Next to your skin, your liver is your body’s largest organ. And that’s no surprise because it has some BIG jobs! It performs over 500 functions to help keep your body healthy. Your liver health matters way more than you think.
How the liver helps your body:
- Clears toxins out of your blood Produces bile, which helps digest fats.
- Gets rid of old red blood cells,
- Helps your body metabolize proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
- Supports blood clotting.
- Stores vitamins and glycogen (an energy source) for later use.
Your liver works hard for you every day, clearing your body of excess hormones and harmful toxins. The trouble is, we live in a toxic world. In fact, there are over 80,000 chemicals registered for use in the US! Your liver has to filter every toxin you encounter. So day-to-day living can give your liver a major workout. And if the liver gets overloaded, symptoms may pop up. Luckily, you can improve your liver health by shifting your diet and lifestyle and incorporating liver-loving supplements.
Signs of a sluggish liver:
- Acne or eczema
- Disrupted sleep
- Emotional outbursts
- Hormone imbalance
- Trouble focusing
- Brain fog
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Yellowing eyes or skin
- Poor digestion
- Nausea
- Pain in the upper right side of your torso
As with anything, there are certain foods you want to focus on eating to improve your liver health.
The best foods to eat:
- Cruciferous Veggies
- Coffee
- Berries
- Citrus Fruits
- Oats
- Dark Leafy Greens
- Sweet Potatoes
- Beets
- Dandelion Tea
- Grapes
- Broccoli Sprouts
- Green Tea
Of course there are also foods you will want to avoid that play a role in declining liver health.
The worst foods to eat:
- Sugar
- Fried Foods
- Refined Grains
- Processed Foods
In order to support your liver function, you do want to focus on the foods and beverages you’re consuming, but you will also want to promote healthy lifestyle habits.
Go Non-Toxic: Avoiding toxins lightens the load on your liver. So opt for natural cosmetics, cleaning products, and personal care products. Your liver will thank you. (If you need guidance, check out EWG’s Skin Deep Database).
Limit Alcohol: When your liver is busy breaking down alcohol, it can’t process other toxins effectively. Heavy drinking causes fats to build up in the liver and increases the risk of fatty liver disease. So if you drink, do so in moderation.
Exercise: When you exercise, your body burns triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood. This eases the load on your liver. Plus, working up a sweat helps you release toxins through your skin, so your liver has less work to do.
Maintain a Healthy Weight: Being overweight or obese increases your risk of fatty liver disease. This is because excess calories cause fat to build up in your liver, But on the flip side, losing weight helps reduce liver fat.
Eat Organic: Organic foods are grown without harmful pesticides and fertilizers. So choose organic as often as possible. Check out EWG’s Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen for guidance.
Get a Lid on Stress: Stress harms your body’s ability to detox. Keeping stress at bay helps your liver work optimally. Yoga, meditation, journaling, and breathwork are all good stress busters.
Do a Castor Oil Pack: Castor oil packs are a detox remedy used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. They’re said to help the liver detox and improve lymphatic flow. Learn how to do one here.
Try a Coffee Enema: This detox method is thought to stimulate bile flow and boost production of glutathione – which is crucial for liver detox. For a thorough walk-through, check out this video.
As you work on improving your diet and lifestyle habits, you can also add a variety of liver support supplements to your daily routines to promote your liver health.
Glutathione: Known as ‘the master antioxidant,’ glutathione is vital for liver health. It plays a crucial role in phase 1 and phase 2 liver detox. Your liver makes glutathione out of the amino acids cysteine, glutamate, and glycine. Yet glutathione levels naturally decline with age. (Recommended Brands: Thorne & Designs for Health)
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC): NAC is a supplement form of cysteine, one of the amino acids your body needs to produce glutathione. And it’s shown to have impressive effects on the liver. In fact, doctors often give NAC to patients who overdose on acetaminophen to reduce liver and kidney damage. (Recommended Brands: Thorne & Designs for Health)
Milk Thistle: This herb is renowned for its liver-loving properties. Milk thistle’s active ingredient, silymarin, has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powers. Research shows it helps improve liver function in people with liver disease. (Recommended Brands: Gaia Herbs & Designs for Health)
Turmeric: Turmeric contains curcumin, a compound that boasts powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies reveal that taking a turmeric supplement helped reduce liver enzymes in patients with fatty liver disease. (Recommended Brands: Truvani & Gaia Herbs)
Your liver is an unsung hero in your body, tirelessly working behind the scenes to perform over 500 essential functions that are crucial for your overall health. From clearing toxins out of your blood to producing bile for digestion, metabolizing nutrients, and supporting blood clotting, the liver plays a vital role in maintaining your well-being.
Living in a world filled with toxins and chemicals, your liver faces a substantial workload. The modern lifestyle can easily overwhelm it, leading to various symptoms that signal a sluggish liver. However, the good news is that you have the power to support your liver’s health through dietary choices and lifestyle adjustments.
Remember that your liver’s well-being is an ongoing journey, and the choices you make each day can either burden it further or empower it to perform at its best. By prioritizing liver health, you’re not only safeguarding a critical organ but also contributing to your overall vitality and longevity. Your liver, with its resilience and adaptability, will continue to serve you well as you embark on this path to optimal well-being.
