8 Herbal Remedies to Rescue Your Sluggish Liver
As human beings, we are alive thanks to brilliant biochemistry, and while each system in our body has its own function, they are all intricately linked and work together to keep us thriving. When one system falls off the wagon, it tends to affect other seemingly unrelated aspects of our health. This is especially true for the liver. Our livers are one of the biggest organs of detoxification in the body. It works hard to protect us from the toxins we’re constantly exposed to through the environment or the foods we eat like alcohol, processed foods, refined sugar, and so on.
When the liver is overloaded with toxins, it creates many issues within our body, including chronic inflammation. This further affects our liver’s ability to rid the body of these toxins and becomes a vicious cycle between toxin buildup and inflammation. This causes a sluggish liver, and the only way this nasty cycle can be broken is by limiting our exposure to toxins and supporting the liver’s natural ability to detox.
There is never a bad time to show your liver a little extra love and help to support it in doing its job effectively. Although there is no way to “detox the liver” as such because it is always detoxing every minute of the day, there are ways to improve its function and efficiency by supporting its specific detoxification pathways while reducing the load and stress you put on it.
Here are some signs you have a sluggish liver:
You constantly feel lethargic, fatigued and tired
You have a white or yellow-coated tongue and bad breath
You are gaining weight, especially around the abdomen
You are having cravings and blood sugar issues
You experience frequent headaches
You have poor digestion
You feel nauseous after fatty meals
You have become intolerant to strong smells like perfume
You have pain in the right side of your stomach
Your skin is breaking out in acne and rashes
When our livers are under stress for a prolonged period of time, a condition called fatty liver develops. Fatty liver refers to the buildup of excess fat in the liver and is a common condition in western countries, affecting every one in ten people. If fatty liver is not treated, serious conditions like diabetes, cirrhosis, metabolic syndrome and cancer can develop.
Herbs For Liver Support
1. Dandelion
Dandelion contains an abundance of B vitamins, which help support optimum liver functioning. Methylation is the body’s biochemical superhighway that controls the body’s ability to detox. The B vitamins act as fuel for methylation, so brewing a cup of dandelion tea will support methylation and help the liver. Dandelion featured in our blog, 9 Nurturing Herbs for Self-Love. Give that a read.
2. Milk Thistle
The milk thistle plant is one of the most well-researched natural remedies for treating liver issues and has been used for hundreds of years to treat alcohol liver disease, fatty liver, and hepatitis. Milk thistle helps to eliminate toxins that have built up in the liver and restore any liver cells that have been damaged due to increased toxin exposure. Milk thistle can be taken as a supplement capsule or as a tea.
3. Garlic
Garlic is a yummy miracle herb and even made it’s way to our blog featuring 7 antiviral herbs. It helps activate liver detox enzymes that work to break down the toxins that enter the body and eliminates them effectively. Thankfully, garlic makes a tasty addition to almost any recipe, so don’t be afraid to add in a little extra the next time you cook a meal!
4. Turmeric
Turmeric protects your liver from incoming toxins through its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric has a particular affinity for the liver and is used in many detoxification programs. Turmeric has also been shown to increase bile production by over 100 percent, making it a powerful aid to toxin excretion. Just like garlic, you can add a healthy amount of turmeric to your meals, or you can take it in the form of a capsule supplement.
5. Artichoke Leaf
Artichoke leaf is an important remedy for liver support. It contains cynarin, which increases bile production and enhances the detoxification process. Like milk thistle, artichoke leaf also contains the important flavonoid silymarin, which is best known for its ability to protect the liver. Artichoke can be taken in the form of an extract or capsule supplement.
6. Ginger
Ginger is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is essential to liver health. Ginger contains compounds like gingerol and shogal, which have been found to inhibit pro-inflammatory chemicals in the body, like cytokines and prostaglandins. Inflammation plays a huge role in sluggish liver and fatty liver disease, so decreasing overall inflammation in the body will aid the liver in its detoxification process. You can add ginger to your smoothies, meals, herbal tea, or take it as a supplement.
7. Red Clover
Red clover has an amazing ability to rid the body of toxins, not only from the liver but also from the spleen and lymphatic system. Red clover purifies the blood by acting as a diuretic and expectorant, which helps improve circulation and cleanse the liver. Red clover can be taken as a herbal tincture or in capsule form. Red clover is also great for women’s health; read more here.
8. Burdock Root
Burdock root does wonders for removing toxins from the body, especially heavy metals. It has natural diuretic properties that work to flush out toxins by boosting the lymphatic system and increasing fluid excretion. Burdock root can be eaten raw or cooked, or you can use the dried powder in smoothies. This herbal remedy is also available in supplement form.
In Summary
You don’t need to adopt all of these herbal rituals to support your liver, but by adding garlic and turmeric to your next meal, making yourself a cup of dandelion tea, or taking a milk thistle supplement, you can support your detox pathways and provide your liver with the boost it needs. A happy, healthy liver is so important for our overall functioning. Please remember to always seek the advice of a healthcare practitioner before trying a new supplement.