin in the bile and then sends the bile to the gallbladder. When you eat fats, this sends a signal to the gallbladder to release the bile into the intestinal tract to then be expelled via the bowels.” I don’t know about you, but I just learned something new. I honestly never knew what the gallbladder did except create stones and cause pain.
Now you can see why, since your liver is one of your body’s primary detox organs, it is imperative that you take care of it. One of the best and easiest ways (ok, easier for some than others, I get it!) is to eat a healthy diet full of healthy fats such as butter, ghee, coconut oil, etc. Avocados are a great source of good fats as well, and they are mighty tasty. Now we know why they are always telling us to eat healthy fats. Key word being healthy folks. These non-trans fats help the liver to create bile and then the gallbladder receives the signal to contract which releases the bile into the intestines. Remember those gallstones I mentioned? Those are often a result of a low-fat diet, so make sure to include fats into your diet daily. And no, that doesn’t mean a double meat with cheese and a large fry!
Some other dietary things you can do is limit, limit, limit….did I say limit? Yes! Limit your sugar intake. Try to keep it under 20-30 grams or lower per day. Remember, the liver is one of only three organs that is responsible for blood sugar balance. Another type of fats that are good to eat are from animal sources. They provide your body with vital nutrients that support your liver. And, from what we are learning, our liver needs all the help it can get, right? On the same vein, also try and include organ meats to your diet a couple of times a week if you can. This is a deal breaker for me, but if you are like my Mother who loves liver and onions, you’ll be fine.
Stress can be hard on your liver. According to DeliciouslyOrganic, “…detox is a parasympathetic process, so if you’re on the go all the time and under too much stress, this will make it very difficult for the liver and other detox organs to do their job.”. With everything that is going on in the world today, it is hard not to be angry….a lot! But, do your best to try and let go of that anger. Do yoga, meditate, talk to a trusted friend or even a counselor, your pastor but not Jack Daniels, Jim Beam or Remy Martin. Do drink lots of water; at least 64 ounces a day. Try it for a couple of days and see if you don’t already start to feel better.
Now for the fun suggestion I mentioned. When I first read about this all kinds of things ran through my mind of what could go wrong. But, rather than share those disturbing images with you I will just tell you what it is and provide a link if you want to give it a go. Coffee enema. I’ve honestly considered it. It’s amazing what you will consider when you feel like a slug and your doctor suggests your body is essentially making its own toxic soup. I don’t know about you, but assertive/aggressive elimination combined with a heavy dose of caffeine conjured up some pretty interesting images. Think about it and, if you come by our Lakeway location feel free to share them with me. I’m always up for a good giggle!
And, with hopefully some wicked images left in your mind I will sign off. Pay attention to what you are putting in your body, drink more water and less wine. Eat your fruits and veggies and make sure to incorporate healthy fats. Ciao for now.