The holidays have come and gone, but many of us are still feeling sluggish from all of the holiday sweets and beverages…no judgment.Adding the following suggestions to your daily routine is an easy way to get back on track, and also an easy way to keep your liver healthy every day {especially if you feverishly read our Hoboken Happy Hours posts on the reg}!
In Chinese Medicine, the Liver is referred to as “The General.” So, like the army, The General is the point of command that keeps everything in check, keeps things moving if you will. When the Liver energy is off balance due to diet, stress, or daily habits, it is hard for the body to stay in check. When trying to evaluate a liver imbalance through acupuncture, we ask about digestion {including bowel movement habits}, level of irritability, repetitive or long standing headaches, lack of focus / clarity / drive, frequent sighing or yawning, horrible PMS {female patients only of course}, or any discomfort / pain in the area above the belly button. Sound familiar? Perhaps consider the following suggestions to get your Liver energy back in check…
1.Warm H2O w/Lemon
Adding a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning to your daily routine is the easiest change you can make to detox. Warm water with lemon is like a bath for your organs, it essentially lubricates the liver and the rest of the digestive system. Adding a cup to your day first thing in the morning {before you eat or put anything into your system} prepares the organs to start working as they should after sleeping all night. Consider this: while we sleep, our organs sleep, too. Then, we wake, drink coffee/tea, take supplements/medication, eat breakfast {most of the time on-the-go}, and then are surprised when our digestive system doesn’t act as it should {i.e. constipation, bloating, gas occurs}? Give your body a chance to wake up and start working! Water naturally flushes the body and lemon water stimulates the digestive system {and production of bile}. Give it a chance as it’s an easy change to make. For further encouragement, given its flushing properties, it will even benefit your skin giving it a radiant, healthy glow!
2. Milk Thistle
According to studies, milk thistle {a plant native to southern Europe} has a remarkable ability to protect the liver. Milk thistle not only protects the liver from toxins, but it is also used to maintain liver health. {Fun fact: milk thistle is a prescribed medication in Europe to treat mushrooms poisoning, cirrhosis and acute viral hepatitis!}. So, how does it work? Silymarin {primary active ingredient} stabilizes the cell membrane of the liver to stimulate protein synthesis, which promotes cell regeneration of damaged liver tissues. Adding milk thistle to your daily routine {after your cup of warm water and lemon of course} not only assists liver health but, also contains anti-aging properties, may reduce hot flashes, as well as improves intestinal health. Give the pretty little plant a chance to assist your “General.”
3.Leafy Greens
In Chinese Medicine, the liver is part of the Wood Element {there are 5 Elements; Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water}. The color of the Wood Element is green, so of course I recommend adding some beautiful leafy greens to your diet! Being an acupuncturist, I believe it is no coincidence that leafy greens are extremely effective in cleansing the liver. Adding leafy greens {it doesn’t need to be excessive, simply adding a little to one meal a day is still effective!} increases bile production and flow. Bile is substance which primary function is to remove toxins and wastes from the organs and blood! Even picky eaters can add spinach or kale to a simple green juice for their daily fix, your body and your skin will thank you! {A simple green juice favorite of mine: spinach or kale, lemon, green apple, and a bit of ginger….yummers!!!}
4. Quinoa, Avocado, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, Turmeric
Sounds like an odd breakfast but, it is my personal favorite! Not only is quinoa, avocado, lemon {or lime} juice, olive oil, and turmeric delicious but, they are all also excellent resources for your liver health {not to mention this breakfast will keep you full straight into the afternoon}. Quinoa is gluten free {gluten is full of toxins…yuck!} which makes it an easy food for your body to digest. Avocados produce compounds that assist the liver to cleanse out toxins, not to mention avocados are known as super-foods — adding them to your daily diet is beneficial for your entire body. Olive oil {a little goes a long way} provides lipids which suck up toxins within the body. And TUMERIC: Turmeric is the liver’s best friend! The spiceis a detoxifier, so adding it to your day instantly boosts the liver’s detoxing abilities. Don’t keep these friends apart; starting your day off with this delicious dish does a liver good!!!
5. Rosemary (Fresh & Essential Oil)
Not just a delicious marinade, adding a little bit of rosemary to your diet can assist the liver with flushing out toxins. Rosemary helps flush out toxins because the herb has diuretic properties; promotes efficient urination. Adding rosemary helps to push pathogens, salts, toxins, and excess fat out of the body. At Acupuncture Atelier {in uptown Hoboken}, I frequently use rosemary essential oil on detoxing acupuncture points located on the body. Since rosemary is also an anti-inflammatory, I also find the essential oil to be therapeutic for digestive troubles, inflamed muscles / joints, and headaches {note: headaches are frequently found with Chinese Medicine liver energy imbalances}.
Have questions about detoxes for your liver {or any other health questions}? Email [emailprotected] to further discuss your personal health questions and/or concerns.
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