Your liver is one hard-working organ.
In fact, it’s responsible for over 500 vital processes.
Yes, 500!
While it’s most well known for its detox duties — protecting our bodies from wastes and toxins — the liver’s also necessary for:
- Fat digestion
- Protein digestion
- Blood clotting
- Maintaining balanced blood sugar levels
- Hormone production
- Hormone detoxification
… and so much more.
So you can only imagine what can happen when the liver isn’t functioning at its best and these processes start to become compromised.
This is why it’s so important to support this amazing organ on a regular basis.
And the great news is, we don’t need a drastic “cleanse” to do so! The liver knows how to do its job — it can simply use a little extra support from time to time.
5 Liver Support Tools
1. Minimize exposure to toxins
Exposure to toxins places an added burden on the liver, adding even more to its seemingly endless to-do list!
Toxins can look like air and water pollution, but also trace pesticides on food, plastics, home cleaning products, and skincare products.
Reducing plastic use, choosing organic foods as much as possible, making the switch to all-natural cleaning products, and drinking filtered water are a few great ways to get started.
But what we put ON our bodies is just as important. This is why I’m such a big advocate for non-toxic skincare and beauty products. My number one choice is Beautycounter which is why I joined as a consultant a few years ago. Not only are the products safe, but they’re high-performing too — the best of both worlds.
2. Reduce processed foods and refined sugar
Processed foods contain unhealthy oils and unnatural ingredients that can congest the liver, while sugar puts stress on the liver and can even contribute to fatty liver disease.
Instead, fuel your body with a nutrient-dense real food diet — check out some of my recipes for some inspiration and proof that healthy food is delicious!
To keep blood sugar levels balanced, eat plenty of healthy protein and fat, as well as fiber-full complex carbohydrates (especially fruits and vegetables). Avoid added sugars and instead indulge your sweet tooth with antioxidant-rich fruits, dark chocolate, or one of these healthy dessert recipes.
3. Give castor oil packs a try
Castor oil has long been used in traditional medicine for its cleansing properties, and castor oil packs are my favorite way to reap the benefits. They’re a regular part of my own wellness routine, and I often recommend them as a therapeutic tool for clients.
Learn the ins and outs of how to use castor oil packs for liver support.
4. Add some liver supporting foods to your daily menu
Dark leafy greens like Swiss chard, beet greens, mustard greens, kale, dandelion greens, salad greens and spinach provide your liver the right nutrients to detox more efficiently.
They’re also bitter in nature, stimulating bile production and flow. The liver produces bile, which helps the body digest fats so that they can be absorbed along with fat soluble vitamins. Bile is also how this vital detoxification organ excretes toxins, dumping them along with the bile into stool to be removed from the body.
Grab some liver-loving recipe inspiration with this Cabbage and Kale Chicken Taco Bowl.
5. Support a healthy gut
Certain microbes in your gut can impact the health and functioning of your liver. This is just one more reason why I always use a comprehensive stool test with all my clients!
So what do you think? Ready to give your liver some extra support?
Any questions? Please let us know in the comments below so we can keep the conversation going and support you in your healing journey!
ARE YOU READY TO GET TESTED AND TURN YOUR HEALTH AROUND? CLICK THE BUTTOM BELOW TO REQUEST A FREE DISCOVERY CALL…
Apply to Work with Us
As a Registered Dietitian and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, my team and I help clients get proper testing, assist in the process of reading those results using clinical correlation (treating the patient and not just the test results), and give them the proper tools (diet, supplements, and lifestyle) to start the healing process.
The post Keep Your Liver Healthy with these 5 Support Tools appeared first on The Organic Dietitian.
