Your liver, situated under your ribs on the right side, is the largest solid organ in your body. Your hard-working liver produces bile to help digest fats, manufactures proteins, stores vitamins, sugars and other nutrients, breaks down hormones, drugs and toxins and filters waste products from the blood. You can help your liver function more effectively by knowing which foods to eat and which to avoid. Talk to your doctor before changing your diet.
One-Day Detox Fast
A one-day liver detoxification plan is offered by Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S., in her book "The Fats Track One-Day Detox Diet." Gittleman's plan involves a three-stage process in which, for seven days you eat lots of liver-friendly foods as a prequel to the detox. These foods include cruciferous vegetables, green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, sulfur-rich foods, such as garlic, onions and daikon radish and some foods that are particularly healing to the liver, such as artichoke, asparagus, beets, celery, dandelion root, whey protein and nutritional yeast. The prequel week is followed by a one-day fast, during which you consume fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Finally, a three day sequel of high-probiotic fermented foods support the liver and colon.
Foods to Avoid
Detoxify your liver by avoiding foods to which you are allergic, says Carole Jacobs,former nutrition editor of "Shape" magazine and author of the book, "Detox for the Rest of Us: Safe and Easy Plans to Cleanse Your Body, Boost Your Metabolism, Lose Weight and Feel Great." Gluten, the protein in wheat that is associated with wheat allergy in many people; and lactose, the sugar in milk that many people have difficulty digesting, are prime examples. Also, eat acid-forming foods, such as high protein and processed carbohydrates in moderation to decrease acidity in your liver.
Vitamins
Certain nutrients are particularly liver-healthy and you may want to emphasize these during your liver detoxification program. Folic acid, a B-complex vitamin that forms part of a liver enzyme, is found in spinach, asparagus, broccoli, kale, cabbage and blackberries. Iron, which your liver stores and uses to reduce inflammation, is available in blackberries, chard, beets and parsley. The antioxidant mineral selenium is found in garlic, chard, and cabbage. Vitamin B12, important for red blood cell production, can be obtained from lean meats, poultry and fish. If you are a strict vegetarian, fortified soymilks or supplementation are your best bet. Inositol, important for fat and cholesterol metabolism in the liver, is found in oranges, grapefruit and tomatoes, among other foods.
Herbs
Your liver cleanses your blood so that it can bring nourishment to the rest of your body. A sluggish, overburdened liver will result in decreased function in all organs throughout your body, explains certified clinical nutritionist Brenda Watson, author of "The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps." Watson favors an herbal strategy in addition to a liver-healthy diet, using time-honored herbs from a variety of healing traditions, such as Sumerians, Egyptians, Europeans and Chinese. Many herbs have properties such as stimulating bile flow, encouraging healthy digestive function, and stimulating circulation of blood and lymph, all of which assist the liver to be more efficient at clearing out toxins. A partial list of herbs Watson favors includes blessed thistle, burdock, dandelion, horsetail, milk thistle and wormwood.
Member Comments