Detoxification is a normal body process of neutralizing or eliminating pollutants, toxins and waste through the kidneys, intestines, liver, lungs, lymph glands, and skin. The liver is a primary organ and works tirelessly to detoxify, inactivate and excrete harmful substances, drugs, hormones as well as dead and damaged cells from the body.
Signs That the Liver Needs Detoxification
An overload of toxins can leave the liver overworked and exhausted, allowing toxic and waste material to remain in the blood and body, causing symptoms such as hormone imbalances, fatigue and weakening the immune system. Physical symptoms such as allergies, indigestion, bloating, skin damage, aging and spots, eye problems (spots, red or watery eyes), headaches, hot flushes, insomnia, PMS, muscular pain, head pain and neck tension can occur.
Islamic Prophetic Medicine considers the liver the organ most strongly affected by emotions and stress. Conversely, Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes that when the liver is stressed, anger, depression and irritability are more likely to arise.
The Liver Produces Bile, Important for Digestion
The liver is a major blood reservoir, filtering over 1.4 liters of blood per minute, which it receives from two sources: the hepatic artery which delivers oxygenated blood from general circulation and the hepatic portal vein which delivers deoxygenated blood from the small intestine.
The liver also plays an important role in fat, carbohydrate and protein metabolism and in vitamin and mineral storage. Each day it manufactures and secretes almost a liter of bile, which is necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble material from the intestines, including many vitamins.
Foods to Eat for Liver Health
There are certain foods that help to protect and detoxify the liver itself so that it can perform better to detox the entire body:
- Apples contain pectin which helps to bind and excrete heavy metals right off the intestines. This directly helps to reduce the load of filtration on the liver.
- Beets, carrots, red onions and aubergine contains flavonoids and beta-carotene which are potent antioxidants.
- Garlic contains allicin, an antioxidant and the mineral selenium. It assists the removal of heavy metals from the liver.
- Eggs, brown rice and whole grains, broccoli and spinach contain B-complex vitamins which improve liver function and promote liver decongestion. Vitamin B12 helps to metabolize fats and improves liver health.
- Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and lettuce contain glucosinolates which help the liver produce enzymes for detoxification.
- Grapefruits are rich in antioxidants and help in natural detoxification of liver.
- Bitter vegetables such as bitter gourd, dandelion greens, mustard greens and chicory promote the production and flow of bile.
Many factors determine whether the liver performs its critical functions well. Too much pressure on the liver from overeating rich or poor-quality food, environmental stresses, overwork or emotional stress can cause liver overload, leading to a decreased ability to clear toxins and hormones and manufacture bile. Foods which contain high levels of antioxidants help to protect the liver and keep it healthy while other foods cleanse the liver.
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Noreen Kassem - Noreen Kassem is a hospital doctor based in London, UK. She has extensive experience in clinical research and an undergraduate honors ...
