Natural ways to Detoxify your Liver - Milk Thistle included

Edit: Originally, this post was solely about various ways to detox your liver, etc. However, since I recently deleted a website of mine that was linked from here, I thought it would be a good idea to add a "Part 2" section that featured Milk Thistle at the end of this post since I can no longer link to it, so now this page will contain both posts.

Part 1: "Natural ways to Detoxify your Liver"

Under normal circumstances, the human body can easily detoxify itself. Within the body, your Kidneys & Liver are the powerhouse for such detoxifying activities. However, living in polluted conditions, having bad habits such as smoking tobacco and drinking large amounts of alcohol (for example), eating a poor diet, and not getting enough rest, can all factor in and overload your system which allows toxic substances & chemicals to build up in your body and organs. 

Now, here's where the marketers come into play and try to sell a bunch of asinine products that, well, simply do not work. Surely most of you have heard, from one time or another, about some super "detox" product or miracle pill or bogus plan. Yes, I'm talking about those things that some people are willing to lose dignity over so they can advertise baloney products to you, just to make a profit off of your ignorance, desperation and/or gullibility therein. But seriously, unless there is a major medical problem involved, there are many natural ways to detoxify your liver and/or your body, for that matter. 

I keep mentioning the liver because, without a doubt, it is your primary filter and processor for such things, and it also carries out numerous amounts of other functions, protein synthesis, and so on. In fact, the Liver is the second largest organ in your body, being that your skin is the largest, since it is technically considered an organ. 

Anyway, you don't need to purchase some big "liver detox" products and, once again, under normal circumstances, you typically won't have to do anything at all outside of eating reasonably healthy forms of food and breathing semi-clean air. Enough about that, let's get on with some of the natural methods that you can use, if you are really living a taxed lifestyle. 

One easy way to help detoxify your body, is to simply pick a day or two a month, and fast (diet/abstain from food). Just drink plenty of fluids and only eat fruits and maybe a few vegetables, but in general, do not consume much of anything that requires very much digestion. Now this works, but if you're like me and have a fast metabolism, we don't have the pounds or fat reserve to shed just to "detoxify" for a few days. What little extra poundage I have, I need to keep for the days I'm stressed or sick and/or don't feel like eating much. If you're rather plump or of a medium to medium-heavy weight, this may be the perfect method for you. 

Okay, if you're looking for foods that are naturally great for detoxifying your liver, try eating more of these sulfur-based consumables: 

Egg Yolks, Cabbage, Broccoli, Onions, Garlic, Artichoke, Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, Spinach, Turnip Greens, and Radishes. Of course, there are others, but these are what I consider to be the "heart of the list." Actually, most meats have a good bit of sulfur: beef, chicken, turkey, etc.

Beverages such as Coffee are also known to protect the liver from damage cause by excessive drinking. Throw in some Green tea and Chocolate, and you are even more protected from the free radical damage caused by some of these toxic substances. 

Vitamin C plays a big role in the initial phases of detoxification. Obviously, anything natural and involves things such as fruits and vegetables, is bound to be good for you, duh! A simple juice diet works well for many, when trying to purify and/or purge the body from built-up toxic chemicals. 

If you're seeking natural herbal supplements, I'd recommend Ginseng, Taurine (non-herbal), and Milk Thistle. If you're interested in reading more about Milk Thistle capsules, and especially if you drink alcohol on a regular basis and smoke tobacco daily, you may want to visit: http://perpendicularity.org/blog/2010/05/03/liver-detox-milk-thistle/ [Link is no longer active, but I moved the info for that page down below so it could be included in this post.]

Eat, drink, and be merry... Cheers! ---End of Post "Natural ways to Detoxify your Liver"

Part 2: Liver Detox - Milk Thistle

Pictured to the left, you will see what is known as the miraculous Milk Thistle - a healthy, herbal agent for liver health.

If you add up all the additives & preservatives that are put into many of the foods we eat, the household chemicals, pollution, insecticides & pesticides, prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs that the majority of people on Earth are accustomed to, it comes to the totality of an abundance of toxins.

In addition to all of this listed prior, if you enjoy your regular dose of alcohol, use tobacco or smoke anything, you’ve really got those Kidneys and Liver working overtime.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those people who believe a person should perform regular detox rituals and especially since most of the advertised methods are bogus scams and rip-offs. But, I will recommend a natural alternative that is simple and effective. It involves no procedure or special diet, just supplemental pills that you can either take on a regular basis or use sporadically. The primary supplement I’d suggest, is an herbal delight called Milk Thistle.

Before I elaborate about this particular herb and detoxification, let's get one thing clear: Your body, when healthy and not overloaded, is made to naturally detox on its own. Under normal circumstances, you don’t need assistance; your Kidneys & Liver are a duo of detoxing powerhouses. Then again, nowadays, a lot of things are different. This isn’t the same world as it was before; it’s a rat race amongst billions and the quality has dropped in many areas and aspects of life — including food and the air we breathe. So maybe you need a supplemental detoxifying agent or some occasional help from this wonderful substance (Silybum marianum) found in Milk Thistle.

Not only does Milk Thistle help prevent damage to your liver, it also helps induce and speed up the liver’s regeneration process.

Many scientific studies have proven this to be true, along with additional benefits. For example, numerous studies have shown that Milk Thistle is an effective remedy in protecting the liver against hepatotoxins such as a-amanitin, thioacetamide, carbon tetrachloride, and the well-known Death Cap Mushroom. Needless to say, this particular ancient remedy has saved countless lives.

However, to many of you, the main benefit outside of promoting healthy liver function, being a protector of liver cells and acting as a powerful antioxidant, is the fact that it can help regulate and lower cholesterol to healthier levels. Which many of you know, most of the body’s cholesterol is manufactured within the liver, so this comes to no surprise.

Shopping (Affiliate) Link:

‘Click Here’ for a fine selection of Milk Thistle products!

Other Foods for Detox:

Sulfur-containing foods such as eggs (yolks included), broccoli, cabbage, onions, artichoke, brussels sprouts, radishes, etc., can naturally assist in the detoxification process and of course, they are all healthy side items to add to any meal.

All fruits and any foods high in Vitamin C, are well known for providing the body extra protection from harmful free radical damage.

Flavonoids, like the ones found in tea and especially Green Tea, are also great alternatives.

Other Excellent Alternative Supplements: Dandelion, Korean or American Ginseng, and Artichoke Extracts.

So, whatever your choices are, whether you’re living healthy or not, it’s good to give the body a break and supply it with the nutrients it needs.

We are very resilient creatures, but we don’t need to constantly tax our bodies……

---End of Post "Natural Ways to Detoxify your Liver - Milk Thistle included"