Every person’s health and wellbeing is dependent on how their body removes and purges toxins. With all the environmental pollution, toxic body-care products, and processed foods, most people are in desperate need of a serious detox! A liver cleanse is a great way to do this.
One of the main ways that the body rids itself of toxins is through the liver. In fact, the liver is one of the hardest working organs in the body. It works tirelessly to detoxify our blood, produce the bile needed to digest fat, break down hormones, and store essential vitamins, minerals, and iron. When the liver is not functioning optimally, we cannot digest our food properly, especially fats!
Some of the essential functions of the liver include the following:
- Processing nutrients absorbed by the intestines so they are more efficiently absorbed
- Regulating blood composition to balance protein, fat, and sugar
- Destroying old red blood cells
- Producing essential chemicals to help blood clot properly
- Breaking down and metabolizing of alcohol and medications
- Producing essential proteins and cholesterol
- Removing toxins from the blood stream including bilirubin, ammonia, and others
- Storing of minerals, iron, and Vitamin
For the liver to take care of the body, it must be able to perform optimally. When most people think of liver disease, they think only of alcohol-induced cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a serious health condition, but contrary to popular thought, alcoholism is not the only cause.
In fact, there are a number of factors that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver damage including eating uncooked shellfish, some medications (including acetaminophen), chronic malnutrition, eating poisonous wild mushrooms, and exposure to chemicals.
Cirrhosis occurs when scar tissue replaces the healthy cells in the liver. As the scar tissue continues to grow, the liver’s ability to function is diminished. Liver failure is the next biological step, and it occurs when the scar tissue has created so much damage that it no longer functions.
Liver cleanse effectively removes toxins
Today, we are faced with many environmental toxins occurring in our homes, places of work, and in our food supply. It is essential for our general health and wellbeing to keep our livers functioning properly. Below are some of the risk factors associated with impaired liver function.
- Low potassium levels
- Heavy alcohol abuse
- Intravenous drug use
- Blood transfusions prior to 1992
- Exposure to certain industrial chemicals and environmental
toxins - Unprotected sex
- Obesity, and a diet high in saturated fats, and processed foods
- Tattoos or body piercings
- High levels of triglycerides in the blood
- Prescription medications including acetaminophen
- Viral infections
- Autoimmune disease
Signs and symptoms your liver isn’t functioning optimally
If you have recently noticed any of the symptoms listed below, you could be suffering from impaired liver function. It is particularly important to consider these symptoms if you identify with one or more of the risk factors mentioned above.
- Bloating and gas
- Acid reflux and heartburn
- Constipation
- Skin or eyes that are yellowish (a symptom of jaundice)
- Inability to lose weight
- High blood pressure
- Moodiness, anxiousness, or depression
- Dark urine
- Rosacea
- Chronic fatigue
- Excessive sweating
- Bruise easily
- Poor appetite
Fortunately, you can improve your liver’s functioning. Through a thorough liver cleanse, you can start to feel better in a matter of a couple of weeks.
Next month, we will discuss part two of the six-step liver cleanse.
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.