The state of a person’s health heavily depends on the state of their liver, making it all the more important to treat it right so that it can stay healthy and perform its job normally. Please read this article to find out how to take care of your liver.
What does your liver do?
The liver is the largest organ in the body and the most important outside the heart and brain. It is located below the diaphragm, to the right of the stomach, and in the upper abdomen.
The liver is responsible for:
- Processing and eliminating toxins and drugs out of the body
- Producing bile used in breaking down fats
- Fighting infection and disease
- Storing copper, Iron, and vitamin B12
- Storing glycogen, the glucose storage of the body
- Producing and regulating cholesterol
- Processing digested foods and their nutrients
- Cleansing the blood
Natural ways of taking care of your liver
Cut the alcohol
Alcohol is a toxic substance that the liver is responsible for metabolising. It may cause cellular malformations, inflammation, and scarring, which may inhibit normal liver function and may cause potential liver disease at a later time.
Try some herbs
Herbs protect liver function by stimulating the flow of bile and aids the regeneration of the organ. Some popular herbs that protect the liver include:
- Milk Thistle
- Licorice
- Artichoke
- Dandelion root
Have a caffeine break
The liver processes caffeine like it does on any other toxin. It is forced by caffeine to release glycogen into the blood, and slows the organ’s capacity to cleanse the blood from other harmful substances.
Ironically, coffee enemas have been proven effective in the detoxification process of the liver by relaxing the smooth muscles of the small intestine and anus, which causes dilation of the blood vessels and bile ducts.
Think green
Natural greens help the liver by:
- Balancing the acidity levels of the body
- Strengthening the immune system
- Reducing excess fat and fluid stores
- Assisting in the elimination of toxins
- Green foods rich in minerals include barley grass, sea vegetables, green vegetables, chlorophyll, green salads, chlorella, and spirulina
Get some sleep
When you go to sleep at night, the brain releases a hormone called melatonin which helps to regulate your sleep cycle. Melatonin shares the body’s toxic load with the liver by helping neutralise the free radicals and by regenerating the body overall.
Flush your liver
Flushing the liver help in getting rid of toxins, built up cholesterol and gallstones, and frees the passage for bile flow. It involves drinking a mixture grapefruit juice, olive oil, and epsom salts before going to bed, leading to a trip to the toilet the next morning.
Avoid medications if possible
Like other toxins, the build up of residues of drugs and medications in the liver can cause toxicity. If possible, and with a consent from the doctor, give your liver a time off and avoid taking painkillers, anti-inflammatories, pills, and antibiotics.
Go organic
When possible, try to buy and consume organic fruit, vegetables and meat. Oftentimes, non-organic products contain toxic poisons, hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides which can build up and impair the liver’s function.
Water water water
Drinking at least two litres of water everyday helps the liver as well as the kidneys with eliminating toxins from the body. Frequent and small sips are best, and it is hard to get the daily two litres, drinking herbal teas are considered okay to be counted. It is recommended to avoid cold water with meals as it may dilute the gastric juices in the stomach, which can inhibit digestion and increase the workload of the liver.
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