Cleansing your Liver

Your health & wellbeing is a function of how quickly your body removes/flushes toxins. With our current lifestyle, most of us are exposed to environmental toxins & consume a lot of processed foods. We need to detox our body everyday. Liver detox is the best way to flush all aligns from our body.

Liver, the most working organ of our body, is the gateway from where the body gets rid of all toxins. Liver,

1. Works hard to detoxify our blood
2. Produces bile needed to digest fat
3. Breakdown hormones
4. Store essential vitamins, minerals & fats
5. Produces essential protein & cholesterol
6. Produces essential chemicals to help blood clot properly
7. Destroys old red blood cells

When the liver is not functioning properly, we are not able to digest our food, especially fats. For liver to take care of our body, it must function properly. Besides Alcohol, the following lead to liver cirrhosis:

1. Eating uncooked shellfish
2. Some medications (including acetaminophen)
3. Chronic malnutrition
4. Eating poisonous wild mushrooms and exposure to chemicals
5. Chronic hepatitis B

Cirrhosis occurs when scar tissues replace healthy cells in the liver. As scar tissue continues to grow, ability of the liver to function is diminished. Liver damage /failure is the situation when scar tissue has created so much damage that the liver has stopped functioning.

Given that we are exposed to toxins both around us & in our food, it is essential to have a good & healthy liver to maintain our overall health & detoxify our body. Some of the risks associated with impaired liver functions:

1. Low potassium level
2. Exposure to industrial toxins
3. Unprotected sex
4. High diet in saturated fats & processed foods.
5. High level of triglycerides in blood.
6. Viral Infections
7. Autoimmune diseases

Some symptoms indicate that your liver is not functioning properly. It is vital to consider these symptoms if you are exposed to one or more risk factors mentioned above:

1. Bloating & Gas
2. Constipation
3. Inability to lose weight
4. High Blood Pressure
5. Dark Urine
6. Chronic Fatigue
7. Excessive Sweating
8. Poor Appetite.

The good news is you can improve functioning of liver through liver cleansing:

1. Eliminate toxic foods from your diet: If your diet consists of saturated fats & processed foods, you are at a higher risk of negatively impacting functioning of the liver. Trans fats such as Hydrogenated oils, sugar & on the go foods are toxic for your body system. Hydrogenated oils are trans fat which undergo change in their chemical structure by overheating. This process increases oil’s shelf life & is generated followed by all restaurants & fast food joints. Consumption of trans fat increases risk of heart disease by 25% besides impacting the immune system & leading to inflammation. On- the-go/ convenience foods are filled with added chemicals & preservatives to preserve them for a longer period of time. These chemicals inhibit bacteria growth & preserve color. Replaces these foods with whole & fresh foods. Roast chicken & turkey breast to replace deli meat. Replace chips & other processed snacks with healthy snacks-nuts, carrots, green veggies & fresh fruits. Besides, you should also add digestive enzymes in your diet.
2. Consume Raw Vegetable Juice: It is not possible to eat all the raw vegetables required to cleanse your liver. By making a juice of raw vegetables & having 4 to 5 servings, you can easily absorb raw vegetables. When you have impaired level function, juice makes it easy to digest. Vegetables ideal for liver cleanses include cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. While that combination may not sound very enjoyable, you can add other vegetables that you enjoy to the mix including carrots, cucumber, beets and greens.All of these vegetables help to reduce acid levels in the body. The high fiber content supports a healthy digestive tract & eliminates toxins in your body. The ginger root helps to soothe the digestive tract, reduce intestinal gas, and has strong anti-inflammatory compounds. The fresh oranges in this recipe not only add tangy sweetness, but also add significant vitamin C, additional vitamin A and vitamin B6.
3. Increase consumption of Potassium rich foods: Your recommended daily potassium requirement is 4700 milligrams. Potassium rich foods help in lowering cholesterol & support a healthy cardiovascular system besides cleansing the liver. Add the following potassium rich foods in your diet.
   • Sweet Potato: It comes on top when we talk of potassium content. It offers 700 mg of potassium besides high fibre & beta carotene content. A sweet potato has 131 calories & is rich in Vitamin B, C, D magnesium & iron. Sugar in sweet potatoes slowly enters the bloodstream & hence does not spike sugar levels.
   • Beet Greens & Spinach: Rich in antioxidants, one cup of beet greens offers 1300 mg of potassium. You can either add Beet Greens to your raw vegetable juice or saute it & mix it in salad. Organic Spinach that can be easily added to your diet contains 840 mg of potassium per serving.
   • Beans: White beans, kidney beans and lima beans are all rich in potassium, protein and fiber. Enjoy it with carrot sticks & celery sticks
   • Bananas: Add banana to your favorite smoothie. Besides offering 470 mg of potassium, it helps in digestion, removing toxins & heavy metals from the body.
   • Turmeric: Turmeric reduces joint pain, acts as an antidepressant, aids in digestion, helps to restore health blood sugar balance & supports healthy liver tissue & liver metabolism.
   • Dandelion Root: Dandelion root allows your liver to more quickly eliminate toxins. It also helps to strengthen the immune system, balance blood sugar levels, relieve heartburn, and  manages digestive upset.

However, if you have high level of potassium in your liver, consider moderate consumption of potassium rich foods