Cleanse, Detox or Bust: How to get the liver working
So, let’s review our progress so far. I’ll go first:
Drinking more water --- YES!
Stopped eating foods I’m sensitive to --- NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
Started moving more --- YES!
Eating less sugar --- NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
Increased my fiber intake --- YES!
Got rid of all the delicious not so good for me foods --- NOT QUITE
Maintaining a whole food diet --- YES!
Staying positive --- YES…YES!!
Seems even I don’t have a perfect record. Still eating some things I’m not supposed to. I’m eating less of it but not totally off the sugar and wheat. I’m staying positive and I’m not unaware or fooling myself. I know exactly what I’m doing and I accept it. I’m also planning and thinking ahead to the next meal, the next day always planning to do better than the day before. It’s about checks and balances. It’s not about perfection and negative talk. On the upside, I am keeping up with my water intake, whole food diet, and kidney healthy foods but this is only part of the equation. So what’s next? Let’s talk liver.
Our liver: The Basics
The liver is one of the hardest working and extremely important organs we have. It works very hard, all the time, so we really need to show it some love.
The liver is best known for its role in the detoxification process of the body but it does more than 500 functions. In regards to detoxification, it processes all the blood that passes through the stomach and intestines creating nutrients, processing toxins and making bile, needed to digest fats. This detoxification process requires several steps and can get very complicated. Basically, it breaks down harmful substances and excretes the waste in one of two ways: in the bile which leaves the body via our feces or the blood, processed via the kidneys and leaving via our urine. But none of this can happen without the proper nutrients. Simply put, if we consume the appropriate foods that the liver needs to effectively maintain the detox process, we feel better, lighter, have more sustained energy, and have clearer thinking just to name a few advantages of a well-functioning liver. Just by improving our food choices, it can make a world of difference to our overall health and wellbeing.
Another benefit...when you do indulge in those foods or beverages you love that maybe aren’t so healthy for us, it won’t hit you as hard. Our bodies will be able to handle it because you’ve reduced the burden on your liver. That is, when our liver is working well and removing toxins as they come into the body they don’t build up and ”overflow” meaning our bodies can no longer handle the amount of toxins we currently have in our systems and this is when symptoms of illness begin to appear. If we don’t reduce the amount of toxins, the symptoms will only get worse. Just by improving our food choices on a regular basis, we can improve your digestion and detox ability so that we can enjoy those treats and favorite foods without it taking away our energy and making us feel weak and tired. Just like with the kidneys, this is a lifestyle change and a new way of thinking. It will take some time and some getting used to but the advantages are limitless.
Check out my Bits & Bites for a top 12 list of foods and a top 6 list of herbs to support and improve liver function. Just like the kidney-friendly foods, no surprises here!
Want to learn more:
The 3 Phases of Detoxification
The Truth About Detoxification
