Your liver is a key organ when it comes to nutrient absorption, immune function, and hormone regulation. It's also a vital component of detoxification. It filters blood, breaks down poisons, and carries away waste. Unfortunately, in a day and age when toxins run rampant, our livers become so overburdened that they cannot function the way they were designed to. This can lead to toxic buildup in the body, which then leads to problems with all of the above: hormones, immune system, nutrient absorption, etc. Livers can become fatty and inflamed as well, leading to other issues, and even affecting gallbladder function.
It's important to identify and remove things from our diet that affect our liver in a negative way, as well as to address environmental toxins. Alcohol, processed sugar, high fructose corn syrup, ultra-processed food, food additives, refined starches, seed oils, and soy protein isolate are all known and documented liver destroyers, and should be removed (or at least drastically limited) for optimal liver health. Toxins in food and environment should also be identified and eliminated.
Once the harmful components have been removed, we can then support the liver's natural ability to heal by eating the right foods to support the liver (foods such as olive oil, wild-caught fish, pastured eggs, lemon, leafy greens, cabbage, arugula, cabbage, and grass-fed meats). We can also supplement with things like Vitamin C and herbal blends that support the liver. (For personalized supplement recommendations, contact me.)
Another extremely beneficial way to support the liver is to incorporate castor oil packs into your life. Castor oil has many benefits, including the ability to stimulate lymph fluid and draw out toxins. This makes it a great addition to any detox protocol, or even just a benefit to the body all by itself. It also helps to reduce inflammation and increase circulation. (Castor oil packs can also help to shrink cysts & reduce inflammation elsewhere in the body.)
It's important to use high-quality, hexane-free castor oil, and a glass bottle is preferable. Here is one I recommend. Other supplies needed are a flannel cloth or castor oil pack wrap. These products can be purchased separately, or together as a bundle at this website, by searching castor oil packs. These treatments can be done daily by coating the cloth in castor oil and placing it above the liver, securing it to the body with either the plastic film it comes with or the pack wrap, and placing a heating pad over it. The recommended time for beginners is 25 minutes, and you can work your way up to an hour. This process is very relaxing, so you will likely enjoy it! Be sure to drink plenty of water to flush out toxins.
Utilizing these tips will go a long way towards keeping your liver functioning well and promoting overall health and wellness. If you need help identifying and removing toxins in your food and environment, check out my Twelve Weeks to Detoxify Your Life program.
Stay Healthy Friends!
Amy
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