The liver works tirelessly to filter the blood and cleanse your body of wastes, natural byproducts, environmental toxins, food preservatives and additives and medications. The liver also has a central role in a vast number of body mechanisms and processes including controlling blood glucose or sugar levels, blood clotting, synthesizing and processing vitamins and nutrients, digesting fats and balancing cholesterol levels. Your diet can overload the liver, making it work sluggishly. There are several foods that you likely have in your kitchen that can help to cleanse the liver. However, it is important to consult a doctor before beginning any type of cleansing diet.
Step 1
Add raw, chopped or crushed garlic to your daily diet. Consume two or more cloves of garlic per day to aid liver health. Garlic is a traditional herbal remedy that is well known for its medicinal properties. This pungent bulb has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that help boost the immune system. Garlic also contains high amounts of the compounds allicin and selenium, which aid liver cleansing.
Step 2
Eat an apple -- or more -- a day. Apples contain pectin, a compound that is needed to reduce environmental and food toxins from the digestive tract. This helps to cleanse the blood and decrease the workload on your liver.
Step 3
Consume whole grains such as barley, brown rice, whole wheat breads and pasta, flaxseed, bran and oatmeal. Replace white flour products with these foods. Whole grains are packed with B-complex vitamins, which assist in fat metabolism and are important for red blood cell production, cells that carry oxygen and nutrients to every area of your body. They also help to balance blood sugar levels, easing the burden on the liver.
Step 4
Add turmeric powder to your cooking. This bright mustard-yellow spice is rich in antioxidants and immune-boosting properties that help to cleanse your blood and liver. Turmeric also helps the body flush out wastes and toxins, aiding the filtering work of the liver.
Tips and Warnings
- Its not enough to simply add liver-cleansing foods to your diet; you must also avoid foods and substances that can harm or overload the liver. These include processed and packaged foods, alcohol, illegal drugs and cigarettes.
- It is important to consult your doctor before beginning a detoxification regimen. In some cases, your body can react adversely to a sudden cleansing diet. Consuming high amounts of herbs such as garlic can also negatively interact with some prescription medications.
Things You'll Need
- Raw garlic
- Apples
- Whole grain foods
- Turmeric powder
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