Love Your Liver - The Silent Servant
Date Posted:26 July 2014
Give some thought to your liver this week. The liver plays a crucial role in detoxifying your body, helping to keep your immune system strong especially during the colder seasons.
Your liver's job is to cleanse and filter the blood, promote the elimination of toxins and hormones, and to facilitate digestion. The liver also governs fat metabolism by releasing lipids (fats) and associated toxins into the blood for elimination. Your liver is a very important organ especially during winter when you want to stay well and be warm!
When do I need to support my liver?
Read below to find out how to recognise the possible signs of an overloaded liver, including some nutritional advice on foods to eat and avoid and some delicious drinks that will help your liver do its job more effectively.
Signs of an Overloaded Liver
- Craving for sugar
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Gallstones
- Allergies
- Poor memory
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Excessive weight gain and inability to lose weight
- Coated tongue and bad breath
- Elevated cholesterol levels
- Intolerance to alcohol and fatty foods
- Constipation / abdominal bloating / pot belly
How to Love Your Liver
The liver is governed by the heat element (Pitta dosha) and is very sensitive to pure food and drink. A very versatile organ the liver responds well to simple choices such as
- The juice of a lime or ½ a lemon taken in a glass of warm water on rising helps to kick-start the liver each morning.
- Take stewed apple or pear cooked with 1-2 cloves and 3-4 figs or 6-8 prunes first thing in the morning for 3-7 days.
- Increase vegetable consumption in your lunch and evening meals –the more colourful the better!
- Include good quality proteins in diet such as lentils, beans, nuts and seeds, and lean organic white meats and fresh water fish for non vegetarians.
- Cook with small amounts of ghee (clarified butter) as it is most balancing for the liver. Avoid bad fats that increase the workload for your liver, such as margarines, processed vegetable oils, deep-fried foods, preserved meats and fatty meats.
- Eat good fats that contain essential fatty acids such as olive oil, avocado, raw fresh nuts and seeds, alfalfa seeds, flaxseed and salmon oil for non-vegetarians.
- Drink plenty of filtered water, herbal teas and vegetable juices. Aim to drink 2 litres a day for women and 3 litres a day for men, to promote kidney function, liver clearance and reduce constipation.
Liver Tonics
Give your liver and immunity a helping hand and see how much more energy and clarity you will start to experience
- Drink Rajas Cup after meals – it can be made in a plunger like coffee.
- Take Digest Tone tablets to tone up the whole digestive system including the liver – take 1 tablet prior meals 3 times a day. For constipation take 2-4 tablets at bedtime.
- Take Cholesterol Protection to help balance the ratio of good & bad cholesterol by supporting body’s ability to properly metabolize fats.
- Herbal teas: Vata Tea contains liquorice root which helps to detoxify the liver and can relieve sugar cravings. Pitta Tea is particularly helpful if you suffer from hot flushes, irritability or fits of anger – all of which indicate the liver is in need of support. Be Trim Tea is particularly helpful as it helps reduce sugar cravings and healthy fat metabolism.
Wishing you the bliss of a healthy liver!
Linda Sinden
Maharishi Ayurveda Practitioner
Get Balance Team
Linda Sinden has been a practising Maharishi Ayurveda Consultant since 1990 and is a regular contributor to our weekly Insights. She has a practice in Auckland, New Zealand and also provides phone or Skype sessions for those who need assistance, but don’t have a consultant in their vicinity.
Email: lindasinden@orbislife.co.nz
Skype: Linda.Sinden
Mobile: +64 212237525