LOVE YOUR LIVER TO SUPPORT HORMONE BALANCE

The liver is in charge of keeping our body clear from harmful chemicals, toxins, bacteria and excess hormones. Harmful substances are filtered by the liver and sent through a series of pathways to either transform them into harmless chemicals or compounds that can be excreted from the body.

As expected, if the liver is functioning inadequately or is overburdened, this filtration and excretion system is compromised, negatively effecting practically all bodily systems including the immune system, hormone balance, muscular health and energy production.

The good news is there are many things we can do to keep our liver extra efficient so she can do her thing.

Looking after your liver doesn’t just mean watching how many glasses of wine you are drinking.

Here are my Top 10 tips to improve your liver function:

1. Less alcohol, more water. We all know the alcohol bit, but water aids in the flushing of the toxins.
2. Eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, kale and watercress. They are high in liver supporting phytochemicals which help to detoxify oestrogen.
3. Eat the right protein levels for you and make sure it’s a good quality protein. Amino Acids from protein are essential for liver function and detoxification.
4. Choose natural skin care, especially products that you use daily all over your body. Chemicals and toxins found in unnatural products contribute to our liver loading.
5. Get your bowels moving – the digestive system is the last piece of the detoxification puzzle, where the excretion takes place, if this is not working well, your chemicals and excess hormones are not excreted from the body effectively.
6. Choose organic produce where possible. Pesticides and herbicides are toxic and can overburden our liver function.
7. Drink green tea. It contains a molecule EGCG that is known to assist the liver function.
8. Use plenty of herbs and spices in your diet. Rosemary, parsley, turmeric, ginger and many others are great aids for liver clearance.
9. Reduce stress – when we are stressed, all unnecessary bodily functions, such as detoxification are put on hold to deal with the stress. This is why practising daily relaxation techniques will help your liver to get her things done.
10. Get sweating. The skin is our super important detoxification organ, where some of the toxin excretion takes place. Exercise and sauna are great ways to get sweating.

Incorporating some or ideally all of these practices will help your liver to get on with her tasks and keep your health and hormones in check. Loving your liver is a big step towards happier hormones.