by Arjun Walia
We live in a world where
disease is everywhere, and becoming more prevalent by the day. This
should come as no surprise, as the environment we choose to surround
ourselves with is extremely toxic. The food we eat, the water we drink,
the very air we breathe – all have become potentially hazardous to our
health. Equally worrying are the chemicals we use every day. One
great example is bleach; it’s
one the most commonly used and relied upon cleaners in the world, but
it can be very damaging to the respiratory tract just by inhalation of
the gases it emits when used.
Another example is pesticides, used en
mass on our food, which have been linked to a number of health ailments.
Scientists have been concerned about our toxic environment for a long
time. Here is research showing how toxins commonly found in the environment can lead to a number of disorders, including autism.
One could spend all day listing the
toxins in our everyday lives, but the point remains, you do have a
choice. Instead of surrounding yourself in a toxic environment,
unthinking, you can work towards consciously surrounding yourself in
as natural, clean, and chemically free an environment as possible. The
importance of detoxification is huge today, and there are a number of
ways to cleanse your body and its organs of the drastic amount of
chemicals they accumulate and retain over the years.
The Liver Is Very Important
This is about detoxing the body’s
largest gland, the liver. Without a liver, a person cannot survive. It
has a number of functions including, but not limited to:
- Detoxifying the blood to rid it of harmful substances (like toxins, drugs, alcohol, and more)
- Stores vitamins and iron
- Converts stored sugar to usable sugar when the body’s sugar levels fall below normal
- Produces bile, a substance needed to digest fats
- Breaks down hemoglobin as well as insulin and other hormones
- Destroys old red blood cells
The liver performs so many vital functions, and as a result it is very prone to disease.
Detox Your Liver With These 19 Super Foods
1. Beets and Carrots: Carrots
are rich in Glutathione, a protein that helps detoxify the liver. Both
are extremely high in plant-flavonoids and beta-carotene. Eating beets
and carrots can help stimulate and improve overall liver function. (Source) (Related CE Article: The Mother of All Antioxidants)
2. Tomatoes: They have
abundant amounts of Glutathione (see article above) which again, are a
great detoxifier for the liver. As a side effect, Lycopene in tomatoes
will protect against breast, skin, and lung cancer. (Source)
3. Grapefruit: Another
source of the liver cleansing glutathione. It’s also high in vitamin C
and antioxidants, which boost the production of liver detoxification
enzymes and increase the natural cleansing process of the liver.
4. Spinach: Raw spinach is also a major source of glutathione, triggering the toxin cleansing enzymes of the liver.
5. Citrus Fruits:
Lemons and limes contain very high amounts of vitamin C, which helps
stimulate the liver and aids the synthesizing of toxic materials into
substances that can be absorbed by water.
6. Cabbage: The
isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from cabbage’s glucosinolates provides liver
detoxifying enzymes that help flush out toxins. (Source) (Source)
7. Turmeric: Turmeric
is the liver’s favorite spice and helps boost liver detox. It does this
by assisting enzymes that actively flush out dietary carcinogens. (Source)
8. Walnuts: Walnuts
are a good source of glutathione, omega-3 fatty acids, and the amino
acid arginine, which supports normal liver cleansing actions, especially
when detoxifying ammonia.
9. Avocados: A nutrient-dense superfood, avocado helps the body produce glutathione.
10. Apples: They are
high in pectin and other chemicals essential to cleansing and releasing
toxins from the digestive tract. Apples make it easier for the liver to
handle the toxic load during the cleansing process.
11. Brussels sprouts:
Brussels sprouts are high in sulfur and glucosinolate, which forces the
liver to release enzymes that block damage from environmental or dietary
toxins.
12. Garlic: Garlic is
loaded with sulphur, which activates liver enzymes that help your body
flush out toxins. Garlic also holds high amounts of allicin and
selenium, two natural compounds that also aid in liver cleansing.
13. Dandelion: Dandelion root tea assists the liver in breaking down fats, producing amino acids, and generally ridding it of toxins. (Source)
14. Leafy Green Vegetables:
Green veggies are extremely high in plant chlorophylls that absorb
environmental toxins, increase bile production, and neutralize heavy
metals, chemicals, and pesticides, which lowers the burden on the liver.
15. Cruciferous Vegetables:
Eating broccoli and cauliflower will increase production of
glucosinolate in your system, which helps flush out carcinogens and
other toxins.
16. Asparagus: Asparagus is a great diuretic, helping in the cleansing process and sharing the detox load of the liver and kidneys. (Source)
17. Green Tea: Green tea is full of plant antioxidants known as catechins, a compound known to assist liver function.
18. Olive Oil:
Cold-pressed organic oils such as olive, hemp, and flaxseed offer great
support for the liver, providing the body with a liquid base that can
suck up harmful toxins in the body.
19. Alternative Grains:
Gluten rich grains such as wheat and rye increase the load on the
liver’s detox function and enzyme production. Switch to alternative
grains like quinoa, millet, and buckwheat.
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