It seems everywhere we look, we’re bombarded with cleanse trends. “Virtually every major religion has some fasting and cleansing ritual that supposedly allows the body to heal,” wrote Judith Newman for The New York Times. The rise of the cleanse trend is often traced back to the 1990s, when a 1940s diet called the Master Cleanse was repurposed by Peter Glickman and celebrities from Beyoncé to Demi Moore later reported astonishing results for energy and weight loss to their digital followers and fans.
But at the core of what may be robbing us of our peak vitality is how much we’ve been supporting (or putting stress on) one essential organ in particular: the liver. Its many functions include purifying the blood and ridding the body of toxins, impacting mood, appetite, skin health, nutrient absorption, and much more. Not only does the liver help with digestion, it’s also a protein synthesizing hormone producing organ that detoxifies the body’s fluids. Its alchemy includes altering the composition of toxic substances, so at times, we need to help the liver return to its best by flushing out the buildup of harmful toxins.
Because the liver is a type of purification plant for the blood, when we help it to release toxins, we can avoid the excess gunk that contributes to classic stressors like depressive moods, food allergies, lethargy, colds and flus, etc. With this in mind, there are gentler ways to cleanse the liver that don't require extreme juice diets, calculating calories, or even a one-off protocol. Shifts in your daily diet and lifestyle can bring life- and liver-enhancing changes in your mind, body, spirit, and sexual health. Increased energy, libido, and feelings of overall wellness are just some benefits of intentional liver love.
If you experience these symptoms, your liver may be asking for attention and support:
-
You lack energy.
-
You have frequent sugar cravings.
-
Your bowel movements are more irregular than normal.
-
You’re gassy or feel bloated more often than usual.
-
Your skin feels irritated or you have frequent breakouts.
-
Your body odor or bad breath can’t be resolved with your usual hygiene products.
-
You feel stressed, anxious, or experience mood swings.
Causes of a burdened liver include:
-
Holding extra weight - fat tissues are known to store environmental chemicals and other toxins.
-
Excessive sugar - refined sugar and sugar from alcohol can lead to unwanted fat accumulation (even if you’re not overweight), forcing the liver to slow down and reduce its efficiency.
-
Poor gut health - strong gut health prevents toxins from entering the blood and taxing the liver.
As the second-largest organ in your body with approximately 500 critical jobs, the liver is best known for metabolizing food. But it’s also responsible for adjusting cholesterol levels, building proteins, making bile (to help absorb fats), storing sugar for when the body needs it most, and regulating hormone levels. One prominent myth is that you cannot protect yourself against liver disease. Contrary to this misconception, limiting or eliminating alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy body composition, and taking care of your liver on a daily basis (more on that below) can decrease the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
In the United States, the obesity epidemic continues to rise, leading to more cases of inflammation-related illnesses like fibrosis, cirrhosis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and other forms of liver damage. Treating your liver well can be done in small, meaningful ways each day. If you do this, you’ll be making a commitment to your overall health in sustainable ways that lower liver disease risk factors and promote your own joyful longevity. Proper diet, exercise and sleep may be obvious habits worth starting or maintaining, but we’re diving into a bit more detail about the specific steps you can take to optimize your liver and mind-body health for the long haul. We hope you find these tips achievable and start today!
1. HYDRATE, RELAX + RESET
Throughout the day, we can easily slip into autopilot mode, especially if we’re engaged in tasks that require deep concentration. How often do you check in on yourself? Do you ask yourself questions like, “Have I eaten or had any water to drink?”, or “Am I breathing?” High plain water intake has been shown to boost energy, increase fat oxidation, lower body weight, and reduce the risk of fatty liver disease. The exact amount of water each individual needs to drink varies based on age, body mass, gender and other factors, but aim for 8-10 glasses per day to start. When combined with conscious self-care that aims to lower stress, staying hydrated, relaxed and well rested is a winning combination for maintaining excellent liver health daily. Herbalist Tip: Adding elixirs like anti-inflammatory Curam or adaptogenic Schisandra Rose to your water can provide an additional gentle cleansing effect to your daily routine.
2. REDUCE + ELIMINATE TOXINS
Have you ever been late to work and seemingly hit every red light along the way? If your liver is the car and your brain is the driver, getting rid of as many toxins as you can is like giving them both green lights for the entire ride–the ride of being healthy and alive in your body! Toxins burden the liver, forcing the organ of regeneration to use precious resources to flush out these harmful invaders, taking away from the liver’s key influence over our mood, emotions, intellectual state, and more. Herbalist Tip: Starting with a goal of a few days or a week, try eliminating alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, sugar, GMO and processed foods. If that feels too daunting, choose one at a time to focus on. Keep a journal to record changes in how you feel, emotionally, physically, and even spiritually/sexually (libido may increase, too!) and track progress.
3. TRY INTERMITTENT FASTING
Along with letting some things go, showing a bit of restraint in not just what you consume but also when has been proven to help reduce fatty liver disease, improve sugar metabolism, and support liver detox. The body has a natural detox process, which can be further enhanced by intermittent fasting. Abstaining from eating with intention can provide our body with the time it needs to repair and cleanse itself because the liver and digestive system are able to conserve more energy. This cellular detox process is known as autophagy, or “self-eating”, a period during which healthy cells eat unhealthy cells. Herbalist Tip: If you want to try intermittent fasting, eat during an eight-hour window during the day, then fast for 16 hours. One to two weeks is a great start, keeping tabs in your journal to observe overall mind-body health.
4. SUPPLEMENT WITH HERBS
Liver cleansing doesn’t just remove bile and toxins, it also helps to move stagnant or heavy energy and emotions that have accumulated. In fact, many Eastern medicinal traditions consider the liver as the center of both emotions and passions. Sensitivity, intuition, and perception may all arise as a result of liver flushing. As you adopt these habits, expect the “purging” to affect both psychology and physiology. Herbalist Tip: Try incorporating some detoxifying liver herbs to support healthy regeneration:
-
Milk Thistle - Regarded as the “queen” of detoxifying herbs, its active ingredient silymarin helps to strengthen the cell walls of the liver, and can eliminate the buildup of heavy metals and toxins.
-
Burdock - Blood cleanser and liver function supporter, this anti-inflammatory root can be taken as a supplement or as a detox tea, with evidence supporting its ability to boost glutathione in the liver. Glutathione helps protect the liver from toxins and is a powerful antioxidant.
-
Pau D’Arco - This rainforest “heal all” is also an immune protector, blood detoxifier, and liver supporter. By eliminating bad bacteria and holding onto good bacteria in the gut, this anti-inflammatory, astringent, antibacterial and antiviral wonder is unmatched in the plant world.
-
Chlorella - Binding to heavy metals and other liver-taxing toxins, chlorella acts as a chelator. In studies, chlorella was demonstrated to absorb 40 percent of heavy metals within seven days.
-
Liver Vitality Greens - Our daily purge in a powder offers many of these herbs, expertly crafted in a 100% organic formula, to help take some of the guesswork out of daily liver cleansing.
5. EAT LIVER-FRIENDLY FOODS
Say goodbye to fancy flushes and cringeworthy cleanses. If you need a motivational mantra, we love these three easy lines from In Defense of Food author Michael Pollan: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
A balanced, plant-centric diet helps to support healthy body composition with diverse nutrients. Eating with a liver-loving focus offers your liver and gut the ideal defense against chronic disease and unnecessary suffering from unwanted fat accumulation in the liver. If you do nothing else, ditch pre-packaged and processed foods first. Then, move on to focusing on as many whole and organic foods, healthy oils, and eventually eliminating (or reducing as much as possible) caffeine and alcohol in excess.
This style of clean eating gives your liver (and your whole body) a break from additives, pesticides, and other toxins that tax your system. In their place, nutrient-dense foods offer nourishing and rejuvenating possibilities for optimal gut and mental health thanks to fewer toxins clouding your bloodstream.
Here are some of our herbalists’ favorite liver-supporting foods:
-
Turmeric - With a plethora of health benefits to celebrate, this anti-inflammatory root aids digestion, restores blood sugar balance, and supports healthy liver tissue and metabolism.
-
Dandelion Root + Greens - A natural diuretic, this flower and its root contain excellent vitamins and minerals for fortifying the immune system, balancing blood sugar levels, soothing digestive upset, and supporting the liver to eliminate unwanted toxins more rapidly and effectively.
-
Glutathione-Boosting Foods - Avocado, almonds, okra, and asparagus are a few kitchen staples we love to keep on hand to help fight oxidative stress and free radicals.
-
Fermented Foods - Kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, and other probiotics promote healthy digestion and the integrity of the gut lining, offering a defense against toxins and heavy metals.
-
Green Tea - Liver detoxification is triggered by an elevated antioxidant capacity in the body, and the phytochemicals found in green tea further supports this process. Our ceremonial matcha also contains a high concentration of chlorophyll, a natural detoxifier and liver cleanser.
6. SCHEDULE TIME TO SWEAT
In the sauna, in the gym, or in nature, sweating supports the lymphatic system and helps flush out toxins and bacteria more effectively. According to the CDC, less than 25 percent of adults aged 18 and over meet the Physical Activity Guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. If hot yoga, jogging under the sun, or HIT workouts aren’t for you, try a sweat session in the sauna, but be sure to take a cool shower directly after to prevent reabsorption of toxins back into the body. Studies have demonstrated that regular sauna use has the potential to regulate mercury levels and may help eliminate toxic trace metals. A stress-relieving bath can also help support daily detoxing with added benefits from epsom-salts. Truth be told, little is more effective than getting the body moving, which can help to remove potentially harmful molecules via the pores, lowering fat in the liver and boosting overall liver health.
