It’s always a good time to focus on detox and renewal! One of the best ways to do that? Show your liver some love with a liver detox!
The 3rd pillar in our Fully Functional® process at The Center for Fully Functional® Health is OPTIMIZE. In order to optimize detox, we have to optimize liver function! The liver is the mighty organ of detox and works hard to sort and eliminate the many toxins that come its way from the food you eat, the air you breathe, the products you put on your skin, and even some made on your own body, such as excess hormones.
The liver is one of the body’s major multitaskers, and in our overly toxic modern world, it can be hard for it to keep up! In addition to filtering the blood and disposing of toxins, the liver is also involved in hormone regulation, carbohydrate metabolism, the production and secretion of bile to aid in the digestion of fats, and many other critical functions.
This is one busy organ, working overtime for you, every single day! I’d say a little TLC is in order! Check out our liver-loving tips for a few ways you can show it some love, give it a break and optimize its function so it can help keep you Fully Functional for life!
Hydrogenated trans fats found in processed foods and refined vegetable/seed oils are highly toxic to the body and increase the load on the liver. While we encourage healthy fat in the diet, it’s important to choose your fats wisely! Our bodies thrive on the good fats found in foods such as avocado, olive, coconut, and salmon.
The liver does its best work while you sleep and detoxification kicks into high gear… Give it a break from digestion for 10-12 hours to support detox in the body, and get to bed before 10 or 11 pm!
Fewer toxins in means less work for the liver! Buy organic, switch out toxic skincare and cleaning products, use a water filter and store your food in glass containers over plastic.
Foods rich in soluble fiber help support the liver by binding with toxins and moving them out. Include lots of fruits, vegetables, chia seeds, flax, and beans to keep toxins moving out of the body.
Your skin is your largest detox organ. When it is not detoxing properly, neither is your liver. Keep your skin healthy and stimulate your lymph to keep circulating and removing toxins by brushing your skin.
Lemon juice and lemon zest are alkalizing to the body and have phytonutrients that help support liver detoxification. Add freshly squeezed lemon to water and lemon zest to smoothies and recipes. Great flavor, great detox!
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts support the pathways which are especially important in removing excess hormones from the body.
Green is your liver’s favorite color. Herbs such as cilantro and parsley, bitter greens such as dandelion or mustard are great options, in addition to the usual spinach, kale, or romaine! Leafy greens are also a great source of chlorophyll which is instrumental in clearing toxins from the body.
B vitamins are crucial for the detoxification of unwanted toxins such as heavy metals, histamines, and bacterial toxins that could be at the root of immune or neurological challenges.
We all need protein, but too much, or the wrong kinds, puts a strain on our liver. Consider high-quality proteins such as organic chicken, grass-fed beef, or wild-caught salmon as a side of your meal, and keep plenty of colorful vegetables as the main event.
Try these 10 tips to keep your liver in tip-top shape! If your liver could use some extra support, you can book an appointment by clicking here, or please call us at (317) 989-8463, Monday-Thursday, from 8AM – 5PM Eastern time.
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The Center for Fully Functional Health® is led by a team of award-winning, internationally recognized physicians, committed to providing personalized, life-changing care.
