Ways to Love your Liver
By Lorie King
Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach
www.eatinghealthyonthego.com
With spring upon us, we at High Cloud want to pass on some nutrition tips for all of our athletes and volunteers! The wonder of our body is that there is nothing we have to do for the spring detox to start working. It just happens. However, there are some things we can do to help facilitate the process and thus, detox more efficiently and hence enjoy increased benefits.
According to Chinese medicine, the liver rules the eyes, the joints, and the skin. Signs that your liver is cleansing include sporadic changes in your vision (some people may see floating black spots), stiff or achy joints, and skin conditions such as a rash, eczema or acne.
The liver is the largest gland in your body and weighs about 3-4 pounds. An interesting fact is that if your liver is damaged, it has the capacity to regenerate itself. Amazing! Your liver is also the main organ for detoxification. As such, let’s look at a few things you can do to love your liver and help it do its job.
Ways to love your liver:
With spring upon us, we at High Cloud want to pass on some nutrition tips for all of our athletes and volunteers! The wonder of our body is that there is nothing we have to do for the spring detox to start working. It just happens. However, there are some things we can do to help facilitate the process and thus, detox more efficiently and hence enjoy increased benefits.
According to Chinese medicine, the liver rules the eyes, the joints, and the skin. Signs that your liver is cleansing include sporadic changes in your vision (some people may see floating black spots), stiff or achy joints, and skin conditions such as a rash, eczema or acne.
The liver is the largest gland in your body and weighs about 3-4 pounds. An interesting fact is that if your liver is damaged, it has the capacity to regenerate itself. Amazing! Your liver is also the main organ for detoxification. As such, let’s look at a few things you can do to love your liver and help it do its job.
Ways to love your liver:
- Slow down, rest, and get plenty of sleep.
- Move your body. Your liver likes to have its energy flow. You can help facilitate this process by moving your body….swim, run, walk, jog, bike, stretch, do yoga or Tai Chi…whatever inspires you and helps you feel alive.
- Drink plenty of water and no, Gatorade doesn’t count. To spark up your water, try adding fresh lemon, lime, cucumber, or strawberries.
- Reduce or eliminate sugar, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, artificial ingredients, chemicals, and coffee.
- Eat lots of leafy greens (red leaf, green leaf or romaine lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, spinach, etc.). Greens are full of vitamins and minerals, including chlorophyll which is a great cleanser. According to the ANDI score, which shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, and the like scored a whopping 1000 points! Talk about a big return on a small investment.
- Avoid toxic fats (e.g., trans fats, partially hydrogenated oils, corn oil, margarine) as they make your liver work extra hard. Rather, enjoy healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, butter, olive oil, and coconut oil.
- Breathe. Take in long, slow deep inhales and watch your belly expand. Exhale slowly and feel your belly move back towards your spine. As you breathe in tell yourself, “calm and relaxation in” and as you exhale say, “stress and tension out.” You’ll be amazed at how much calmer and relaxed you’ll feel after a few rounds of deep breathing. Repeat this exercise many times throughout the day.
- Express gratitude for your liver (and other organs in your body) and acknowledge how hard it is working to keep you alive and healthy.
- Drink lemon water first thing the in morning for 10-14 days. To do this, squeeze the juice of a half a lemon into a glass of warm or room temperature water. If the lemon is too strong you can add a few drops of stevia or a small amount of raw honey.
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