Herbs can help the liver to function effectively.
The liver is one of the hardest working organs in the body. It plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy immune system and an important part in digestion, assimilation and elimination. The liver is basically the sewage plant of the body. Its primary duty is processing toxic and allergy-causing substances in the bloodstream, including pharmaceuticals, alcohol and the chemicals in processed foods. To keep the liver functioning efficiently, keep it clean; several herbs can help.
Milk Thistle
More research is needed into the benefits of milk thistle..
Milk thistle contains a substance called silymarin that protects the liver by inhibiting cell damage from harmful substances. Silymarin also prevents depletion of glutathione-one, a critical nutrient for liver detoxification, depleted by alcohol consumption and synthetic chemicals. A typical dose for liver cleansing is about 140 mg of silymarin. A great deal of controversy surrounds the efficacy of milk thistle for treating liver disorders, and more research is planned by the National Institutes of Health. However, milk thistle has been found to be safe and well-tolerated for protecting a healthy liver.
Fresh Herbs
If you use it within two weeks, store whole garlic in a cool, dry place, not refrigerated.
Since processed foods make the liver work harder; avoiding them is a first step in restoring the liver's vigor. Several liver-supporting herbs can be incorporated easily into a healthy diet and are better eaten as foods instead of synthetic supplements. They include ginger, parsley, garlic, peppermint and rosemary. Parsley, peppermint and rosemary can all be grown, without much effort, in a home herb garden or in pots. Garlic will keep best stored in a cool, dry place for up to two weeks. Do not store in the refrigerator unless peeled and under oil.
Dandelion Root
Pesticide use makes ingestion of wild dandelions a bad idea.
Herbalist Michael Tierra recommends dandelion root to stimulate bile production, and believes it is one of the most effective liver tonics. A 1997 study by S. Salmond, in the Australian Journal of Medical Herbalism, found that dandelion root increases the secretion of bile, promotes liver cleansing and improves appetite,digestion and elimination of wastes. Michelle Schoffro Cook, doctor of natural medicine and author of "The Life Force Diet," recommends taking 1 to 2 tsp. of dandelion root extract or supplement with 500 to 2000 mg daily in capsules for two weeks to help cleanse your liver.
Turmeric
Turmeric is used in many Indian dishes and helps the body digest fats.
The Middle Eastern spice turmeric is valued in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for its beneficial effects on the digestive system and the liver. Turmeric improves the body's ability to digest fats by stimulating bile production in the liver. It encourages excretion of bile via the gallbladder. Containing liver-protecting compounds similar to milk thistle and artichoke leaves, turmeric is believed to help shrink engorged hepatic ducts, making it useful in the treatment of hepatitis, cirrhosis and jaundice.
Tags: milk thistle, bile production, cool place, dandelion root, digest fats, liver cleansing