There is a reason why the Chinese call it the "father or all organs," and why people in Russia often greet each other saying "How's your liver today?" The reason? Your liver, is absolutely vital to your health and wellbeing.
The liver, the largest internal organ in the human body performs hundreds of tasks for you each and every day. It is constantly detoxifying, synthesizing, producing substances, filtering (your liver filters / cleanses 50 gallons of your blood each day!). A healthy liver is critical for balanced blood sugar levels (due to carbohydrate metabolism), a healthy bowel, burning fat for fuel, regulating hormonal metabolism....i could seriously go on and on and on here!
This may be of special interest to you. You know all those rich carbohydrate / sugar rich foods you love, the pizza, muffins, alcohol, etc. Well, when these “rich,” “liver unfriendly” foods are consumed regularly, your liver starts converting most of these calories to fat, stores them, and the result, is weight gain. The more sluggish your liver, the more toxic the liver, the more weight you'll pack on. PS: Cellulite and a sluggish liver usually go hand in hand.
Now that you understand how important this organ is, it will likely be easy for you to see how many of our so called health "problems" often stem from the health of our liver. And if this main detoxifying organ indeed becomes "unhappy" / burdened / distressed / dysfunctional, well, you're surely going to be feeling the ramifications of this somehow, and somewhere.
Symptoms of of a "sad liver"..
•weight gain, "pot belly,” cellulite
•abdominal bloating
•Eczema, acne
•Irritablity
•High blood pressure
•Back pain
•Fluid retention
•Fatigue or chronic fatigue
•Brownish spots on the skin
•Blood sugar instability
•Thin stools
•This list goes on!!!
The GREAT news here though, is that your liver is VERY forgiving. It will love you, if you love it! Fair right?
Liver cleansing is a wonderful thing to do, but it's not necessary something you want to jump right into, especially without support. Research, talk to myself, Jonathan (our TCM practitioner), or Erika (our on staff teacher who is also a naturopath), any one of us will be able to give you some additional guidance with regards to how to proceed!
From a specifically nutritional perspective, start eating more organic greens, vegetable juices, and fruits. Wild greens like Kale, mustard, and dandelion can be especially helpful! Drink lemon water, especially in the morning, lemon is a very liver friendly food. Unfriendly liver foods would be fast foods, junk foods, processed foods, refined sugar, coffee, alcohol, etc. You know:)
Here is also an amazing liver cleansing / healing tea to try! Combine the following:
2 tablespoons of Stinging Nettle Leaves
2 tablespoons of Dandelion Leaves
1 tablespoon of Spearmint
1 tablespoon of Burdock Root
Spring is an especially wonderful time of year to love and cleanse your liver! Spring into spring with some serious liver LOVIN:)
So…how is your liver today?
The liver, the largest internal organ in the human body performs hundreds of tasks for you each and every day. It is constantly detoxifying, synthesizing, producing substances, filtering (your liver filters / cleanses 50 gallons of your blood each day!). A healthy liver is critical for balanced blood sugar levels (due to carbohydrate metabolism), a healthy bowel, burning fat for fuel, regulating hormonal metabolism....i could seriously go on and on and on here!
This may be of special interest to you. You know all those rich carbohydrate / sugar rich foods you love, the pizza, muffins, alcohol, etc. Well, when these “rich,” “liver unfriendly” foods are consumed regularly, your liver starts converting most of these calories to fat, stores them, and the result, is weight gain. The more sluggish your liver, the more toxic the liver, the more weight you'll pack on. PS: Cellulite and a sluggish liver usually go hand in hand.
Now that you understand how important this organ is, it will likely be easy for you to see how many of our so called health "problems" often stem from the health of our liver. And if this main detoxifying organ indeed becomes "unhappy" / burdened / distressed / dysfunctional, well, you're surely going to be feeling the ramifications of this somehow, and somewhere.
Symptoms of of a "sad liver"..
•weight gain, "pot belly,” cellulite
•abdominal bloating
•Eczema, acne
•Irritablity
•High blood pressure
•Back pain
•Fluid retention
•Fatigue or chronic fatigue
•Brownish spots on the skin
•Blood sugar instability
•Thin stools
•This list goes on!!!
The GREAT news here though, is that your liver is VERY forgiving. It will love you, if you love it! Fair right?
Liver cleansing is a wonderful thing to do, but it's not necessary something you want to jump right into, especially without support. Research, talk to myself, Jonathan (our TCM practitioner), or Erika (our on staff teacher who is also a naturopath), any one of us will be able to give you some additional guidance with regards to how to proceed!
From a specifically nutritional perspective, start eating more organic greens, vegetable juices, and fruits. Wild greens like Kale, mustard, and dandelion can be especially helpful! Drink lemon water, especially in the morning, lemon is a very liver friendly food. Unfriendly liver foods would be fast foods, junk foods, processed foods, refined sugar, coffee, alcohol, etc. You know:)
Here is also an amazing liver cleansing / healing tea to try! Combine the following:
2 tablespoons of Stinging Nettle Leaves
2 tablespoons of Dandelion Leaves
1 tablespoon of Spearmint
1 tablespoon of Burdock Root
Spring is an especially wonderful time of year to love and cleanse your liver! Spring into spring with some serious liver LOVIN:)
So…how is your liver today?