Last week the Daily Mail ran a story about Tony Oakley whose daily cookie snacking habit caused his non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). As is often the case his fatty liver was only picked up because he had a blood test for another problem.

Tony reckoned he was pretty healthy as he went to the gym several times a week and only drank alcohol at the weekends. In spite of this he was overweight but mistakingly thought he was fit because he never got ill.

He was shocked to learn that he had a fatty liver in spite of having no obvious symptoms and could be dead in 10 years.

This was also demonstrated on The Food Hospital, a TV program that showed how food could be used as medicine, when they ran a whole bunch of tests on the participants.

What is Fatty Liver?

“Fatty Liver is a condition where triglycerides (a fat molecule) build up in the liver as it is unable to process the excess molecules. A healthy functioning liver contains little or no fat. The main cause of Fatty Liver is obesity and, if caught early enough, is reversible. It has occurred recently mainly due to the high carbohydrate and high starch foods that are common in contemporary diets. If the condition is not recognised and managed it leads to the complete malfunction of the liver”

Diet causes fatty liver disease

What they don’t point out here is that it’s refined or simple carbohydrates and not complex carbohydrates that are the problem. When you eat food like cookies (biscuits), cakes, white bread, white rice and other foods that break down quickly into sugar you increase your blood sugar (glucose) levels and trigger the release of the hormone insulin.

The insulin converts the excess sugar into fat and stores it in cells including the liver cells. The liver cells become inefficient and is unable perform it’s over 500 daily functions that includes the very important function of liver detox.

NAFLD can cause an inflammation of the liver that can eventually lead to cirrhosis, where scarring of the liver causes poor liver function and eventual failure.

Beware diet sodas

A 2009 study shows that if you drink two or more sodas per day or too much fruit juice, you increase your chances of developing fatty liver disease by 80 percent.

“The liver is actually a filtering organ,” Dr. Travis explains. “When you’re drinking beverages with so much sugar, that sugar will literally be deposited in your liver as fatty deposits. Over time, you can get what’s called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.”

Dr. Ordon adds “Diet sodas can do the same thing because they’re changing your insulin metabolism with the added sweeteners”

So, once again it all boils down to diet. Conventional doctors have no specific therapy or drug treatment to reverse a fatty liver. They usually recommend a weight loss diet and exercise.

One problem that people often encounter is that the liver has become used to storing fat and not burning fat so they have problems losing weight. This is where a liver detox diet can help.

Click the link below to learn more about liver detox for non alcoholic fatty liver disease:

Will a Liver Cleansing Diet Help Correct a Fatty Liver?

Although the exact cause of Whitney Houston’s sad death this week is not yet known it has once again  brought home the dangers of prescription drugs and alcohol. Virtually all drugs and alcohol have to be detoxified by the liver and they can damage your liver as well as your body.

Drugs are chemicals that are foreign to the liver. They are made from inorganic substances that are extremely hard for the body to eliminate. Drugs damage your liver directly or indirectly as a result of them being detoxified by your liver.

Liver detox is a 2 step process

Liver detox consists of a two step process known as Phase I and Phase II. The chemial produced by Phase I Liver Detox can be more reactive and damaging than the original if it is unable to be detoxified by Phase II.

This can happen when a person has a slow Phase II liver detox system or the detox pathways are simply too overloaded with chemical toxins for the liver to cope.

There a number of nutrients needed by the body to detox drugs, alcohol and other toxins as best it can. If  these nutrients are deficient then the detox pathways do not function as they should and the toxic residues do untold damage to the liver and other tissues where they accumulate.

Some drugs such as Benzodiazapines ( Centrax, Prozac, Librium, Valium etc) supress Phase 1 liver detox in the liver and the brain. This results in slow metabolism of some brain chemicals that need to be eliminated before they build up and become toxic, increasing the risk of brain toxicity.

Drugs can interfere with the metabolism of other drugs causing many problems when a combination of prescription drugs are used. While working in hospitals as a nurse many years ago I saw first hand how one drug would cause side effects that needed another drug to try to supress them.

Drug companies have for years been looking for a drug that cures virtually any illness but they haven’t managed to find one. Drugs merely supress or manage symptoms. They do not cure.

Causes of disease

In fact mainstream doctors don’t look for the underlying cause of symptoms or disease which in the eyes of doctors who practice Functional Medicine, naturopathic doctors and many other health practitioners is down to deficiency of essential nutrients or toxicity.

It’s a sad fact that the majority of people just want to pop a pill to get rid of a symptom. They don’t want to have to change the way they eat or their way of life. And it’s another sad fact that the majority of doctor’s rarely encourage it.

People are drowning in unecessary medication. From statins to asprin the drug companies now want us to take drugs for prevention of disease, whether they are needed or not. Apparently the average person over sixty is likely to be on as many as 6 drugs at one time!

People have been brainwashed into believeing that once they are given a diagnosis, which is really just a label, that there is nothing that can be done except take a pill for the rest of their lives.

People also believe that certain conditions are a an inevitable result of getting older when in fact it’s more likely to be a result of a lifetime of bad diet and lifestyle leading to deficiencies and toxicity. We were designed to live healthily without drugs or labels of disease well into our 90′s and die peacefully in our sleep.

How do you heal your body without prescription drugs?

There is plenty of evidence around that the standard Western diet of processed food and the toxic chemicals we are exposed to every day are two of the main causes of chronic disease. Researchers are discovering all the time that certain foods are every bit as powerful as drugs but without the side effects.

You can heal your body without prescription drugs that damage your liver and end the battle of many conditions by getting rid of the toxins that make you sick in the first place and supplying the body with the nutrients it needs to repair itself. Yes, your body can heal itself given the right conditions.

Learn more about how to detox your body in The Definitive Detox Diet.

This is the time of the year that your liver can suffer under the stresses and strains, rich party food, too much comfort food and excess of alcohol of the festive season.  When your liver is healthy, so are you. You can help keep it healthy by making sure you include a good number of liver detox foods during the winter.

Before we look at the best liver detox foods and why you should make a point of eating them let’s look at all the amazing  functions your liver is responsible for.

The liver is the main organ of detoxification of foreign chemicals, toxic waste produced in the body and drugs but it has many other functions:

1. Processes fats with the bile it produces
2. Breaks down and regulates your hormones
3. Filters your blood
4. Helps to regulate blood sugar levels
5. Regulates your cholesterol levels
6. Making enzymes and proteins responsible for many chemical reactions
7. Turns your food into energy
8. Helps to combat infections
9. Stores iron and Vitamins A , D, K & B12.

Your liver is under siege virtually every minute of every day. It detoxifies all the foreign chemicals that get into your body from food, air and water and products you put on your skin.  We are all exposed to so many chemical toxins in our environment these days that the liver becomes overloaded with them.

Some of the toxins are eliminated but others are stored in in its cells where they stay for months or even years causing damage. Add the stresses, fat and sugar laden food and alcohol of the party season to the mix and your liver will start to suffer.

An overworked or poorly functioning liver will result in symptoms such as:

• Poor or painful digestion

• Gas ( wind), constipation, bloating, diarrhea

• Unexplained fatigue and lethargy

• Brain fog

• Weight loss or weight gain

• Weak muscles and tendons

• Poor hair texture

• Itching skin or yellow skin

• Frequent headaches

• Mood swings

• Skin problems like acne and psoriasis

• Premature aging

• Allergies

Your liver can and often does suffer in silence and many people are surprised to discover they have a liver problem when they have tests for another condition. If you’re suffering from even just one of these symptoms your liver could be crying out for help!

Your liver needs large amounts of vitamins and minerals to function which come from your diet. Typically a diet that is high in toxicity is low in beneficial nutrients. You cannot survive without a liver so it pays to spare it a thought and look after it.

Strengthen your liver this winter with these liver detox foods

Diet

Include these:

• Eat 30 – 60 grams high quality animal or vegetable protein a day.
  (people with severe liver disease need a low protein diet)

• Eat foods containing sulfur such as garlic, onions, to increase liver enzyme activity

• Include mildly bitter greens like endive, watercress, collard, radish leaves, mustard and dandelion to activate the flow of bile.

• Eat small portions of light, easy to digest foods like green smoothies, steamed vegetables, raw salad greens, semi sweet fruit.

• Consume plenty of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, cauliflower, kale, Bok Choy

• Make a point of eating beets (beetroot) and carrots

• Fresh unsalted whole nuts and seeds.

• Cook with spices such as turmeric, ginger, cumin and cayenne pepper that enhance detox

• A little virgin olive oil

• Have a glass of warm water with 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice before breakfast

Avoid these

• Restrict alcoholic drinks

• Fried and fatty foods including fatty meat unless organic grass fed.

• Do not use margarine or shortening
• Reduce sugary foods

• Reduce caffeine intake

• Processed foods with many food additives and preservatives

In these days of treating symptoms the liver is often neglected as an underlying cause of many seemingly unrelated health problems. Good liver function can often be restored with the right foods supplying the right nutrients while avoiding dietary excess and harmful substances. As your liver starts to work more efficiently you’ll see big changes in your health. Try eating these liver detox foods and discover how energized you can feel.

Spices can perk up any meal and are fantastic for your health. Winter is not the time for following a very restrictive detox diet but you can still eat healthily and add spices that will not only warm you up but will help you gently detox too. Spices have been used traditionally in Natural medicine for years but science is showing that they are powerful weapons against many diseases.

Turmeric

Ground turmeric is the spice that makes rice and curry dishes yellow. It has long been used in China and India to treat many conditions including including diarrhea, fever, jaundice, bronchitis, colds, worms, and bladder and kidney inflammations. It is commonly used in Ayurveda to purify the blood and treat skin conditions.

Turmeric treats the entire digestive system. Traditionally it is used for weak stomachs and poor digestion. It can calm an upset digestive system by getting rid of gas and distention and increase bile production helping with detoxification of toxins that the liver has processed. Recent research has shown that it can help with healing peptic ulcers and may be useful for Colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Turmeric has antioxidant properties and increases the levels of the enzymes glucuronyl transferase and glutathione S-transferase (GST), which are essential for liver detox. Curcumin is the compound in turmeric that makes it yellow and it has an inhibiting effect on Phase 1 Liver Detoxification while stimulating Phase 2.

In doing this it helps to lessen the activation of cancer causing chemicals while speeding up the detoxification of the ones that have been activated. Cucumin can directly inhibit cancer cells too.

Turmeric loses it’s potency after about 6 months so buy it fresh and store in a cool dark place. Just make sure it is from a reputable source and is guaranteed to be free from contaminants. A few years ago Consumer labs found that some curcumin supplements were contaminated with lead which is toxic.

Turmeric blends well with cumin, cinnamon, paprika, and ginger. You can add it to rice, lentil dishes, casseroles and stews, potato dishes.

Ginger

Ginger  belongs to the same plant family as Turmeric and is an excellent spice for the digestive system. It has long been used as a folk remedy for nausea of pregnancy. Studies have shown that ginger has good antibacterial properties and the active constituents of ginger can prevent the multiplication of colon bacteria which ferment undigested carbohydrates causing gas.

Studies have shown that ginger also stimulates GST in the liver,  lungs, intestines and kidneys so can help protect against xenobiotics (foreign toxic chemicals).  The GST enzymes play a major role in detox and help in the conversion of toxic substances to safer forms that can be excreted form the body.

The spice can also increase motility in the gut and stimulate bile production.  Bile is one way the liver gets rid of toxins that have been through the detox system.  So you can see that ginger is good for detox and cleansing.

Buy fresh ginger root (actually an underground stem), peel off the skin and slice into matchsticks, chop, grate or  purée, and add to vegetables dishes, stir fries,  rice, soups and of course green smoothies and juices.

Cumin

Cumin is a seed that has a very distinctive taste and is used in the cuisines of many countries. It s apparently the second most popular spice in the world after black pepper.  Cumin seeds have traditionally been used for digestive disorders. Scientists have shown that cumin may stimulate the secretion of pancreatic enzymes which are needed for digestion of food and may also help to stimulate liver detox enzymes.

Best known as an important ingredient of Indian curry powder these little seeds have over one hundred different chemical constituents, including all the essential fatty acids. It is also used in Mexican and Middle eastern dishes. Use it as a tasty addition to any lentil, bean dish or rice dish.

Cayenne Pepper

The heat of peppers comes from their high concentration of capsaicin which is known for its ability to stimulate the circulation and digestion.  Researchers showed that people consuming meals with ground cayenne pepper had reduced hunger and higher calorie burning effects after the meal compared with those who didn’t.

Cayenne stimulates intestinal motility so helps with elimination. By improving the circulation it can help with liver detoxification. The better the blood circulates through the liver the better it can process chemical toxins so they can be removed from the body.

Cayenne is a vital ingredient of the Master Cleanse drink also known as the Lemonade detox drink. Instead of doing the full Master Cleanse you can take a lemon cayenne pepper detox drink every morning for 3 to 10 days to cleanse the liver.

Here is the recipe for the Lemon Cayenne Pepper Detox Drink

Blend together the juice of 1 medium lemon with 8 oz water, 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, a small amount of grated root ginger to taste and ¼ – ½ tsp cayenne pepper until well mixed. Sweeten with a little orange or apple juice or add a few drops of Stvevia if you have to. Drink slowly and follow with a small glass of water or juice to cleanse the mouth of the oily taste.

It’s better to start with a very small amount of cayenne to begin with and gradually build up the dose as it can take a bit of getting used to.

Add a pinch of cayenne to salad dressings, soups or meats.

By using these wonderful spices in your food you get all their health benefits and help encourage detox during the cold weather without going on a strict detox diet.

There are various opinions about whether or not you should take supplements on a detox diet plan. Some say you should and others say you shouldn’t so let’s have a look at the pros and cons.

I often read articles about detox that say you should not take any supplements because they will stop detoxification. The problem with this statement is that they don’t give any evidence either scientific or anecdotal to back this up and I can’t find any. The evidence points to the opposite.

Some say that nutritional supplements are unnatural. It’s true, some supplements are synthetic and may be made of cheap, poorly absorbed forms of nutrients. They are frequently less biologically active biologically than natural nutrients.

But, when people say supplements are unnatural, they often simply mean that they are not derived directly from plants like, for example, chlorella and spirulina. Although chlorella and spirulina are very useful substances to aid detox they will not supply all the nutrients needed to support the detox pathways.

Nutritional needs are high during detox

Much more is known today about the detox pathways and the effects of detox on the body than ever before.  It’s known, for example, that your nutritional requirements during detoxification are quite high. Researchers have shown that shortages of certain nutrients can block an entire liver detox pathway and make you feel quite ill if a lot of toxins are being released from cells that can’t be processed by your liver.

The majority of people are deficient

There is a lot of evidence that the majority of people are deficient in nutrients before they even start a detox diet.  Steven C. Masley, MD, at the annual scientific assembly of the American Academy of Family Physicians. stated that despite consuming greater quantities of food than any other population on earth, many Americans are suffering multiple nutrient deficiencies.

The 2010 report ‘Towards a Healthier Britain 2010’ found that as many as 50 per cent of adults and 97 per cent of older people had inadequate intakes of key nutrients in reviews of 70 papers. Paul Anthony Taylor writing for the Dr Rath Health Foundations states that a recent report suggests that up to 3.6 million people in the UK now suffer from malnutrition.

Nutritional supplements promote health and longevity

According to US researchers the cells of multivitamin users may have a younger biological age than cells from non-users. They found that the regular use of multivitamins affected telomere length by reducing oxidative damage and chronic inflammation. A telomere is the structure at each end of a chromosome which protects it.

Recent research by Dr Bruce Ames,  emeritus professor of biochemistry and molecular biochemistry at the University of California, suggests that even a moderate deficiency of one of 40 essential nutrients may lead to DNA damage.

One of Dr Ames papers published in June supports the use of nutritional supplements to promote health and longevity. In a recent interview he states that virtually every metabolic pathway requires micronutrients. He goes on to say that practically every American is deficient at some level because of the diets they eat.

Detox Supplements

It seems logical then to take nutritional supplements while following a detox diet to ensure you have sufficient nutrients for all the metabolic pathways including the detox pathways.  Researchers have discovered which particular nutrients are needed for the detox pathways. In fact they help to rev up slow pathways that some people have.

There are a number of supplements now available that are made specifically to support the liver detox. They include ingredients like N-Acetyl Cysteine, methionine, glycine and taurine well known amino acids for their role in supporting phase II liver detoxification. L-cysteine helps to bind heavy metals such as mercury and prevents oxidation.

Cysteine is a precursor to glutathione one of the most important detoxifiers of chemicals and drugs. Glutathione also forms the detox enzymes glutathione peroxidase and reductase which help to reduce toxins like smoke, traffic pollutions chemicals and radiation.  Glycine decreases toxicity of phenols and benzoic acid (a food preservative).

Antioxidants are included to protect against free radicals that may be generated during the detoxification process and vitamins and minerals are included to act as co-factors to the detoxification enzymes.

So many people have an imbalance of the Phase 1 & II detox pathways that it is essential to support them with the specific nutrients while following a detox diet plan.

The Evidence

The many studies that have been done by researchers at the Functional Medicine Research Center in Washington have shown that the results of a detox diet supported with specific nutrients can be objectively shown through improved blood chemistry, improved cardiovascular fitness tests and improved cognitive and neurological test results.

There is clearly a case for using nutritional supplements while following a detox diet plan.

One I recommend that contains a complete panel of nutrients to aid and support detoxification is Body Health Complete + Detox from www.bodyhealth.com

I see the sad passing of the singer & songwriter Amy Winehouse this week as yet another reminder that you cannot abuse your body, especially your liver, and not expect to pay the consequences. So, if you suspect that your liver is in terrible shape from social drinking and other excessive lifestyle habits now is the time for a liver detox.

The liver is an amazing organ and goes vastly unappreciated for some 500 or more vital functions it performs every day. It’s not called the live – r for nothing. One of it’s main functions, of course, is detoxification.

The liver cleans up your inner environment. You know what it’s like when garbage builds up in the streets – decay and degeneration sets in. If your liver is hampered in its work of detoxifying the waste then it affects every other organ of your body and you leave yourself open to all sorts of health problems.

Your Detox Powerhouse

Your liver deactivates and eliminates, with the help of the other detox organs, all the natural chemicals produced in your body that result from normal metabolism. Chemicals such as the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone, brain chemicals such as  serotonin and stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol all have to be eliminated or they would build up and become toxins themselves.

As well as taking care of all that it has to also contend with all the chemicals that are now in food, water and the environment. Our livers was never meant to be able to deal with the vast array of preservatives, artificial coloring, artificial sweeteners, chemically altered fats (transfats), pesticides and herbicides that we are exposed to.

Then there are alcohol, recreational drugs, prescription drugs and tobacco smoke. If the liver cannot deactivate and eliminate these harmful substances they damage the liver cells and other tissues.  Alcoholism and drug addiction is on the rise so it’s not surprising that liver disease is too.

How your liver function affects your emotions

One thing that is often underestimated is how liver function affects your emotions. Emotions trigger the release of a number of natural chemicals in the body which if not dealt with by the liver detox system can build up and cause an imbalance profoundly affecting how you feel. It’s a vicious cycle.

In Amy Winehouse’s case I suspect that her liver was so damaged with the drugs and alcohol over the years that her ever increasing emotional turmoil was, in part, due to the inability of her liver to deactivate the chemicals and keep her in any sort of balance. A vicious cycle that’s hard to break out of.

Often, we don’t see the effects of what we eat and how we live until much later in the future. It’s easy to dismiss it until we are faced with health problems. To stay healthy in this toxic world we have to protect and detox our livers

Not everyone has the same risks because it very much depends on each persons genetic makeup and detoxification capacity. But following healthy lifestyle habits will help to ensure better performance of your liver detox system.

Optimizing liver detox function depends on:

1. Protecting it from toxins
2. Increasing the excretion of toxins
3. Protecting it from a build up of fat.

1. Protecting it from toxins

Food & drink

Reduce exposure to chemicals by avoiding food and drink with additives, tap water, excessive alcohol, intensively reared meat and poultry, high mercury fish, overcooked, smoked, burned and charred food.

Eat a wide variety of whole foods, grass fed or free range meat and poultry, and small fish from the cleanest waters. Wash fruit and vegetables very well, Drink filtered water.

For liver cleanse recipes read this post: Liver Cleanse Recipes

Environmental toxins

Avoid smoking and exposure to smoke, chemical household cleaners, chemical room fresheners and sprays, pest sprays, non organic paint, chemical carpet cleaning, fire retardant fabrics, new carpets, mold, mothballs, non natural candles, animal flea collars and garden chemicals.

Avoid exercising near busy roads Take off your shoes when entering the home.

Personal care toxins

Avoid commercial brands of nail polish and remover, hairspray, perfumes, antiperspirant and deodorant sprays, self tan sprays & lotions, body creams and lotions and makeup.

Be an avid reader of labels and use natural or organic personal care products and makeup.

2. Increasing excretion of toxins.

Scientists know that the liver detox system relies on a number of nutrients and by making sure your diet contains plenty of them or supplementing them you can rev up your detox system to a certain extent.

Increase fruit and vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, onions, garlic, kale, bok choy, cress, mustard greens, turnips, rutabagas (swede), kohlrabi, red beets, oranges, tangerines,  watermelon and papayas. Eat organic where possible.

Eat a variety of orange, yellow, purple, and red colored fruits and vegetables.

3. Protect from a build up of fat.

Avoid eating fried fat meat.They contain dangerous dangerous chemicals,  nitrosamines and heterocyclic amines which are formed when protein is heated for long periods. Exposure to these can lead to cancer according to studies.

Toxic chemicals are usually fat soluble. This means they get stored in the fat layers of animals as well as humans. If you eat fatty meat you will be eating chemical toxins that have been stored in the animal.

Avoid refined cooking oils and hydrogenated fats. Minimize refined sugar and carbohydrates which can get turned into fat in your body. Glucose can lower detox enzyme activity in the liver. Keep alcohol intake low.

Keep the fat intake to 20 – 30 % of your diet and make sure it contains Omega 3 & Omega 6 fats – Walnuts, almonds, seeds, avocados, olive oil, flax seed oil and cold water small fish. Use cold pressed oils and do not use them for cooking.

More information about fatty liver here: Will a liver cleansing diet help a Fatty Liver?

In order to protect your health the fewer toxins that your liver has to deal with the better. Healthy lifestyle habits will help ensure good liver detox function.
Read more about liver detox here: How Liver Detox can Restore your Health

Many different substances are needed for good detox function. Nutrients like vitamins, minerals, amino acids and phytochemicals (natural plant chemicals) all play a role in the intricate processes that make up your detox system. They can be found in a wide variety of foods. Some contain more than others so here are my top 10 detox foods.

Much research has found that the key to a decrease in cancer and degenerative diseases lies in a diet high in plant foods. In fact, you have probably read that Bill Clinton went on a vegan plant based diet to help reverse his heart disease. He lost 24 lbs as a side effect although that was not his main aim.

Plant foods vary in the nutrients they contain so eating a wide variety of them is important. There has been an abundance of published research into the benefits of cruciferous vegetables on the detox pathways. Some times they are referred to as superfoods because they are loaded with substances that help detoxify those nasty toxic chemicals that damage your cells.

Top 10 Detox Foods

1. Cruciferous vegetables

Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, swede, turnips, kale, watercress all contain important phytochemicals that are released when they are chopped, chewed, fermented, cooked or digested. The substances released then break down into sulphorophanes, indole-3-carbinol and D-glucarate which all have a specific effect on Phase 1 and phase 2 detox.

Broccoli is good but broccoli sprouts are even better as they contain 20 times more sulfurophane. They are becoming easier to find in the supermarkets. Add them to your salads.

2. Spinach

Everyone who remembers Popeye knows that spinach makes you strong but that was supposed to be down to the iron it contains. Many people turn their noses up at cooked spinach because of the bad reputation it got for its strong taste and grittiness if not washed well enough. Modern spinach is much milder tasting and raw baby spinach leaves are altogether different.

Spinach is rich in a number of minerals, vitamins, chlorophyll and flavonoids which are essential to good detoxification.

Put a handful of baby spinach leaves in your daily green smoothie and add to salads. Fold well washed baby leaves into cooked dishes until just wilted.

3. Onions and garlic

Onions, garlic and leeks contain many important sulfur compounds that increase detox. It’s these compounds that give them their strong odor.

They can increase glutathione, a substance that is used by the liver to detox many chemical toxins.  Eat them raw in salads and add to cooked dishes.

4. Carrots

Carrots have been used for years in detox juices. People doing the Gerson Therapy, for cancer, which detoxes the body, use pounds and pounds of carrots. They eat so many carrots that their skin often turns orange from all the carotenoids they contain. Carrots can add just the right of sweetness to green vegetable juices to make them more palatable.

As well as carotenoids carrots contain flavonoids which act as powerful antioxidants that are essential in the detox system. The detox process ends up creating free radicals so plenty of antioxidants are needed to neutralize them.

5. Blueberries

Blueberries are simply bursting with anthocyanidins, antioxidant compounds that give blue, purple and red colors to fruits and vegetables. They also contain ellagic acid, another phytochemical that has been shown to prevent cell damage.

According to scientists blueberries top the list of  fruit and vegetables for antioxidant strength. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals which are produced by toxins that enter your body and by normal detoxification.

6. Watermelons

Watermelons are a rich source of the important antioxidant lycopene. The flesh contains citrulline, an amino acid, and is one reason why watermelons have been used for many years by Naturopaths for detox.

Citrulline plays an important part in the body’s urea cycle preventing the build up of a lethal level of ammonia in the blood.

Watermelon also contains valuable nutrients such as chlorophyll, beta carotene, Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, silicon, lycopene and glutathione which is used by the liver for detox.

7. Oranges & tangerines

These citrus fruits contain flavonoids, D-glucarate and vitamins and minerals that help with Phase 1 & II detox. Limonene, a substance found in the peel of citrus fruit can stimulate Phase 2 detoxification. It’s a good idea to add a little peel from organic fruit to a smoothie mixture or a juice.

Grapefruit contains naringenin which inhibits Phase 1 detox. It’s not a good idea to eat grapefruits or drink grapefruit juice if you are exposed to a lot of toxins or are taking drugs.

Citrus fruit juice have a strong detox action and are not tolerated well by many people so go easy with them if you have not done much detoxing before.

8. Apples

Apples are full of wonderful nutrients. You get fibre, vitamins, minerals and many beneficial phytochemicals such as D-Glucarate, flavanoids, terpenoids when you eat apples. All these substances are used in the detox process.

One flavonoid Phlorizidin (phlorizin) is thought to help stimulate bile production which helps with detox as the liver gets rid of some toxins through the bile.

Apple is a good source of the soluble fiber pectin which can help detox metals and food additives from your body. It’s no wonder that Naturopaths often prescribe the 2 day apple detox.

It’s best to eat only organic apples as the non organic ones are among the top 12 foods that have been found to contain the most pesticide residues. (Environmental Working Group’s 2010 report Shoppers Guide to Pesticides)

9. Whole grains

Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber which is needed for good bowel function. One way your liver gets rid of toxins is in the bile which makes it’s way into the digestive system. It has to be eliminated quickly. If it stays there too long toxins can get reabsorbed back into the body where they will eventually get taken to the liver again making it more work.

Whole grains contain important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are lost when grains are processed.

Non gluten grains such as brown rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth are preferred for detox diets.

10. Turmeric

Curcumin is the active ingredient in the spice turmeric which gives it its yellow color. Curcumin inhibits Phase 1 detox while stimulating Phase II. This helps to prevent cancer as Phase 1 can make a toxin more dangerous if not immediately dealt with by Phase II.

The rate at which your detox pathways function depends on your genes, your age, lifestyle and a good supply of nutrients involved in the detox process.

Curcumin is used a lot in Ayurvedic Medicine to treat liver and digestive disorders.

You can read more about using turmeric for liver detox in a previous post here:  Spice Up Your Liver Detox With Turmeric

It was hard to choose the top 10 detox foods because there are many other foods that are excellent to eat on a detox diet.  Other lists include green tea and water but although they are important for a detox diet they are not strictly foods.

Learn more about detox in The Definitive Detox Diet

The health of your liver plays a huge part on your overall health. Your liver performs a huge number of tasks which help to keep your body in balance and is one of the most important detox organs. Modern lifestyles and eating habits put an enormous strain on this organ. Using these liver cleanse recipes and plan below can make a big difference to how you feel.

Frequent fatigue, indigestion, difficulty digesting fatty food, poor skin, heart disease, obesity, premenstrual syndrome and menopause problems can all be related to liver overload. Health problems occur after years of dealing with diets high in calories, full of sugar, damaged fats, alcohol and a wide range of toxic chemicals.

You liver has amazing powers and can regenerate it’s own cells when given a chance. A liver detox diet can be a vital step in helping your liver to perform better and your body heal itself.

The liver cleanse recipes and plan:

Eat a Vegan Diet

Eat only a vegan diet for 7 days.

• Exclude all animal products (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, & dairy).

• Completely avoid all sweets, gluten-containing grains, (wheat, barley, rye, & oats) soft drinks, alcohol, junk food, caffeine, & tobacco.

• Make  50 % or more of your diet raw food – salads, sprouts, veggie sticks, fresh fruits & freshly made vegetable juices.

• Use organic vegetables as much as possible to avoid pesticides

• Drink at 8 x 8-oz glasses of purified water daily.

Include liver loving foods:

Eat an abundance of these liver loving foods foods for the 7 days of cleansing:
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, artichokes, squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes,  yams, green beans,  carrots, beets (beetroot), celery,  cucumber, eggplant, garlic, kohlrabi, mustard greens, okra, onion, parsley & chives,

On waking:

Lemon Drink

1 glass of hot water with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper

15 mins later:

Fresh beet & vegetable juice:

Breakfast:

30 minutes or more after juice:

Whole grain cereal such as millet, amaranth, quinoa, or cream of brown rice
with almond or rice milk.

Mid Morning:

Small Beet Salad
Dandelion tea

Lunch:

Vegan soup such as split pea, bean, or lentil & green salad
Or rice & beans with green salad
Or hummus on rice bread with grated vegetables & sprouts
Avocado with raw vegetables

Mid afternoon:

Beet & vegetable juice as above

15 minutes later eat a small Beet Salad

Dandelion Tea

Dinner (before 6pm):

Rich Potassium Soup
Carrot Salad with lemon-olive oil dressing
Vegan Dish (cook with turmeric powder to help with detox)

7.30pm

Beet Salad
Chamomile or peppermint herbal tea

Avoid eating after 6pm if possible (except for the beet salad) to give your
liver a chance to do its cleansing work.

Liver Cleanse Recipes:

BEET & VEGETABLE JUICE

Beet has a strong taste so mix with juice from milder tasting vegetables such as carrot, cucumber, celery, kale, parsley, spinach, arugula (rocket) radish, & sprouts.& lemon. Add a little grated ginger to spice it up.

If you are sensitive to the high natural sugar in beets and carrots add a teaspoonful or more of olive oil to the mixture which will delay the absorption.

If you still don’t tolerate it omit the beet and use green juice instead. Replace the beet salad with a green salad.

BEET SALAD

1 cup raw beets, finely grated or chopped
2 tbsp cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon, organic is best
Whisk the olive oil & lemon juice together & mix with grated beets.
Eat 1 – 2 tbps of this salad if you get hungry between meals.

CARROT SALAD

Place 1cup of finely shredded carrots, or carrot pulp left over from juicing, in a bowl.  1tbsp cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ organic lemon
Whisk the olive oil & lemon juice together & mix with grated beets. Add a dash of cinnamon to the dressing if liked.

RICH POTASSIUM SOUP

2 – 3 cups chopped fresh green beans (string beans). Use frozen if fresh is not available
2 – 3 cups chopped zucchini (courgette)
2 – 3 stalks celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 – 2 tbsp  chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped garlic

Steam the string beans, zucchini ( courgette), celery, & onion over pure water until soft but still green. Do not overcook. Place the cooled cooked vegetables with the raw parsley & garlic in a blender & blitz until smooth. Add a bit of the steaming water if needed to make the blades turn but keep the mixture fairly thick. Add other fresh herbs or fresh root ginger to taste.

HEALTHY LENTIL STEW

¾ cup raw lentils
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
A little Celtic or other natural salt
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Wash the lentils thoroughly with cold water. Place all the ingredients except parsley in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to the boil and simmer with lid on for about 20 – 30 minutes making sure it does not become too dry. When all the ingredients are cooked, take the pot off the heat and serve with brown rice or other gluten free grain. garnish with chopped parsley.

Additional supplements

If you are a protein type and get very hungry during the detox you can add some rice based protein powder to the juices.

Milk Thistle

Take one capsule of the herb milk thistle with each meal. Milk thistle contains the active ingredient Silymarin which stimulates the production of glutathione, one of the main detox substances used by the liver. Milk thistle is a powerful antioxidant protecting the liver against damage. It also stimulated healing and the regeneration of liver cells.

Liver Cleansing Herbal formula

You can take a liver detox herbal formula that contains Silymarin instead. Some of the herbs to look for are curcumin, dandelion root, bupleurum root, barbery root bark, stillingia, burdock root, & turmeric root.

Continue with a healthy diet following the liver detox and continue to use these liver cleanse recipes. Keep fats and red meat to a minimum. Eat only grass fed or organic meat. You liver needs 3 – 6 months of excellent nutrition to regenerate completely.  Cleansing the liver twice a year can make a huge difference to your health.

Guest Post

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The truth is that a myriad of people suffer from colon cancer due to the processed foods they eat and life style they live. Everywhere you look you will see fast food restaurants cropping up and meal portions keep growing in size on a regular basis.

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Plenty Of The Foods All Of Us Consume Are Bad For Us

Majority of the foods we eat are loaded and high in fats and calories that puts lots of stress on our body’s especially the liver. An unhealthy liver can have serious repercussions on our overall wellbeing.

This essential organ helps take care of the body and keeps it physically fit and healthy. The liver functions by eliminating the toxins and assisting with digestion and turns fat to energy. However lots of people often fail to see the necessity to cleanse the liver at least twice per annum at least.

Therefore it is of great importance to have a healthy and well-balanced diet that is low-fat and high in fibre to help keep your liver as well as the rest of the body healthy.

Liver Cleanse Reviews And Choosing The Right Product

This is when liver cleansing products come in. They’re meant to flush the toxins which have built up over time in your body to help improve you energy levels and really feel full of energy.

Nonetheless you need to keep in mind that you will find liver cleansers out there that are packed with chemicals that can do you more damage than good so you ought to be wary.

Liver Cleanse Reviews – What The Best Liver Cleanse Should Come With

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If you are looking for the best liver cleanse then visit the independent site Liver Cleanse Reviews.

Turmeric is a spice that has been a vital part of Chinese herbal and Ayurvedic Medicine for centuries. It is the spice that gives curry powder its distinctive golden yellow color and is also known as Indian saffron. It has recently become popular in the Western world due to it’s multiple health benefits from its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties but it has a
particularly interesting effect on the liver detox pathways.

The liver is the main organ that detoxifies substances that we produce daily in our own bodies as well as toxic substances that we ingest or absorb from the outside world. Curcumin is the principal chemical component of turmeric which inhibits Phase 1 and stimulates Phase 2 liver detoxification.

Phase 1 & Phase 2 Liver Detox

Phase 1 detox pathway neutralizes some chemical toxins but converts others to forms that can then be processed by Phase 2. If Phase 2 detox is slow due to certain drugs, genetic factors or nutrient deficiency then these intermediary forms can build up and cause damage in your body. Curcumin helps to prevents alcohol and other toxins from being converted into compounds that may be harmful to the liver.

The fact that curcumin can inhibit Phase 1 and stimulate Phase 2 is useful for preventing cancer as it inhibits the activity of cancer causing chemicals while increasing their detoxification. Several studies have found that it can inhibit chemicals such as benzopyrene, found in charcoal-broiled meat, from inducing cancer. Curcumin increases glutathione production which is a powerful Phase 2 detoxifier and acts as antioxidant in the liver.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects

Turmeric’s powerful anti-inflammatory effect makes it a great natural remedy for joint pain relief but it can also help calm liver inflammation. It’s antioxidant properties help mop up free radical damage in the liver during detox.

Anti-Cancer effects

Turmeric can help prevent the cancer-causing effects of tobacco. You would almost certainly benefit from using the spice if you are exposed to smoke and other environmental carcinogens. Some preliminary research at the University or Texas found that turmeric can block the growth of some cancer cells including breast, colon and melanoma. It can even help to slow the spread if breast cancer cells in animal studies. Some oncologists are very excited about curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effect.

Bile Stimulant

The liver eliminates toxins through the bile that it makes and turmeric helps to increase bile flow helping it detox.  German researchers found that when turmeric was taken with Milk Thistle and Celandine, it increased bile flow about six times more than when the herbs were used without it. It has traditionally been used for liver ailments and as a digestive aid by herbalists. Turmeric is a natural antibiotic and can relieve intestinal gas by lowering the numbers of gas forming bacteria.

Cooking with Turmeric

Apart from it’s mild earthy flavor turmeric, also known as Haldi, is used in Indian cookery for its digestive and antiseptic effects. Fresh turmeric looks like the smaller cousin of fresh ginger root but is often only seen as the dried variety and as ground spice.

You can add some turmeric to rice, bean and lentil dishes. Add a little to stir fried vegetables.

Here is a detox spice mix for vegetables

1 part turmeric
2 parts ground cumin
3 parts ground coriander
4 parts ground fennel

Mix these spices together in bulk and store in a jar.
When you are cooking a meal, place a small amount of ghee (clarified butter) or a little olive oil  in a frying pan and heat gently on low to medium.

Add detoxifying spice mixture, measuring out one teaspoon of spice mixture per serving of vegetables. Sauté spices until the aroma is released but be careful not to burn.

Add steamed vegetables, mix lightly and sauté together for one minute. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Or you can sauté the spice mixture in ghee and drizzle on vegetables or grains.

Try to get creative and test using turmeric  on various foods so you can benefit as much as possible from this potent super-spice.

Turmeric & Curcumin Extract supplements

You can add turmeric or curcumin to your diet in capsule form .  Cucumin is often found with Bioperine which helps absorption. Look for standardized extracts for the best effects. The usual dose is 500 mg three times a day.

There were some warnings last year about several brands of turmeric containing high lead levels so make sure you buy a reputable brand and check that it has been analyzed for impurities.

Don’t take turmeric or curcumin if you have painful gallstones, obstructive
jaundice, acute bilious colic, or extremely toxic liver disorders unless guided by a herbalist or practitioner who is experienced in it’s use.  A nano form of turmeric which improves it’s absorption has been used to reverse cirrhosis in animals.

Spice up your life with turmeric and improve your liver detox.