Are you feeling gross, sluggish, bloated, or exhausted? Perhaps you wake up in the middle of the night, have poor digestion/constipation, or have gained weight recently? Is your skin looking haggard, sallow, or are your eyes red or itchy? If so, you may have worked your liver so hard that it has become sluggish and in need of a detox, or at least a little bit of extra love. As we age, our liver gets worn down with over-use especially if you eat the Standard American Diet, drink moderately, or eat hormone healthy doses of dietary fat and enjoy your desserts. The liver simply cannot keep up with the work it has to do and gets sluggish. A sluggish liver can lead to all sorts of long-term health problems because it is involved in so many important metabolic processes – insulin resistance, cancer, vulnerability to viral illnesses are just a few.
Most of us don’t start thinking about detoxing until after we gorge ourselves in December and early January. It’s still a good idea to do that as well. The French have been doing spring detoxes for generations – a weekend of fasting and magical leek soup gets them right on track. Though I’m not a big fan of eating the same thing for every meal and I certainly don’t enjoy liquid fasts, it’s an option. I’d like to make the case, however, that if you detox BEFORE the holidays, you are not going to have to worry so much about detoxing hard core afterwards and will have fewer unpleasant symptoms during the holidays. I want my body to be ready to receive all the extra food, alcohol and sugar armed with highly functioning organs, especially my liver. Given that the liver is the organ that metabolizes hormones, purifies the blood, metabolizes fats and sugars, and generally removes impurities from the body, I want it to be in prime condition. If I can do that, my skin will be clear and radiant, I’ll feel less bloat, less vulnerable to sugar highs/crashes, and even hangovers, and hopefully (fingers crossed), won’t have to worry about weigh gain, either.
I’m not a fan of traditional, hard core detoxing, so that’s not what I’m going to share with you. I like gentle and easy ways to help the body do its thing more efficiently so I’ve included some lifestyle strategies, foods, and essential oils that that do just that. I’ve been using most of these for several years, but plan to amp them up in the next 3 weeks.
Top Strategies to prep your body for the holidays that you can start now:
Dandelion - has a rich history of cultural support – Chinese, Egyptian and European people have used it for its detoxifying, anti-inflammatory and probiotic properties. It works like a diuretic as it helps to flush out toxins, so a side effect of its use is often weight loss. It is considered a “liver tonic”, helps to boost bile production by the liver, and has been found to even heal damaged livers in both animal and human studies. See the following review of the literature for the wide ranging benefits of dandelion on the liver and other metabolic processes: Hepatoprotection by dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and mechanisms Mahboubi M, Mahboubi M - Asian Pac J Trop Biomed (apjtb.org). You can make a dandelion tea by adding 1 tsp of the tea leaves to 2 cups of water. Or you can purchase dried powder extract and do the same. Naturopaths recommend dosage of 250-1000 mg 4 X per day for therapeutic benefit. The dandy blend tea that I use www.dandyblend.com has 650 mg per serving, so I plan to drink 2 cups per day as part of my liver loving plan. I use it as a coffee replacement and add stevia (and coconut milk at times). If you prefer a supplement, I use Zendocrine Detoxification Complex which has dandelion in it as well as milk thistle - Zendocrine Detoxification Complex | dōTERRA Essential Oils (doterra.com).
Leafy greens – they have a variety of critical nutrients such as magnesium and inorganic nitrate that help reduce risk of liver inflammation, fibrosis and fat deposition. Magnesium and liver disease - PubMed (nih.gov). I like to stir fry my kale, spinach, swiss chard in water or broth, add some salt and pepper, garlic and throw them in my bowl of soup/stew/chili. You can also simply increase the amount of salad greens you eat per day. If you are a fan of smoothies, make sure you add some leafy greens. DoTERRA has a lovely fresh tasting greens drink that includes dandelion (mentioned above) as well as various other super greens. I make the tastiest before dinner drink with it - 1 scoop DoTERRA greens, dash of lemon juice, a few drops of ginger essential oil, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (to get the stomach enzymes primed for food and reduce blood sugar spikes), topped off with sparkling water. doTERRA Greens | dōTERRA Essential Oils. See the link in the resources page for how to purchase using my doTERRA link :-)
Cilantro – This herb has been used for centuries to improve digestion, lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar levels, remove chemicals (especially heavy metals), and improve liver function. It’s known as a chelator, which means that it binds to heavy metals and aids in elimination from the bowels. You can juice it with ginger, cucumber and lemon or lime. You can also simply add it to your meals. I love adding cilantro to various Asian inspired salads and to my chili. Cilantro also comes in essential oil form, and you can use this internally (if using a reputable source that does reliable purity testing like DoTerra) by putting 1-3 drops in a veggie capsule 2 X per day.
Avocado – Not only does avocado have the healthy fats that we aim for, but it also shields the liver from damage from toxins. It’s high in glutathione, which is a powerful antioxidant that can repair damaged cells in the liver. I love to add avocado to my chili bowl or any salad. The only caveat for avocado is to remember that it is high in calories and fat, so over-eating it will not help your waistline. I aim for ½ an avocado per day.
Lemon Juice and Lemon Essential Oil – Lemon juice and lemon essential oil have been found to decrease fat storage in the liver, stimulate lymphatic drainage, improve blood glucose metabolism (which all help the liver get the break it needs), and even improve important markers and damaged tissue in the liver. Protective Effects of Lemon Juice on Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury in Mice - PubMed (nih.gov). The protective effect of Citrus limon essential oil on hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced by aspirin in rats - PubMed (nih.gov). The juice of half a lemon in the morning in water on an empty stomach is a quick and easy way to start the healing process for your liver. Pure Lemon essential oil can be taken internally by adding 1-2 drops to an 8 oz glass of water. I like to drink water infused with a variety of citrus oils throughout the day.
Rosemary Essential Oil and Castor Oil – Rosemary essential oil has also been found to protect the liver from oxidative stress and actually heal damaged livers. Antioxidant activity of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil and its hepatoprotective potential - PubMed (nih.gov). You can mix rosemary essential oil with water and spray directly on your liver area. I often use rosemary essential oil or Doterra’s Zendochrine detox blend Zendocrine Oil | dōTERRA Essential Oils (doterra.com) with castor oil. This is the castor oil that I have been using: Original Organic Castor Oil Pack for Liver Kit | Queen of the Thrones® (shopqueenofthethrones.com). You can use the castor oil and rosemary essential oil with a heat pack to drive the oils into the skin (an hour is sufficient), or wear the castor oil pack overnight. Castor oil has been found to modulate white blood cell count, improve liver function, and even cholesterol levels. Evidence for the Topical Application of Castor Oil – International Journal of Naturopathic Medicine (intjnm.com).
Sweating - vigorous exercise or an infrared sauna can help release toxins through your skin so that the liver has less work to do (thereby getting the rest we are looking for). Studies have shown that elements such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury are secreted at higher rates through the skin than through other methods of excretion. Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat: a systematic review - PubMed (nih.gov). My favorite place to get infrared sauna services is at my friend Stephanie’s clinic in central Pennsylvania. About O2 Hyperbarics – O2 Hyperbarics (getyouroxygenon.com). I was able to eliminate my heavy metal toxicity symptoms using infrared sauna (and some of the other strategies mentioned in this blog) to the point that there was no evidence of heavy metals in my hair sample after 6 months AT ALL! (very unusual). When I use sauna regularly, I also feel lighter, have less water retention, and my skin is more clear with a healthy, noticeable glow.
Chlorella – is an algae that contains multiple B vitamins, as well as Vit C and Vit K. It was found to improve liver enzymes and metabolic processes via supplementation of 400 mg per day for 8 weeks. The Effect of Chlorella vulgaris Supplementation on Liver En-zymes, Serum Glucose and Lipid Profile in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - PubMed (nih.gov). My favorite source of chlorella is sustainably sourced, contains no harmful lead (common when producing chlorella), and no chemicals or additives, and it's in little easy to swallow/chew tablets - Chlorella: Benefits of Nature’s Best Detoxifier | ENERGYbits®
If you are thinking "This is too much, it's overwhelming, I don't know where to start", listen up! Pick one thing on this list to add to your routine and do it consistently. Or simply reduce your alcohol, sugar, and processed food consumption from now until you holiday celebrations. Big wins in health start with small steps. I've found working with health coaching clients that prioritizing a short list and getting those habits engrained before they add anything else leads to more consistency. And we all know that consistency is the key, right? Start now, so you can enjoy your holidays guilt-free!
Resources
https://doterra.me/Rup0oG My favorite DoTERRA oils (lemon, zendocrine, rosemary) and supplements (Greens and zendocrine complex) to help with detox in your shopping cart. Just delete the ones you don’t want! Includes a year membership (for $35) of discounted products whenever you feel like re-ordering. The membership has paid for itself already after this order due to the deep discounts you receive (compare to retail price - you will be AMAZED)
https://www.shopqueenofthethrones.com/ my affiliate link for your castor oil products and pack
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-the-health-expert/id911502027?i=1000587449405 - JJ Virgin - what to eat for liver health
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/essentially-you-empowering-you-on-your-health-wellness/id1361914055?i=1000586414727 - Dr. Mariza Snder, Liver Superfoods
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