Here are the 6 steps for my liver cleanse:
1. Remove toxic foods from your diet
If you are eating a diet high in processed foods, you are putting the health of your liver at risk. Hydrogenated oils, refined sugar, convenience foods, and lunch meats are notoriously toxic to your system.
For example, added nitrates and nitrites, commonly found in convenience foods, fast foods and lunch meats, have been linked to serious health conditions. These chemicals are used to preserve foods to make them last longer, inhibit bacteria growth, and preserve color. Replace these foods immediately with healthy choices. Healthy foods taste great, and with a bit of creativity, you can create healthful meals for your family.
Roast your own organic chicken breast and turkey breast to replace deli meats for quick lunches and after school snacks. Replace chips and other processed snacks with fresh fruit, carrot sticks, nuts, and homemade granola bars.
Hydrogenated oils, also known as “trans fats,” have higher levels of saturated fat. The chemical structure of the oil itself has been altered to increase shelf life. Consumption of trans fats dramatically increases the risk for heart disease by 25 percent or more. In addition, it is believed that trans fats cause problems with our immune system and can lead to inflammation throughout the body.
For a healthy (and tasty) alternative to kid-favorite macaroni and cheese, try my Cheesy Spaghetti Squash with Raisins and Walnuts. Spaghetti squash is low in calories, low in saturated fat, and considered a good source of Niacin, Vitamin B6, Manganese, Pantothenic Acid, and is rich with potassium. The walnuts are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids and contain anti-oxidants to boost cardiovascular health.
2. Drink raw vegetable juice
It can be nearly impossible to eat all of the raw vegetables you need to make your liver cleanse effective. However, by juicing a variety of raw vegetables, you can easily get the four to five servings of fresh, organic vegetables you need. Even vegetables that aren’t your favorites can be disguised and enjoyed in a fresh vegetable juice.
With impaired liver function, juicing vegetables has the added benefit of making the vegetables easier to digest, and more readily available for absorption.
Vegetables ideal for a liver cleanse include cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. While that combination may not sound very enjoyable, you can add other vegetables that you enjoy to the mix including carrots, cucumber, beets, and greens.
All of these vegetables help to reduce acid levels in the body, helping to create a more friendly pH balance. Experiment with your favorite flavor combinations; you can add fresh herbs including parsley, mint, and others to make the juices more enjoyable.
Try my kid-friendly Orange Carrot Ginger Juice. Fresh, organic carrots are essential to any liver cleanse. In the liver, the beta-carotene is converted into Vitamin A to help flush out the toxins in the body while reducing fat in the liver.
The high fiber content helps support a healthy digestive tract, hastening the elimination of toxins in your body. The ginger root helps to soothe the digestive tract, reduce intestinal gas, and has strong anti-inflammatory compounds. The fresh oranges in this recipe not only add tangy sweetness, but also add significant Vitamin C, additional Vitamin A, and Vitamin B-6.
3. Load up on potassium-rich foods
Are you getting the recommended 4,700 milligrams per day of potassium? Chances are, you aren’t. Potassium-rich foods help to lower systolic blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and support a healthy cardiovascular system, in addition to helping cleanse your liver. If you have been tempted to take potassium supplements, instead add these healthful foods to your diet.
Sweet Potatoes
Surprisingly, it is not the banana that is the richest in potassium. It is the sweet potato. A single, medium sweet potato contains nearly 700 milligrams of potassium, not to mention the high fiber and beta-carotene content.
A sweet potato only has 131 calories, yet is rich with Vitamins B-6, C, D, magnesium and iron. While naturally sweet, the sugars actually are slowly released into the bloodstream through the liver, without causing a spike in blood sugar.
Tomato sauces
Potassium, and the other beneficial nutrients in tomatoes, is significantly concentrated as a sauce, puree, or as a paste. As an example, 1 cup of tomato puree contains 1,065 milligrams of potassium, where one cup of fresh tomatoes, contains only 400 milligrams. When selecting tomato sauce, paste, or puree, be sure to choose those made only from organic tomatoes.
To make your own concentrated tomato sauce, slice organic tomatoes in half and roast face down in the oven for 30 minutes at 425 degrees, until the skin has shriveled. Remove from oven, and let cool. Slide the skins off and gently crush in your food processor or blender. Strain to remove seeds, if you desire. Pour into a Dutch oven, and let simmer until thick, one to two hours.
Beet greens and spinach
Rich in antioxidants, beet greens contain over 1,300 milligrams of potassium per cup. Add beets and beet greens to your fresh vegetable juice recipe, finely chop and add raw to salads, or sauté lightly, like other greens. Beets also naturally cleanse the gallbladder and improve bile flow. Fresh organic spinach is easily added to your diet, and is a good source of potassium, containing 840 milligrams per serving.
Beans
White beans, kidney beans, and lima beans are all rich with potassium, protein, and fiber. Swap out one of these potassium-rich beans for garbanzo beans in your favorite hummus recipe, and eat with carrot sticks and celery sticks.
Blackstrap molasses
Just two teaspoons of this rich all-natural syrup contains 10 percent of the daily-recommended amount of potassium. In addition to potassium, blackstrap molasses is rich with iron, calcium, manganese. and copper.
Incorporate blackstrap molasses into your diet by replacing other natural sweeteners with it, to create barbeque sauces, and to top oatmeal or quinoa porridge in the mornings. Two teaspoons added to coffee intensifies the richness of the coffee, while lowering the acidic taste.
Bananas
And finally, add a banana to your favorite smoothie. While in comparison to the other high potassium foods on this list, the banana’s 470 milligrams of potassium are only part of the story. Bananas assist in digestion, and help to release toxins and heavy metals from the body — all of which are essential during a liver cleanse.
Please note: If you have high levels of potassium in your kidneys, foods rich in potassium should be consumed moderately.
4. Coffee enemas
Coffee enemas help with constipation, reduce fatigue, and aid in liver detoxification. During the enema, organic coffee is retained in your bowel, allowing the fluid to enter the liver through the intestinal wall.
This has a stimulating effect that increases bile flow, helping to jump-start both your gallbladder and your liver. This sparks the production of the chemical glutathione, a strong cleansing compound that helps to release the build up of toxins in your system.
Eliminating the toxins during a liver cleanse is the most important thing, so they don’t build up and are moved quickly out of your system.
Combine two tablespoons of organic ground coffee with three cups of filtered or distilled water and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 15 minutes and allow to cool. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth and use in your enema kit. Try to retain the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, and then release.
5. Take milk thistle, dandelion, and turmeric supplements
Milk thistle
Milk thistle is considered the “king” of detoxifying herbs, making it ideal for a liver cleanse. Milk thistle helps to eliminate the buildup of heavy metals, prescription medications, environmental pollutants, and alcohol in the liver.
In addition, it helps to reduce the negative effects on the liver after chemotherapy and radiation. The active ingredient, silymarin, helps to strengthen the cell walls in the liver, while supporting healthy regeneration.
Turmeric
Turmeric reduces joint pain, is an effective anti-depressant, aids in digestion, helps to restore a healthy blood sugar balance, and supports healthy liver tissue and liver metabolism.
Currently, researchers are studying turmeric for a variety of health benefits for diseases and conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, depression, osteoarthritis, breast health, prostate health, and chronic pain.
Dandelion root
Most homeowners hate the dandelion, as it volunteers to populate yards every spring. This flower, and its root, is actually packed with vitamins and minerals.
Dandelion root has a natural diuretic effect, allowing your liver to more quickly eliminate toxins. It also helps to strengthen the immune system, balance blood sugar levels, relieve heartburn, and soothe digestive upset.
6. Eat real liver or take liver tablets
Liver from young, healthy, grass-fed cattle or chicken liver is rich with Vitamins A and B, folic acid, choline, iron, copper, zinc, chromium, and CoQ10. Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods we can eat.
If you can’t stomach eating liver, you can take beef liver pills. Seek a supplement that guarantees no hormones, pesticides, or antibiotics are used in the feeding and care of the cattle.
Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, DC, CNS is a certified doctor of natural medicine, doctor of chiropractic, and clinical nutritionist with a passion to help people get healthy by using food as medicine. For more information, please visit www.draxe.com.