The liver is a vital organ that we rely on for survival. It provides bile for digestion, filters the blood and stores vitamins. Many cleanses and liver support diets are intended to reset or revitalize the liver. Juicing is a method that entails making fresh juices from fruits and vegetables that are beneficial to the liver. Juicing can also be seen as a break from solid foods, intended to give the body nutrients while letting the liver take a rest from digestion.
Step 1
Plan a juicing period to benefit the liver. While doing a juicing regime to benefit the liver, only eat foods that do not heavily engage the liver so it can rest and rejuvenate during that time. Focus the diet on whole grains, fruits, vegetables and very little, if any, fats and proteins.
Step 2
Use green juice recipes to support liver cleansing. Green juices are made with vegetables that are primarily green in color, such as spinach, zucchini, kale and cucumbers. Raw herbs are sometimes used, such as parsley and dandelion leaves. Green juices are high in vitamins and minerals to support the body while the liver takes a break from processing more solid foods. Since green juices are bitter in taste, an added carrot can sweeten the flavor.
Step 3
Use combinations of foods that are known to support liver health. Juiceable foods that are specifically supportive of the liver include apple, beet, broccoli, cabbage, celery, garlic, ginger, grapefruit, mint, onion, oregano, pomegranate, prunes, raspberry, strawberry and wheat grass, according to Rebecca Wood in her book ''The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia." Apples are specifically helpful in some gallbladder cleanses since they are known to help break down gallstones into sediment.
References
- FernsNutrition.com: Juicing to Cleanse the Liver
- ''Staying Healthy With Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine''; Elson M. Haas, MD; 2006
- ''Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition''; Paul Pitchford; 2002
- ''Nutritional Symptomatology''; Danielle Perrault, RHN; 2009
- ''The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia''; Rebecca Wood; 2010
- MayoClinic.com: Liver Problems
