Maintaining low levels of toxicity is vitally important to the health of your liver; the fewer toxins that build up in your system, the better. Unfortunately, it is not so easy in this day and age to keep your body free of these damaging substances. To make sure that your liver can keep up with this barrage and continue to detoxify your body efficiently, try some of the following natural prescriptions for a healthy liver.
–Drink lemon juice. Lemons are an excellent liver tonic. You can begin or end your day with a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice diluted in water. Lemon is a natural antiseptic that could aid your liver in the detoxification process. Lemon juice could also help dissolve uric acid and
other poisons, and help to liquefy bile.
–Eat lots of leafy green vegetables. Leafy green vegetables, especially those with a slightly bitter taste, are great liver tonics. Add rapini, mustard greens, Belgian endive, escarole, dandelion leaves, and chicory leaves to your favorite recipes and salads. Many North Americans don’t include these vegetables in their diet, which is a shame because they are full of liver-boosting nutrients.
–Consume organic produce whenever possible. Organically grown fruits and vegetables could reduce the amount of toxic chemicals in the form of pesticides and insecticides that your liver has to deal with.
–Get a dose of folic acid every day. Without enough folate in your diet, your cells cannot divide properly. Folate helps create and maintain new cells. Since your liver is the only organ that can repair and re-grow, make sure you get enough folic acid to aid in this important process. Good food sources of folate are green leafy vegetables, liver, asparagus, celery, beets, great northern beans, broccoli, avocados, peanuts, and wheat germ. The RDI for folic acid is 0.2 to 0.4 mg.
–Manganese is a liver booster. Manganese is part of the critical process of finding free radicals, neutralizing them, and preventing the extensive damage they are capable of inflicting on your cells. The best sources of manganese are pineapple, potatoes, leafy greens, raspberries, spices (turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, thyme, and black pepper), nuts and seeds, and grapes. The RDI for manganese is 5.0 mg.
–Drink lots of filtered water. Water is one of the best ways to flush out the liver. Give your liver enough water every day to help it rid your body of toxins through urine. Buy a water filter that you can install on your tap in the kitchen, if you can. Some models are relatively cheap and can still do a pretty effective job of removing chemicals.
–Get lots of exercise. Exercise helps to flush toxins from your body when you sweat. Try to exercise at least three times a week, and try to work up a sweat. Drink lots of water to help with the “flushing-out” process.