The liver is often overlooked but it is one of the most important organs in the body, multi-tasking over 500 vital jobs to keep you going. The healthier your liver is the better you will feel. Keeping your liver healthy can have a whole host of positive side effects. A detox (boosting your liver, properly supporting it in flushing out toxins and ideally only having healthy food and drink) gives your liver a great reset. As well as helping to avoid liver disease and problems, other bonuses from taking extra care of your liver can be better digestion, better sleep, more energy, less hangovers, better fat digestion (leading to less weight gain) and better skin.
This means liver health and detoxing really help us feel better everyday… so how can we look after our livers? We know cutting down on unhealthy stuff will help but let’s focus on what we can do and add in rather than take away…
- Plenty of water. A seemingly obvious one, but most of us still often struggle to get enough water. This is the easiest way to help our livers. Try drinking from bigger containers and make it part of your routine to fill it up throughout the day. If it’s in front of you then you’re more likely to drink it. This should be part of your everday routine but it’s also a crucial element of a detox. 1.5L water per day for women and 2L for men will really make the liver’s jobs easier…any less and it can struggle. Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics so don’t count towards water intake. Herbal teas count but remember green tea, guarana and white tea all have caffeine in. Best to avoid sugary drinks when looking to help your liver but these are better than diet drinks with aspartame which can increase risk of strokes, heart issues and more so don’t switch out to those.
- Deep breathing and reducing stress. Stress is bad for our body in so many ways, but one way it can impact us is through our livers. Stress causes lots of tension in our upper abdomen which reduces circulation to the liver. This can make it harder for the liver to do its job. Deep breathing is a great way to increase circulation to the liver. Take a deep, deep belly breath, hold as long as you can and repeat 5 times. Do this 2-3times a day and it can help boost your liver by improving circulation and reduce stress. Another technique is 7/11 breathing. Deep, belly breath in for 7 seconds and breathe out for 11. The deep breathing soothes and relaxes physically and the counting helps engage the calming, conscious side of your brain. Anything else you can do to reduce stress such as meditation, journalling and therapy can also help the liver.
- Abdominal Massage. Massage is a great way to give your liver a boost. It can help release all the tension caused by stress and increase circulation to the liver, allowing it to function better. It helps the improve the flow of enzymes, digestive juices and hormones so your body (including your liver) has an easier time and can be more productive. This kind of massage also really helps digestion and colon health. Your liver gets rid of its waste through your colon. If your colon is blocked, sluggish or struggling then your liver will struggle more too. Abdominal massage resets the digestive system, clearing blockages, improving flow and absorption. Once this is better your liver will be better off too. If you’d like help with liver and digestive health an abdominal massage session is perfect to help reset your system. You also learn the massage in a session and it’s great to include in any detox to make it more effective. You can also get more detailed and tailored tips on what could help you and your liver be at its best, leaving you feeling much better and healthier.
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- Plenty of fruit and veg. One third of our diet should be fruit and veg and many of us fall short here. Another simple way to help the liver is just adding more in. It can be much easier when you’re on a health kick to focus on adding foods rather than taking them away. Add in more fruit and veg to help your liver out. Having smoothies or soups can be a great way to increase your water intake as well. Having one of these regularly as a meal is great for your diet, but also another good inclusion in a detox.
- Green powders. Deep green powders have a very alkalizing effect on the body and are great for the liver. Another good idea to include in a detox if you decide to do one. A great, simple way to give your liver a boost. Spirulina, Chlorella, wheat grass and barley grass are all excellent for the liver and very nutrient rich. The easiest way to take them is in a supplement but you can also add them to smoothies or juices.
Give your liver some love today and see how much better you feel 😊
Treatments available in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire and Oxford, Oxfordshire.
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Gloucestershire, Hampshire.