The liver is the largest gland in the human body, performing many functions critical to life. Cleansing the liver is a key process for our body to function properly.
Every day we are exposed to huge amounts of toxins and harmful substances – from the air, water, other drinks, food, stimulants, drugs, cosmetics, perfumes, chemicals, food packaging, stressful situations or negative emotions.
Having a liver in a bad condition, we are not able to eliminate these substances from the body. As a result, these toxic substances are deposited and accumulated in various organs, making the organs dysfunctional and leading subsequently to neoplastic changes.
Cancer is said to be the last stage of contamination of the body with toxins (including heavy metals, pathogens i.e. viruses, harmful bacteria, fungi, etc. and the substances they excrete). For this reason, we should take special care of the liver, which is the main organ responsible for the detoxification of our body.
Liver functions in the body
While several hundred liver functions have been discovered so far, not all liver functions are yet known. First of all, the liver is one of the three main filters – next to the kidneys and colon. The liver is responsible for removing harmful substances and detoxifying the body.
The liver produces bile, which determines the proper digestion of fats, the absorption of certain vitamins (including A, D, E, K) and affects the regular peristalsis of the intestines. Without an efficiently functioning liver, losing weight is often impossible. The liver also greatly affects our eyesight (the better the liver condition is, the better our eyesight is).
The liver is also responsible for carbohydrate metabolism, including the management of glucose – a critical fuel for the brain, the substance critically needed in mitochondria (energy centres of cells) for the energy production process.
Impairment and overburden of the liver can also negatively affect the thyroid and adrenal hormones. Moreover, an overloaded liver may weaken the immune system, as this gland is involved in the secretion of cytokines necessary in building the immune system response.
Symptoms of liver dysfunction
Liver disease is associated primarily with jaundice. However, the symptoms of liver dysfunction are not always so obvious. It is worth observing your body and, if you notice any of the symptoms, take care of your liver, for instance by changing your eating habits and lifestyle.
Overloaded liver – the symptoms that may occur:
- difficulty with putting on or losing weight;
- itchy skin, rash;
- impaired eyesight;
- disorders of the stomach and digestion (heartburn, nausea, belching);
- tiredness;
- depression;
- irritability;
- hormonal problems;
- dark circles under the eyes;
- blood sugar fluctuations;
- impairment of immune system;
- hypersensitivity to chemicals;
- hypersensitivity to light and sounds;
- severe PMS (premenstrual syndrome) symptoms;
- anaemia;
- sleep disturbances;
- poor appetite;
- bad breath;
- cramps, weakness and tremors in the limbs;
- excessive build-up of phlegm;
- excessive hair loss, weakened nails;
- problems with regular defecation.
By cleansing the liver, you give your body the opportunity and space to activate (or strengthen) self-healing mechanisms and thus get rid of these persistent ailments.
Liver cleansing is also a key to treating most autoimmune diseases, including connective tissue systemic disease (e.g. RA – rheumatoid arthritis, lupus).
How to support the liver every day?
The liver likes everything that is green, especially vegetables and fresh herbs such as spinach, broccoli, coriander, arugula, lettuce, kale, asparagus, parsley and basil. Coriander in particular in combination with spirulina supports the liver in body detoxification. On the other hand, dandelion, milk thistle and artichoke have liver regenerating properties.
It is important to avoid the following groups of food: processed, fried, fatty, sugar-rich, gluten, and dairy foods. Limit the amount of salt you consume. Reduce your exposure to toxins as much as possible (alcohol supplies a lot of toxins (!) so drink it occasionally and in a moderate amount). Take care of high-quality water and its adequate consumption throughout the day (water is needed to eliminate toxins).
Start the day with 1-2 glasses of water with lemon juice. Then drink a green smoothie instead of a fat and protein-rich breakfast (it is very important to not consume fat in the morning).
The liver likes to relax and rest, especially in the open air, in the forest, in the park, among trees. Go for a walk every day and keep a balance between work and rest. Also, take care of your emotions.
Moreover, take care of regular sleep. The liver works very hard at night – it carries out detoxification processes that are critical for your health and life. Prayer and meditation will also be helpful.
If you have the space in your life to perform a complete liver cleanse, this would be a great start for making changes to your eating habits and lifestyle – the changes that support your liver.
Liver and thyroid
Supporting the liver is an important element in restoring the regular functioning of the thyroid gland and thus eliminating a number of symptoms related to Hashimoto’s disease. If the liver is not functioning properly, it may not provide the body with the desired amounts of thyroid hormones.
Most of the transformation of the inactive thyroid hormone T4 into its active form T3 takes place in the liver gland (T3 is several times more powerful than T4). Moreover, TBG (a type of thyroid-binding globulin) are synthesized in the liver.
When the liver does not function properly, the body may not use thyroid medications effectively. As a result, an increased dose of a medication does not improve hormonal parameters due to impaired T4 to T3 conversion.
Liver and losing weight
A properly functioning liver is necessary for losing weight. First of all, the liver regulates the lipid (fat) metabolism of the body. Secondly, a fat cell is a place where toxins are stored and to lose weight the toxins must be released from fat cells.
Otherwise, the fat cells won’t be able to reduce their volume. Once formed fat cells do not disappear, but can reduce their volume up to 50 times. The only way to get rid of fat cells completely is liposuction (an aesthetic surgery).
Releasing toxins from fat cells and their elimination from the body is essential for effective fat burning. This cannot happen without well-functioning liver.
Liver and Traditional Chinese Medicine
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, emotions and mental condition are as important as the physical body. This means any ‘mind disruption’ (e.g. excessive thinking, destructive and toxic thoughts) affects the functioning of the entire body – causing difficulties in the flow of energy (including energy blockages).
As a result, it leads to the dysfunction of individual organs and the whole body. This works also the other way around – energy disturbances within the physical body affect brain functioning, emotions and mental condition.
The liver is an immensely sensitive organ, therefore the harmony of mind and body is extremely important for a properly functioning liver. Excessive stress, negative and toxic thoughts and emotions overburden the liver.
Liver and emotions
If we want to cleanse and regenerate our liver (the physical level), it is important to take care of emotions too – especially those related to the liver.
The emotion attributed to the liver by Eastern medicine is anger and irritation. If they are not ‘expressed’, they are suppressed (or repressed) and can turn into deep resentment, frustration, injustice or hostility.
Liver and subconsciousness
The liver is the ‘place’ where the subconscious mind ‘lives’ – it stores memories, images, feelings and emotions. There are situations we suppress (repress) and do not want to remember and feel them. These suppressed/ repressed emotions and memories are like toxins – they poison our body and cause disturbances in the energy flow. These energy blockages do not affect the functioning of the liver only – they consequently impair the functioning of all other organs.
When an emotion is repressed or suppressed, it traps it in the body. This creates an energy blockage that disrupts the energy flow. Moreover, trapped in the body emotion is like a fat, heavy and late-eaten dinner for the liver – such an emotion is a source of toxins that constantly burden the liver.
Liver and stress
The liver is very sensitive to stress – both “personal” (including stress resulting from toxic thoughts) and environmental (e.g. exposure to toxins coming from food, water, air, cosmetics, etc.).
When we are stressed, our body produces stress hormones that the liver is responsible for removing from the bloodstream – this burdens the liver significantly. Moreover, one of the stress hormones – adrenaline – prevents restorative sleep, which of course harms the liver. Excessive or prolonged stress disturbs the energy flow in the liver, which in turn causes dysfunction of other organs.
Healthy liver – emotional support
The liver supports us at the physical level but also at the emotional level. People whose liver is balanced are patient, calm, tolerant and understanding. A healthy liver also gives you clarity of mind and readiness to make bold decisions. Moreover, having the liver in good condition, we are self-confident, consistent and persistent, and also do things with confidence.
Find out more about how you can safely cleanse your liver:
