Do you know how many functions your liver performs? It is an organ with an amazing workload and we do not always take it into account when deciding what to eat or drink.
After reading this article you will surely agree that we should pamper the liver with these formidable detoxifying juices.
The liver performs more than 500 functions in your body and when you sleep it is more busy.
He is responsible for different jobs for the metabolism and to keep the immune system in tune.
It fulfills decisive tasks in the digestion and detoxification of the organism, fundamental to keep you free of diseases.
The liver filters every drop of blood that circulates through your body, a task that keeps you permanently busy so you are free of toxins.
It is responsible for processing and filtering the hormones, so that compounds such as insulin, testosterone and estrogen are correctly balanced.
To produce cholesterol, a fat that in excess in the blood is harmful, but that is crucial for processes such as cell renewal and hormonal production.
Secrete bile, essential fluid for the digestion of fat-soluble vitamins and fats.
The liver is the largest internal organ, with an average width of 26 cm and a weight of 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs), second only to the skin.
With such great functions and dimensions, it is right that it be helped so that the detoxification is more complete and effective.
Free Radicals Can Be Very Harmful to Your Liver
Free radicals damage the body cells of animals and plants. With age, free radicals accumulate.
Free radicals damage your cells by accelerating the aging process.
Phases To Clean Your Liver
To rid the body of toxins, the liver works in 2 phases:
The liver takes the toxin from the bloodstream and makes an initial breakdown to make it less poisonous. These chemical transformation processes are mainly reduction, oxidation and hydrolysis.
By means of these reactions of elimination of oxygen, addition of oxygen and dissolution with water, the liver function considerably reduces the power of the toxins.
The less toxic compounds that remain after the first phase are eliminated in phase 2 and by the consumption of antioxidants.
At this stage, the liver creates a kind of buffer molecule that binds to the toxin, further reducing its toxicity. The toxin becomes soluble in water so that the organism can excrete it through urine.
The two phases of detoxification should work in optimal functioning and coordination to keep the body free of toxic compounds.
If one phase delays or accelerates with respect to the other, the detoxification function suffers. To avoid this, adequate nutrition is essential.
Read also our guide on ionic detoxification
7 Things That Overload The Liver's Work And Make It Necessary To Detoxify It
There are 7 habits or conditions that cause an overstrain of the liver and force detoxification:
Saturated fats put the liver to work extra, the main ones being:
Margarine.
Hydrogenated cooking oils.
Fritters
Fatty animal foods.
These products have heavy and complex molecules, whose digestion generates many toxic products, which excessively demand liver function.
Read our guide on the 8 reasons not to fear saturated fats
In this case, the effort of the liver is focused on keeping the glucose regulated before the avalanche of sugars it receives.
A diet rich in sugary drinks, white bread, pastries and sweets, requires the liver from two fronts: the excess of sugar and the own toxins that they contain or are generated during their digestion.
Read also our guide on why refined carbohydrates are bad for your health
The liver can not choose if a product is benign or harmful, legal or illegal. It has to process them all.
Among the hardest to process are alcohol, drugs, nicotine and medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter.
The consumption of any of these substances, for a long time, overload of work to the liver, can inhibit its normal functioning and cause irreversible, possibly fatal damage.
Read also our step-by-step guide on how to stop drinking alcohol
Toxins in the air also give the liver a lot of work, for example:
The exhaust gases of vehicles.
Tobacco smoke actively breathed (smokers) or passively (non-smokers).
The air conditioning.
Cleaning products
The gases emitted by industrial chimneys.
According to traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, the period of greatest activity of the liver is between 1 and 3 a.m. (1), where the liver function performs its most intense work filtering toxins.
The lack of deep sleep, particularly during this time, affects the functioning of the liver.
Exercise activates the metabolism, increasing the production of free radicals and other toxins.
A level of physical activity, beyond what is advisable, may require too much liver in its work of elimination of toxins.
In no way are we advising you to leave the exercises, which have extraordinary benefits such as maintaining body weight and a good cardiovascular function.
Proper exercise allows blood and lymph to be pumped more effectively, supporting the detoxification process.
What we are saying is that you do not overdo the exercise, so that the liver function does not have an excessive demand.
The body chemistry that develops during the two phases of work of the liver requires different nutrients.
Phase 1 mainly requires vitamins B3, B6, C and folic acid. Phase 2 requires particularly calcium and amino acids, such as glycine and taurine.
A diet low in nutrients puts the work to the liver uphill. In this case, the juices to detoxify are more necessary.
The Best Foods and Herbs for the Liver
There are several foods and vegetable ingredients that favor liver function, the most outstanding being:
It is rich in antioxidants, carotenoids, flavonoids, beta-carotene and vitamins, especially A and C.
It supports liver function through its abundant content of vitamins and flavonoids, powerful antioxidants.
Fruits such as orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime are rich in vitamin C and have a purgative effect on the body, helping to eliminate toxins.
It contains vitamin C, amino acids and carotenes. In addition, since it is 97% water, it is an excellent natural base to mix with vegetables with more solid substance.
Apple
It is rich in antioxidants and malic acid, a compound that prevents the formation of gallstones. The pectin of this fruit traps heavy metals, helping to eliminate them.
Vegetables and Green Leaf Herbs
Greens are great allies of the liver because of their high content of chlorophyll, which is nutrient-intensive and helps the liver to eliminate toxins that enter the body through tobacco smoke, contamination and the additives of processed food.
Between these green leaves protrude the parsley and the dandelion.
If you add one of these 4 juices for several weeks, you will provide your liver with an extraordinary reinforcement so that it can do all the heavy work you carry out on a daily basis.
Ingredients
One medium beet
A medium carrot.
A fresh lemon
A handful of parsley.
Preparation
Peel the beet, cut it into pieces and process it in the extractor.
Peel the carrot and lemon and process.
Process the handful of parsley, stir and serve.
Ingredients
2 cups of kale.
A cup of chard.
A fresh lime
A fresh lemon
Half cucumber
Preparation
Peel the lime.
Peel the lemon and reserve one half.
Process all the ingredients in the juice squeezer, stir and serve.
2 fresh oranges.
A fresh lemon
Half stalk of celery.
A cup of dandelion leaves or another bitter green vegetable.
Half a cup of parsley
Preparation
Peel the oranges and cut them into quarters.
Peel the lemon and cut it in half.
Place all the ingredients in the blender, process to a smooth texture and serve.
Ingredients
An Apple.
A beet
A cucumber.
A fresh lemon
A handful of dandelion leaves or other green leafy vegetable.
Preparation
Cut the apple in two and remove the center.
Peel and chop the beets.
Peel the cucumber and the lemon.
Process the ingredients in the juice squeezer, stir and serve.
We hope that soon you will begin the detoxification and strengthening of your liver function with one of these simple recipes.
After reading this article you will surely agree that we should pamper the liver with these formidable detoxifying juices.
What is the liver for?
The liver performs more than 500 functions in your body and when you sleep it is more busy.
He is responsible for different jobs for the metabolism and to keep the immune system in tune.
It fulfills decisive tasks in the digestion and detoxification of the organism, fundamental to keep you free of diseases.
The liver filters every drop of blood that circulates through your body, a task that keeps you permanently busy so you are free of toxins.
It is responsible for processing and filtering the hormones, so that compounds such as insulin, testosterone and estrogen are correctly balanced.
Liver function is also responsible for:
To produce cholesterol, a fat that in excess in the blood is harmful, but that is crucial for processes such as cell renewal and hormonal production.
Secrete bile, essential fluid for the digestion of fat-soluble vitamins and fats.
The liver is the largest internal organ, with an average width of 26 cm and a weight of 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs), second only to the skin.
With such great functions and dimensions, it is right that it be helped so that the detoxification is more complete and effective.
Free Radicals Can Be Very Harmful to Your Liver
Free radicals damage the body cells of animals and plants. With age, free radicals accumulate.
Free radicals damage your cells by accelerating the aging process.
Phases To Clean Your Liver
To rid the body of toxins, the liver works in 2 phases:
Phase 1: Primary Detoxification
The liver takes the toxin from the bloodstream and makes an initial breakdown to make it less poisonous. These chemical transformation processes are mainly reduction, oxidation and hydrolysis.
By means of these reactions of elimination of oxygen, addition of oxygen and dissolution with water, the liver function considerably reduces the power of the toxins.
The less toxic compounds that remain after the first phase are eliminated in phase 2 and by the consumption of antioxidants.
Phase 2: Secondary Detoxification and Solubility
At this stage, the liver creates a kind of buffer molecule that binds to the toxin, further reducing its toxicity. The toxin becomes soluble in water so that the organism can excrete it through urine.
The two phases of detoxification should work in optimal functioning and coordination to keep the body free of toxic compounds.
If one phase delays or accelerates with respect to the other, the detoxification function suffers. To avoid this, adequate nutrition is essential.
Read also our guide on ionic detoxification
7 Things That Overload The Liver's Work And Make It Necessary To Detoxify It
There are 7 habits or conditions that cause an overstrain of the liver and force detoxification:
1. Consume Many Saturated Fats
Saturated fats put the liver to work extra, the main ones being:
Margarine.
Hydrogenated cooking oils.
Fritters
Fatty animal foods.
These products have heavy and complex molecules, whose digestion generates many toxic products, which excessively demand liver function.
Read our guide on the 8 reasons not to fear saturated fats
2. Ingest A Diet With Abundant Refined Carbohydrates
In this case, the effort of the liver is focused on keeping the glucose regulated before the avalanche of sugars it receives.
A diet rich in sugary drinks, white bread, pastries and sweets, requires the liver from two fronts: the excess of sugar and the own toxins that they contain or are generated during their digestion.
Read also our guide on why refined carbohydrates are bad for your health
3. Drinking Too Much Alcohol, Consuming Drugs and Medications
The liver can not choose if a product is benign or harmful, legal or illegal. It has to process them all.
Among the hardest to process are alcohol, drugs, nicotine and medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter.
The consumption of any of these substances, for a long time, overload of work to the liver, can inhibit its normal functioning and cause irreversible, possibly fatal damage.
Read also our step-by-step guide on how to stop drinking alcohol
4. Breathing Contaminated Air
Toxins in the air also give the liver a lot of work, for example:
The exhaust gases of vehicles.
Tobacco smoke actively breathed (smokers) or passively (non-smokers).
The air conditioning.
Cleaning products
The gases emitted by industrial chimneys.
5. Sleeping Evil
According to traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, the period of greatest activity of the liver is between 1 and 3 a.m. (1), where the liver function performs its most intense work filtering toxins.
The lack of deep sleep, particularly during this time, affects the functioning of the liver.
6. Perform Excess Exercise
Exercise activates the metabolism, increasing the production of free radicals and other toxins.
A level of physical activity, beyond what is advisable, may require too much liver in its work of elimination of toxins.
In no way are we advising you to leave the exercises, which have extraordinary benefits such as maintaining body weight and a good cardiovascular function.
Proper exercise allows blood and lymph to be pumped more effectively, supporting the detoxification process.
What we are saying is that you do not overdo the exercise, so that the liver function does not have an excessive demand.
7. Eat Few Nutrients
The body chemistry that develops during the two phases of work of the liver requires different nutrients.
Phase 1 mainly requires vitamins B3, B6, C and folic acid. Phase 2 requires particularly calcium and amino acids, such as glycine and taurine.
A diet low in nutrients puts the work to the liver uphill. In this case, the juices to detoxify are more necessary.
The Best Foods and Herbs for the Liver
There are several foods and vegetable ingredients that favor liver function, the most outstanding being:
Beet
It is rich in antioxidants, carotenoids, flavonoids, beta-carotene and vitamins, especially A and C.
Carrot
It supports liver function through its abundant content of vitamins and flavonoids, powerful antioxidants.
Citrus
Fruits such as orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime are rich in vitamin C and have a purgative effect on the body, helping to eliminate toxins.
Cucumber
It contains vitamin C, amino acids and carotenes. In addition, since it is 97% water, it is an excellent natural base to mix with vegetables with more solid substance.
Apple
It is rich in antioxidants and malic acid, a compound that prevents the formation of gallstones. The pectin of this fruit traps heavy metals, helping to eliminate them.
Vegetables and Green Leaf Herbs
Greens are great allies of the liver because of their high content of chlorophyll, which is nutrient-intensive and helps the liver to eliminate toxins that enter the body through tobacco smoke, contamination and the additives of processed food.
Between these green leaves protrude the parsley and the dandelion.
4 Excellent Recipes for Liver Detoxification
If you add one of these 4 juices for several weeks, you will provide your liver with an extraordinary reinforcement so that it can do all the heavy work you carry out on a daily basis.
1. Beet Juice with Carrot and Lemon
Ingredients
One medium beet
A medium carrot.
A fresh lemon
A handful of parsley.
Preparation
Peel the beet, cut it into pieces and process it in the extractor.
Peel the carrot and lemon and process.
Process the handful of parsley, stir and serve.
2. Deep Green Hepatic Détox
Ingredients
2 cups of kale.
A cup of chard.
A fresh lime
A fresh lemon
Half cucumber
Preparation
Peel the lime.
Peel the lemon and reserve one half.
Process all the ingredients in the juice squeezer, stir and serve.
3. Green Detoxifier Smoothie
Ingredients2 fresh oranges.
A fresh lemon
Half stalk of celery.
A cup of dandelion leaves or another bitter green vegetable.
Half a cup of parsley
Preparation
Peel the oranges and cut them into quarters.
Peel the lemon and cut it in half.
Place all the ingredients in the blender, process to a smooth texture and serve.
4. Detoxifying Juice 5 ingredients
Ingredients
An Apple.
A beet
A cucumber.
A fresh lemon
A handful of dandelion leaves or other green leafy vegetable.
Preparation
Cut the apple in two and remove the center.
Peel and chop the beets.
Peel the cucumber and the lemon.
Process the ingredients in the juice squeezer, stir and serve.
We hope that soon you will begin the detoxification and strengthening of your liver function with one of these simple recipes.
