Liver Detox: What Really Helps Your Liver

Unhealthy food and too much alcohol put a heavy strain on the liver. Therefore, many people want to “detoxify” their liver. But is that even possible and how can you keep your liver healthy?

The liver is responsible for detoxification in our body. It also stores nutrients and controls metabolism. In addition to the skin, the liver filters out the most pathogens and metabolic products of all organs and excretes them via the kidneys or bile. These waste products include substances such as alcohol, nicotine or medicines. Although our liver is very robust, too many toxins can damage the liver.

We often don’t even notice when the liver is doing badly. With a healthy diet and avoiding alcohol, you can protect your liver. Some foods are also said to have a particularly positive effect on the detoxification organ.

Can you really detoxify the liver?

Even if the vernacular speaks of “detoxifying the liver”, it is more about protecting it from harmful substances such as alcohol, unhealthy fats and nicotine and not putting additional stress on it through a balanced diet. While a generally healthy lifestyle allows the liver, like all other organs, to work efficiently, there are no foods that have been proven to target toxins from the liver. However, there are foods that seem to be particularly good for the liver specifically – more on that below.

In a healthy body, the liver itself detoxifies, among other things; On the other hand, if someone suffers from actual poisoning, he or she needs medical help. While toxic heavy metals such as lead can build up in the body over time, there is no evidence that detoxifying or detox products or foods can counteract this.

These toxins damage the liver

If you want to “detoxify” the liver or, more precisely, protect it, you should avoid the following things:

• alcohol and nicotine
• sweets and sweetened foods
• unhealthy fats (such as trans fats)

In addition, damage the liver:

• lack of exercise
• lack of sleep

These foods naturally help the liver to “detoxify”

In general, the best way to protect your liver is through a balanced diet and by avoiding the “poisons” mentioned in the last section. The following foods are said to have a positive impact on the liver:

• Brazil nuts contain a lot of zinc, which can help the liver to regenerate.

• Broccoli contains glucosinolates, which help the liver fight certain toxins. The substance is also found in radishes and radishes, among other things.

• Bitter substances, for example from chicory or artichokes, stimulate the liver.

• Lemon helped reduce alcohol damage to the liver in mice studies.

• Artichokes contain cynarin, which may protect the liver.

• Flaxseed oil contains omega-3 fatty acids that help the liver detoxify.

Liver Detox Tips: Liver Wraps

With liver wraps you can support your liver in its function as a detoxification organ. The moist heat stimulates blood flow to the liver and is said to increase its performance. That is how it goes:

1. Prepare a hot water bottle, a small towel and a regular towel.
2. Fill the hot water bottle with hot water.
3. Dip the guest towel in warm water and wring it out well.
4. Fold the warm, damp towel twice over your liver (it sits on the right under the ribs of your chest), place the hot water bottle on top and wrap the larger towel around your stomach as airtight as possible.
5. Lie still for about 30 minutes.

Note: You should not use the liver wrap if you have stomach bleeding or stomach or intestinal ulcers!

Fasting for the Liver

According to the Helmholtz Center in Munich, fasting can improve the metabolism of the liver and thus prevent fatty liver. There are numerous types of fasting cures, such as interval fasting, alkaline fasting, juice fasting, or Buchinger fasting.

Tip: When fasting, you should take it slow, otherwise your body will be overloaded. Here you can find out more about different fasting trends.

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