Love Your Liver

We're sharing this with you because we believe that the liver is really important. We need to look after it at all times, not only during the Equitox. Here are a few of our handy tips to help you support your liver during this time.

Patricia Clarke Dip. Nat. Nut.and
Angela MacRitchie Dip. Nat. Nut.

The liver's main job is to filter blood coming from the digestive tract before sending it to the rest of the body. It detoxifies chemicals and metabolises or breaks down drugs. Whilst it is doing this, it secretes bile that ends up back in the intestines (the bile breaks down fat and gives faeces its brown colour). The liver makes proteins that help the blood clot and it is involved in converting food into energy and storing glucose for when we need it.

Increase Glorious Garlic

A small amount of garlic activates the liver to flush out toxins as it contains allicin and selenium that aid the liver in cleansing. Allicin is a pest-resistant property of garlic and is a good defence against bacteria, virus, protozoa and fungus in the body.

Increase Crazy Citrus

Lemons, limes and Grapefruit are high in vitamin C and antioxidants that naturally support the liver in its cleansing power. Have one of these freshly squeezed into warm water first thing in the morning to boost the liver's detoxification power.

Increase Adorable Apples

Apples are high in pectin and this aids the body to cleanse and release toxins from the digestive tract. In turn, this helps the liver to cope with toxic load.

Increase Olive Oil

Cold pressed oils such as olive, hemp & flaxseed when used in moderation as the lipid base absorbs harmful toxins from the body and in doing so support the liver.

Now put the above ingredients together and add a few more to introduce the Gentle Liver Flush: To be done first thing in the morning.

Add the following in a glass:

1. Juice of 1 lemon
2. Juice of one lime
3. Half a pint of fresh pressed apple juice
4. I clove garlic – crushed
5. Small piece of grated ginger
6. 1 tblsp virgin cold pressed olive oil
7. Pinch of cayenne powder

Blend together in a liquidiser and drink

Then take a 2 tsp Napiers Detoxitea and let it steep for 5 – 10 minutes (make 1 pint of tea) Sip this slowly for the next hour or so. Do not eat anything for the next 2 hours after this Gentle Liver Flush routine and eat something light, such as fruit.

Do this for the next 5 to 10 days

Increase Cruciferous Vegetables

There are 3 phases of detoxification (breaking down toxic substances) that happen in the liver and certain foods help to speed these up or make them happen more efficiently. Increase your intake of cruciferous vegetables such broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, collard greens and brussel sprouts as they contain glucosinolate that supports enzyme production in the liver and they flush toxins and carcinogens from the body.

Increase Tremendous Turmeric

There is so much to say about turmeric but one property is that it helps boost the liver and is loved by the liver as it has enzymes that actively flushes out dietary toxins.

You can add it to lentil stew, in vegetables or you can take it as a supplement.

CASTOR OIL PACKING TO SUPPORT THE LIVER

Castor oil comes from the castor seed, native to India. It is extremely high in ricinoleic acid, which is thought to be responsible for its health promoting abilities. Ricinoleic acid has been shown to be effective in preventing the growth of numerous species of virus, bacteria, yeasts and moulds. (J Am Oil Chem Soc 61;37.323-325.)

Lymphocytes are the disease-fighting cells of your immune system and there are two separate studies that patients using abdominal castor oil packs had significant increases in the production of lymphocytes compared to placebo packs.

Castor oil packs are great for drawing toxins out the body due to the flow of lymph increasing throughout the body. This speeds up the removal of toxins surrounding the cells and reduces the size of lymph glands if swollen. 

See this article explaining how to make castor oil packs.

So hopefully you have managed to conjure up some love for your hard working liver. Livers do so much for us and never seems to give up on us, even after a night out with too much alcohol, extreme stress at work and in our lives, drinking ridiculous amounts of coffee to keep us going, and lastly putting up with junk food that is grabbed on the run.

Try some of the above suggestions, from simple dietary pointers to add in the diet or the 5-10 day liver flush or finally the castor oil packs – all will support the liver during the Equitox.

Angela MacRitchie