Instead of using drastic and often, dangerous detox diets, eating foods for liver detox that is high in antioxidants is the among the best options to protect the body against free radicals and help promote detoxification.
Food is not only used for providing energy and nourishment to body; it can also be used as a powerful agent for healing and healthy detox.
Along with a well prepared body, herbs, tonics and liver detox foods can be the perfect components for healthy detoxification. This will improve your immune system and bring back the balance of your metabolism.
The healing action from food works different from drugs, because the latter inhibits or boosts a certain body function. On the other hand, natural herbs and food support the body by restoring and rebuilding vital bodily functions that have been damaged or weakened due to certain factors.
With food, it works holistically and not only one function. Right liver detox foods can balance your blood sugar and provide you an amazing experience of vitality and equilibrium from deep within. You will see a noticeable response of your body from different elements of the detox diet.
You will learn how to take advantage of detox diet plan to improve your mood, balance your hormones, get sound sleep, get up energetically and keep your vitality and focus.
Boosting Your Natural Liver Detox System
Impairment of the liver detoxification system may happen due to insufficient or overload function. Inadequate detoxification has been associated to several chronic diseases including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson’s, chemical sensitivities, and lung and colon cancer.
It has been suggested that nearly 90% of all cancer cases are because of compromised liver detoxification of xenobiotics.
Therefore, a person’s ability to get rid of toxins from the body may play a critical role in the origin or aggravation of a different range of chronic illnesses and diseases.
Our detox pathways may be inhibited due to a number of factors. It is important to strengthen our metabolic detox system with liver cleansing foods. Diets that contains high amounts of additives, sugar and contaminants are usually low in co-factors needed for detoxification.
Gender and age influence our ability to cleanse since hormones stimulate the enzymes and they decrease in amount with age.
Factors that Can Impair Liver Detoxification System
Several bad habits such as smoking, lifestyle and stressful jobs or professions where they may be unwarranted exposure to environmental carcinogens or xenobiotics, can also influence liver detoxification activity. Disease can affect enzyme activity to either inhibit or upregulate the detox process.
Below are other environmental toxins that can potentially impair our liver detoxification system.
1. Intake of Phenobarbital can lead to chronic induction of Phase I.
2. Alcohol, caffeine, organophosphorus pesticides, exhaust fumes, barbiturates and saturated fats can induce Phase I.
3. Red grape skin contains elegiac acid that has been reported to induce Phase II and decrease Phase I activity.
4. Oil, soy, rosemary and cruciferous vegetables are liver cleansing foods that contain compounds that may induce enzyme activities in Phase II.
5. Taking acetaminophen can cause inhibition by depleting co-factors. The drug is believed to be metabolized through sulfation and can deplete co-factor or reduce blood levels. Because of this, it is important to keep sulfate reserves through dietary intake.
You can take sulfur-based amino acids from meat and other dietary sources (e.g. onions, corn, oats, garlic, cashews, almonds, legumes, sesame seeds, leafy greens, avocado).
Increase in toxic load can be due to consumption of drug or struggle between several compounds, which can overwhelm the system.
This can raise the competition of detoxification enzymes. Grapefruit is high in naringenin, a type of flavonoid, is said to inhibit drug metabolism, which are detoxified via a specific enzymatic pathway.
Tips to Strengthen Natural Liver Cleanse
The liver handles a huge portion of our toxic load. As such, it seems ideal to focus on natural liver cleansing foods during detox.
Vegetables and fruits are very beneficial but you can increase the detoxifying effect by eating sulfur-rich foods.
Liver cleansing foods rich in sulfur are known as natural liver cleanse agents, detoxifying environmental toxins such as pesticides and drugs.
Your liver plays an incredibly important role in detoxification. Besides filtering blood for waste elimination, it uses a two-phase liver detoxification process for breaking down chemicals and removing toxins.
Suggested Foods For Optimal Liver Detox
Taking liver cleansing foods for removing junks, poisons and toxins inside your body seems like a good idea.
With the increasing interest in enhancing lifestyle and overall health, many people are already confused on what should and should not be eaten to deeply cleanse the body.
On top of that, the heightened marketing of diet books, extreme detox program and many detoxifying products even fuels much confusion.
Well, truth is, our body has the capacity to get rid of toxins provided it has the necessary nutritional requirements to maximize and optimize its function.
In this article, you will learn some suggested detox foods to attain deep liver detoxification and high-octane performance.
Liver Detox Foods for Phase I Detoxification
Good Oils
Healthy fats are top detox foods important for the production of liver enzymes. Foods that are rich in unsaturated fat include ground flaxseed meal, raw seeds and nuts, flaxseed oil, olive oil, coconut oil and milk, avocados, grapeseed oil, ghee and fish oil.
Non-starchy vegetables
Examples of non-starchy veggies include the Brassica family and the Cruciferae.
Cruciferous vegetables are known to be powerful detox foods, antibacterials, antivirals and can lower blood pressure.
It is also believed to have anti-cancer properties, particularly on the bladder, lungs, reproductive and digestive tract. This is because they inhibit cancer cell growth while supporting the elimination of carcinogens.
Furthermore, they can also change estrogen metabolites to non-cancerous. And also keep the pH and bacterial environment of the GI tract at healthy condition.
Some Brassica vegetables include broccoli, cabbages, mustards, kale, brussel-sprouts, bok choy, kohlrabi and collards.
Starchy Vegetables
Starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, yams and red and yellow potatoes are rich in essential vitamins and minerals (B-vitamins, choline, magnesium, iron) necessary for Phase I liver detoxification.
Herbs and Spices
Thyme, rosemary and basil are classified under the Mint family, which is known to purify blood and stimulate the mind.
Meanwhile, oregano is a known potent antioxidant. Catnip and lemon balm have a calming effect to our digestion and the relaxing aroma of lavender makes it an ideal herb for baths and as tea.
Ginger is a popular stimulant, digestive aide and blood cleanser for liver detoxification. Lycium fruit, the tiny red berries, is widely used in China for strengthening the immune system and blood. It can be eaten like raisins similar to Goji berries.
Milk thistle is another liver-boosting herb, known to cleanse and restore damaged liver. Milk thistle tincture or seeds can be taken during cleanse, except on fasting days. If you use the tincture form, you can add two droppers full twice a day or a tablespoon of ground seed twice daily.
Pomegranate is known to stimulate the production of bile and restore liver function. Turmeric can be used as a decongestant for the gallbladder and the liver.
Liver Detox Foods for Phase II Detoxification
For the Phase II liver detoxification to function effectively, you need to enhance your daily diet with detox foods that are rich in nutrients necessary for the different enzymatic reactions to make xenobiotic metabolites less toxic and become water soluble, ready for excretion.
Protein
For optimal protein source, choose fowl, fish, beef and lamb over pork and poultry. Make sure you pick cage-free, free-range, grass-fed and no-hormone sources. Some seafood sources rich in omega 3 fatty acids include salmon, cod, mackerel, tuna and shellfish.
Ellagic acid
More popular as the ‘purple power’, Ellagic acid is a nutrient found in various fruits and nuts such as pomegranates, beets, grapes, grapefruit, raspberries, pecans and walnuts.
It is a potent free radical scavenger and antioxidant that is water-soluble. Besides being an antioxidant, it is also known for its anti-parasitic, anti-viral and antibacterial properties.
Furthermore, Ellagic acid offers many other healing benefits: reduce lipid peroxidation, anti-inflammatory, powerful cancer inhibitor, supports liver detoxification and prevent clogging of blood vessels.
Medicinal Mushrooms
Mushrooms such as oyster mushroom, cordyceps, reishi, shitake and morel mushrooms contains high amount of therapeutic compounds such as beta glucans, polyssacharides, lectins, ergosterol and glycoproteins.
These foods for liver detox are more popular for boosting immunity, lowering cholesterol, inhibiting tumors and fighting harmful microorganisms.
Aside from that, they also contain elements that combat allergies, relieve altitude sickness, reduce fatigue, reduce insomnia and regulate blood sugar level.
Peruvian Maca
Maca is a unique cruciferous vegetable that looks similar to radish. It is a highly resistant plant that can survive extreme cold, heat and drought.
Maca is believed to be first used by the Incans for more than 2000 years and was used for boosting stamina, immunity, libido and fertility.
It is rich in phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and iodine and is often used by lots of detox program today for medicinal and cleansing purposes.
Foods For Liver Detoxoods (Both Phases)
Below is a list of suggested foods that can support Phase I and II liver detoxification.
Non-gluten whole grains – millet, rice, quinoa, buckwheat, and kasha
Fruits
Low GI (glycemic index) – Berries including boysenberries, gooseberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, goji, and loganberries.
Moderate GI – examples include pears, oranges, grapefruit, apple, prunes, cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, figs, kiwi, limes, avocados, lemons, nectarines, passion fruit, persimmons, and pomegranates.
High GI (should be eaten in moderation or after workout). Examples include grapes, banana, pineapple, and watermelon.
Foods high in fiber and starchy carbohydrates (especially for Phase I). Examples include squash, beets, French beans, leeks, okra, parsnip, artichokes, sweet potatoes, red and yellow potatoes and yam.
Foods high in fiber carbohydrates with light-moderate protein content – legumes and lentils. Examples include pinto beans, lima beans, white beans, chick peas, kidney beans, adzuki beans, lentils, yellow beans, and black beans.
Non-starchy vegetables. For Phase I, yellow, green and red vegetables are recommended, while for Phase II, it’s suitable to eat green leafy vegetables.
Examples include asparagus, arugula, bean sprouts, bell peppers, beet greens, broad beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chives, chicory, celery, cilantro, collard greens, eggplant, fennel, ginger, garlic, cucumber, jalapeno, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, parsley, onions, snap beans, sea weeds, and kelp.
Conclusion
Reducing exposure to toxins is important in keeping a healthy system, well-equipped for optimal liver detoxification. Stay away from synthetic herbicides or pesticides and cleaning products that contain toxic substances.
Use building materials and carpets that are made from nontoxic materials. Use natural cosmetics, fragrances and nail polish. Keep a natural air indoors by placing house plants than using aerosol sprays. Never put plastic inside the microwave.
Instead of starving your body with different extreme detox diet plans, working with known nutritional powerhouses in your daily diet is a better and safer alternative.
There are plenty of foods that are surprisingly rich in liver health properties to help the body detoxify itself.
