3 New Reasons to Give Your Liver a Break
By Stacy St Germain, CNT
Did you know there are over 500 vital functions in the human body performed by the liver? One of the principle functions of the liver is detoxification.
When we start a detox program, we’re taking a conscious break to purge toxins that have accumulated in the body. Toxin accumulation can contribute to:
• headaches • fatigue • brain fog • joint pain • digestive upset •
…and many other symptoms.
Sadly, our body’s are storage for many toxins from environmental pollutants in food, water, air, personal care and cleaning products, medications and other sources. Learn more about environmental toxics and the long-term effects they have on health here.
Other substances like sugar, caffeine and alcohol, also add to the load on the liver, kidneys and pancreas and increase body inflammation.
Alcohol is known to be harmful to the liver and this is because the liver plays such a critical role in breaking down the alcohol we consume. Alcohol is first broken down into a substance called acetaldehyde which is highly toxic to the body, even in small quantities. Acetaldehyde neutralized by our bodies thanks to an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) that further breaks down acetaldehyde into something less harmful. (1) The new safer byproducts are processed out of the body via the liver.
Caffeine is also broken down by the liver, mostly into a substance called paraxanthine by an enzyme called CPY1A2. The rate and ability of the body to metabolize caffeine varies widely by individual, but all caffeine is managed by the liver. (2) Coincidentally, the enzyme CPY1A2 is also used to break down environmental pollutants, pesticides, food additives and drugs.
Sugar is inarguably bad for the human body in excess, but did you know that sugar is, in part, also metabolized by the liver? Table sugar contains two forms of sugar: sucrose and fructose. Sucrose breaks down into glucose, which our body uses, or stores, for energy. The body doesn’t use fructose for energy and the liver undertakes a process to store it. (3) Read more about other effects of sugar here.
Consumption of large amounts of these substances, over time, can have significant negative health effects. Even moderate amounts on a regular basis contribute to the load that has to be managed by your liver.
A seasonal detox program is an important way to give your liver a break by avoiding these substances; and replacing them with liver-supportive foods and herbs, such as:
- Cruciferous Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, radish, arugula, etc)
- Leafy Greens
- Beets
- Artichoke
- Spirulina and Chlorella
- Herbal Teas (chicory, milk thistle, burdock, dandelion, etc)
- Dandelion
- Turmeric
- Ginger
I like to perform a detoxification at least twice a year to give my body the reset it needs; particularly after holidays and vacations when I’m getting more of these foods and drinks. Join me in our next 2020 RESET Detox program beginning this January, 2020.
