If you have been feeling exhausted lately, even amidst adequate sleep or have been experiencing digestive problems, sluggish bowel movements and unexplained aches and pains, you may just be a candidate for a liver cleanse. In today’s toxic environment, liver health is crucial. A basic cleanse is recommended by most naturopathic physicians to remove toxins built up over time.
Have you been feeling exhausted lately, despite adequate sleep? Have you strayed from your healthy diet plan and are now experiencing digestive problems and sluggish bowel movements? Or are you suddenly experiencing skin rashes and unexplained aches and pains? These are a few obvious signs that your body and liver may just be in need of a self-induced cleanse.
How do you know if you need to purify your body?
Normally there would be no need to seek ways to purify our blood or actively take part in a regular detox programme. That function is already taken care of by the multifunctional liver and its supportive organ systems, such as the digestive, urinary and immune systems.
With modern farming methods and environmental pollution, much of what you put in your mouth is not exactly pure. Consider the fact that plants are sprayed with chemicals, animals are injected with hormones and raised in an unnatural environment (for the most part), and lots of foods are genetically modified or altered in some way. All contain toxic chemicals that if not neutralised by our detox organ, will poison our bodies. It’s the job of the liver to cope with these poisonous chemicals daily as they travel from our environment via food to our bodies.
The father of medicine, Hippocrates, himself recommended fasting to improve your health, and many religious groups have consistently fasted to purify the body and spirit. Most alternative medicine physicians and some conventional practitioners will advocate the benefits of detoxifying the body every once in a while, or to undergo a herbal cleanse.
Most naturopathic physicians suggest an annual detox programme for all adults for good health. A once-yearly purifying cleanse is good for liver health and a short 3 – 7 day herbal or juice cleanse is totally safe, and is backed by scientific studies.
Today with more toxins in the environment it is even more critical to cleanse the system of impurities and augment liver health.
Symptoms of poor liver health include:
Acid reflux, ulcers, and indigestion
Bloating
Nausea
Constipation or bowel irregularities
Fluid retention; a distended stomach
Worsening of allergic reactions
Skin blemishes
Unpleasant mood changes, depression, mental confusion
Blood glucose deregulation
Headaches
How to Start A Detox Programme
Start by helping your liver to release the unnecessary load it carries due to your consumption of several cups of coffee a day, sodas, alcohol, eating high amounts of denatured sugary foods, and smoking.
Next, find out which detox recipe is most suitable for you. Several programs exist that offer
Resting the organ through fasting
Stimulating the liver through specific nutrient dense foods and supplements
Improving circulation of the blood through herbal cleanse and juicing
Promoting elimination through the intestines, kidneys and skin
Many people will notice that during a detox, they feel mild flu-like symptoms, notice skin blemishes, and feel malaise a few days into the programme; this should be anticipated. This reaction is considered normal as your body releases toxins, and it is advisable to drink plenty of pure water and rest if needed until it has passed.
Note, however, that there are some side effects to detoxing. Not everyone is a candidate for a detox programme. People with hypoglycaemia, for instance, would do poorly on a juice or fasting cleanse. Therefore if you are fasting and feeling light-headed, nauseous, perspiring a lot or are clammy to the touch, you need to eat something.
Investing in liver health through proactive, supportive approaches, will encourage a relatively disease free body now and in the future.
