Your liver carries a great deal of responsibility in your body, most having to do with filtering the blood to process the good (nutrients) and eliminate the bad (toxins).
It also produces proteins for blood clotting and bile for digesting food. It’s a very hardy organ, but it can take quite a beating from pharmaceuticals.
While a particular drug may alleviate symptoms of something else going on in the body, the chemicals inevitably make their way through the liver and over time, damage is likely to occur.
The best way to help your liver is to stop taking prescription drugs. If that’s not possible, there are ingredients you can supplement in your diet that will help to cleanse your liver and keep it functioning at its best.
1. Fiber
Eating dietary fiber is like swallowing a robotic vacuum cleaner: it works its way through your body, collecting the dust and grunge that hangs around, cleaning the digestive system, until you empty it when it’s full.
Included in the grunge are toxins and bile that would be reabsorbed by the intestines if they didn’t get swept out. When the fiber scoops up bile acids, the liver produces more and it uses low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the less desirous) cholesterol to do that.
This is one of the reasons that LDL exists in your body and why healthy liver function is vital: the liver is a primary consumer of LDL in your blood.
2. Milk Thistle
This plant has been used for kidney, gallbladder, and liver support for millennia. It contains potent antioxidants that are great for the entire body; specific to liver function, milk thistle increases glutathione levels in the blood.
This amino acid is an active mechanism in the robotic vacuum, grabbing toxins, free radicals, and heavy metals as it courses through.
Other foods increase glutathione levels, too: kale, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, turnips, radish, and broccoli are some.
Epsom salts absorbed through the skin also promote production of this important protein. Milk thistle can interact with some medications so if you are taking any prescription, check with your health care provider first.
3. Cysteine
This is one of the three components of glutathione, along with glycine and glutamine. You can find supplements of this amino acid alone (also known as N-acetyl Cysteine, NAC) which promote production of the larger glutathione protein. NAC has been shown to be effective in reversing the effects of acetaminophen poisoning, which poses a serious threat to the liver.
4. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)
This powerful antioxidant is made in the body and can be found in every cell. A compound that is both water- and oil-soluble, ALA is like the little housemaid who travels throughout the machine of the robotic vacuum and gives everyone a little extra boost along the way.
It can be supplemented with various foods: potatoes, spinach, brewer’s yeast, red and organ meat. It lowers blood sugar, supports the immune system, slows degenerative brain disease, and can prevent the formation of cataracts. Because of its versatility, ALA can go anywhere in the body when it’s needed. We all need a housekeeper like this.
You have only one liver. It does more for you than you might realize. Everything that you take into your body passes through the liver in one form or another. Give it special attention if you find it necessary to take any kind of medication on a regular basis to ensure it can work at its best.