The liver is designed to detoxify the body, but this major organ can get overloaded with fatty foods, excessive alcohol, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and other chemicals that pollute the body. According to gastroenterologists, 50 percent of people over 50 today have a condition called "nonalcoholic fatty liver disease" as a result of poor diet and obesity. With all the highly processed foods and environmental toxins the liver is exposed to in today's industrialized world, it has never been more critical to maintain a well-functioning liver with a healthy liver diet.
Think Crunch and Color
Medical experts agree that the best way to lessen the load on the liver is to eat a diverse, plant-based diet. Choose a rainbow of raw produce--especially dark, leafy greens and brightly colored fruits and vegetables--which are rich in vitamins, living enzymes and anti-cancer phyto-nutrients.
Bad Fats vs. Good Fats
You need "good" fats to build healthy cell membranes around the liver cells. But unhealthy fatty foods make your liver work harder. Avoid the "bad" fats found in full-cream dairy products, processed vegetable oils (hydrogenated fats), deep fried foods, and preserved, fatty meats like bacon. Instead, choose healthy Omega-3 fats found in cold pressed vegetable and seed oils, avocados, oily fish such as salmon and tuna, shellfish, raw nuts and raw seeds.
The Fresher, the Better
"Processed foods wreak havoc on the liver," says Dr. Michael Roizen, co-author of "YOU: The Owner's Manual." Avoid the center aisles of the supermarket where most packaged foods are highly processed and preserved with artificial ingredients. Instead, shop the outer perimeter of the grocery store--produce, meat & seafood, bakery and deli departments--where the food is fresh and natural. Organic foods are ideal, but not required according to Dr. Sandra Cabat, author of "The Liver Cleansing Diet." Dr. Cabat states that the types of foods you eat are more important than whether they are organic or not.
Drink Filtered Water
Drink 2 liters of fluids daily, including water, raw juices and green or herbal teas. This will help your kidneys to eliminate the toxins that the liver has broken down. Dr. Mehmet Oz also recommends that you use charcoal-filtered purified water over unfiltered tap water so there are no additional toxins for your liver to metabolize.
Be Sweet to Your Liver
Obesity can cause liver disease, so maintain a healthy weight by cutting out refined white sugar and high-fructose corn syrup found in candy and soft drinks. You can still satisfy your sweet tooth by using natural sugars from honey, maple syrup, molasses, fruit juices, dried fruits and carob.
