luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
Since most of us are on medications and/or antifungals that can damage our liver, I thought some of you may like this website I came across this morning.
It gives great ways to support your liver through diet and exercise and supplements.
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
This does look like a very interesting site Luvs
Thanks for sharing the link!
Ali
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
some interesting info from the site:
Many foods promote liver health, while others impair liver function. Paul Ratte, ND, a naturopathic physician, recommends eating liver-nourishing foods daily. In addition, it is always best to eat food in its whole, unprocessed state.
Foods That Promote Liver Health:
Cabbage family (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale) Artichokes Rhubarb Radishes Sprouts Raw vegetable juices (not carrot or beet) Cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines) Flaxseed Oil Apples Garlic, onions, and turnips Tempeh and miso Nuts and seeds (except peanuts) Safflower, sesame seed, and sunflower oil Walnut oil Wheat germ and wheat germ oil
Foods That Impair Liver Function: White sugar White flour Fried food Processed high sugar foods Excessive alcohol Saturated fats Partially hydrogenated fats Soft drinks Potato chips Excess protein
Condiments to Add to Your Shopping List:
Americans are obsessed with ketchup; however this popular condiment is primarily made up of sugar and corn syrup. Luckily, several other condiments are considered to be beneficial for aiding in digestion and supporting liver function. Some of these include:
* High quality salsa (fresh, refrigerated) * Fresh parsley and parsley flakes * Lemon juice * Apple cider vinegar * Sauerkraut, kim chee, and other cultured
vegetables * Bitter melon * Sea vegetables (kelp, nori, wakame) * Stevia and date sugar * Wild greens powder
Supplements for a Healthy Liver:
* Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) - often the herb of choice to help detoxify and heal the liver. It is an extremely safe herb with the unique ability to detoxify, protect, and regenerate the liver.
Clinical trials have shown it to be effective in cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, fatty liver, enlarged liver, inflammation of the bile duct and liver regeneration. It can be taken daily.
* Alpha Lipoic Acid - considered to be the universal antioxidant since it is both fat soluble and water soluble. It protects the liver from free radical damage and also helps promote detoxification reactions.
* Licorice Extract - contains glycyrrhetinic acid, the active component shown to protect the liver from damage, enhance the immune system and aid the liver in detoxification reactions.
* Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) - induces the flow of bile from the liver and improves digestion. It has been used for many years for a variety of liver conditions including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and estrogen dominance.
* Turmeric (Curcuma longa) - has been shown to be anti-inflammatory in the liver and a detoxificer, analgesic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. It has also been shown to be as effective as ibuprofen and cortisone as an anti-inflammatory while increasing enzyme detoxification.
* SAMe - an important nutrient found in the body by combining the essential amino acid methionine with ATP. Extensive clinical studies prove its effectiveness in liver conditions such as cirrhosis, Gilbert's syndrome, oral contraceptives, and sluggish liver. It has been shown to promote bile flow and relieve cholestasis.
* Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) - contains bile-stimulating and liver-protecting compounds; it also has cholesterol-lowering properties and stimulates bile production.
* Beta Vulgaris (beet root) - consuming this juice in the morning stimulates and helps cleanse the liver. Drink one cup of raw juice slowly and do not repeat for several days. Beet leaves also have liver cleansing properties.
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
Detoxification can be done as simply as making small changes to your diet to more dramatic, 28-day programs. The key is to make sure the program you follow is safe and relies on dietary changes rather than supplements.
The Best Time to Detoxify:
Most naturopathic physicians suggest incorporating more of nature's cycles in with your own cycles. For example, if you notice there are regular times when you experience symptoms of a ``sluggish liver'', it might be worthwhile to follow detox procedures during those times.
Everyone has a natural cleansing time when the body wants a lighter diet, more liquids and greater elimination than intake. This usually occurs each daily in the night until midmorning.
The liver is more active at night (1 to 3 a.m.), so nighttime is a good time to detoxify and take supplements such as milk thistle.
The body's natural cleansing time may occur each week but more often occurs a few days per month, much like the natural cleansing associated with the female menstrual cycle.
In fact, women tend to do better during pre-menstrual periods and during their cycle if they follow a cleansing program that includes more juices, greens, lighter foods, herbs, etc. the week before menstruation begins.
The most natural time for detoxification follows the change in seasons; spring is a key time for detoxification with autumn following in a close second.
It is suggested that at least a 1 to 2 week program is followed during these times.
Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables are appropriate in the spring, whereas eating more brown rice, vegetables and soups may be best to simplify your diet in the fall.
Getting Started:
* Start with the environment you can control - your home. Make sure your furnace has the proper filters, keep carpets clean, address any mold problems, and invest in an air purifier and water filtration system.
* Drink pure drinking water from glass containers. Make sure your kitchen faucet has a filter.
* Aim for clean, organic food whenever possible. Try to have 1 to 2 servings of cruciferous vegetables each day to promote liver health. These include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, horseradish, kale, collard greens, radishes, kohlrabi, etc.
* Never microwave in plastic containers. Put food in microwave-save dishes and put drinks in glass containers.
* Increase circulation by regular exercise.
* Increase fiber intake. Fiber is what binds to the toxins and fats. Most adults should get between 30 and 50 grams of fiber per day.
* Avoid trans fatty acids. Trans fats are poison - period!
* Incorporate a ``Detox and Cleanse Program''. Several commercial products are on the market. It is important, however, to distinguish between a ``cleanse'' and a ``detox''. A cleanse generally consists of fiber and pushes waste through your body, whereas a detox can be much more specific where certain compounds are used to bind to specific toxins.
* Eat a diet low in fat and high in fiber. Include plenty of raw or lightly cooked vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables.
* Avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dairy products, white flour, and refined starches. Use hot lemon water or herbal teas instead of coffee and caffeinated teas.
* Drink lemons. Cleanse the liver by drinking the juice of a fresh lemon in a cup of very warm water first thing in the morning when the stomach is empty. It also helps to clear ht sinus.
Simple Ways to Detoxify Your Diet:
* Cut back on foods made with chemical additives and artificial flavors; these additives have been linked to allergies, cancer, and more.
* Avoid foods made with trans fats. They create free radicals in the body which are linked to heart disease, cancer, and other health conditions.
* Minimize use of artificial sweeteners. Your body doesn't know how to metabolize artificial chemical compounds that are used for these sweeteners; many have not been proven safe for extended use or in combination with other chemical compounds.
* Drink filtered water. Several studies have shown that filtered tap water is as good or better than many bottled waters. Click here to check the quality of the tap water in your area.
* Refrigerate oils in order to keep them from turning rancid.
* Avoid Plastic Containers. Store and heat foods in glass containers to prevent chemicals from leeching into foods.
* Avoid overcooked meats. They contain heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which have been linked to cancer.
Sources: ``Eat Clean'', Experience Life (May 2007), Linda Knittel; 10 Weeks to Wellness�, Paul Ratte, ND; Elson Haas, MD (Health World)
Thanks again!
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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Vermont_Lymie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9780
posted
Great site, thanks!
Also, there is a diet book I recommend for detox and liver health. It has a cheesy title, "The Fat Flush Diet", but the main point of the book is to clean out and support the liver, because then you can metabolize fat better. It is very good and the nutritionist who wrote it, Ann Louise Gittleman, includes great recipes.
Posts: 2557 | From home | Registered: Aug 2006
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
The liver is a remarkable, yet largely unappreciated, organ in daily life and is the primary organ that treats toxic substances and prepares them to be eliminated from the body.
In fact, the liver is the second largest organ in your body (next to skin) and is the largest gland. More importantly, the liver keeps you alive. Here are some of the other critical functions of the liver:
Metabolizes carbohydrate, protein, and fat
Creates enzymes, cholesterol, amino acids and protein
Produces bile to digest fat and carry toxins out of the body
Filters about 2 quarts of blood every minute to keep out unwanted substances
Stores blood to be released to the body when needed.
Maintains electrolytes and water balance
Stores vitamins and iron
Serves as a defense center for the immune system
Detoxifies the body from hormones, waste products, heavy metals, chemicals, and other toxins
Signs of a ``Sluggish Liver'':
Although medical doctors use groups of blood tests to look for liver damage in cases of infectious liver diseases or alcohol-related damage, these tests are not effective in showing the liver's functional capability; loss of functional capability may not show up in conventional liver-blood screening tests.
Naturopathic physicians identify when a liver is sluggish.
Although it can continue to function off its reserve, poor digestion, poor nutrition, poor excretion of bile, genetic weakness, and excessive exposure to toxins can impair liver function and deplete the functional reserves.
Here are some signs of a ``sluggish liver'':
* Poor skin tone * Dark circles under the eyes * Yellow-coated tongue * Yellow skin color * Bitter taste in the mouth * Headaches * Irritability and anger * Low energy * Abdominal bloating and constipation * Pain under the right rib cage * Premenstrual tension * Arthritis * Indigestion after eating high fat meals
Common Health Issues Attributed to Liver Problems:
Liver function is commonly stressed by alcohol and recreational drug use.
However, excess hormone production, especially the adrenal hormone cortisol (which is constantly being created by the body in response to the stress of modern lifestyles).
Sometimes the liver can store certain hormones for up to a year; this can lead to emotional imbalances such as depression, anger, and poor immune function.
Several of the common health issues attributed to liver problems include:
* PMS * Menopause * Cirrhosis * Hepatitis * Pale and greasy Stools * Several digestive problems
Many of these health conditions improve when the liver function improves; this is why many natural health programs always include improving the health and function of the liver.
If you are showing signs of a ``sluggish liver'' or other health issues associated with liver problems, it may be time to consider undergoing a detoxification process.
Source: 10 Weeks to Wellness�, Paul Ratte, ND
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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