Why your liver doesn’t need a cleanse
At this time of year you often see products promoting a liver cleanse or detox. But the truth is you don’t need them. Your liver is a really clever organ that detoxifies naturally every day.
That’s not to say that your liver couldn’t do with some support. Especially if you have any type of hormonal imbalance, you drink alcohol or take any type of medication. But we should be supporting our liver all year round, not just in January. And there are so many ways we can support our livers with food and lifestyle steps rather than having to take liver cleansing powders or tablets.
The risk of liver detoxification products
Liver detoxification products speed up the rate at which the liver breaks down and produces toxins. Surely that’s good I hear your say. Well, it depends. Once you’ve produced toxins you want to get them out of the body as quickly and safely as possible. That could happen through urine or through a bowel movement. But if your detoxification removal pathways are not working well, for example if you get constipated, you’ve released all these toxins and then they get stuck in the body. This can then cause headaches, brain fog, and skin problems just to name a few.
So, I would rather take a more gentle approach with food and lifestyle changes rather than flooding your body with toxins.
How to support your liver naturally
Instead, here are some of the natural things you can do every day to support your liver and help it work as effectively as possible. This is really important if you have any type of hormonal imbalance such as PMS, PMDD, PCOS, endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids or are going through the perimenopause. This is because the liver also breaks down our used hormones and if this process isn’t working well, it can add to hormonal symptoms.
- Eat cruciferous vegetables daily
Think broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, watercress, rocket and Pak choi. These vegetables all contain a compound that helps support the liver and helps it break down used hormones safely.
2. Eat sulphur rich foods
Think onions, leeks and garlic. Again, all good for supporting the liver and helping it to detoxify well.
3. Eat more berries
Any type of berry is good whether it’s blueberries, cranberries, blackberries or raspberries. They area all good for the liver and also full of anti-inflammatory compounds too.
4. Prioritise sleep
Getting 7 to 8 hours sleep a night helps to support your liver.
5. Stay well hydrated
Getting 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day helps to flush toxins through the liver. Water, herbal teas, smoothies, juices and soups all count towards your quota.
6. Reduce alcohol
Alcohol puts a strain on your liver and gives it more work to do, so going alcohol free certainly helps. If you do choose to drink, then don’t go over the recommended units of alcohol a week and have several days a week where you are alcohol free to help your liver recover.
The best way to care for your liver it to consistently look after it all year round, rather than doing a quick fix in January.
If you’d like some help with hormone balance or any of the conditions mentioned in this blog, then do book in for a free, no obligation chat to find out how nutritional therapy can support you.
Content Disclaimer
The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this blog are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this blog. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this blog. Emma Belton Nutrition disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this blog.