March/April 2001
By Sean Guillemette
If your body were an automobile, your liver would be the filter that cleans the fuel and ensures the engine runs efficiently. If the filter gets clogged with dirt, the car sputters and stalls.
Similarly, your body needs clean fuel to work as efficiently as possible. Your liver filters and cleans the blood that runs through your system. It breaks down and removes toxic material that enters your body. "It is only the liver that can effectively break down fat-soluble toxins that are derived from petro-chemicals and steroid hormones. The liver must first convert fat-soluble toxins into water soluble forms so that they can be excreted via water fluids [such as urine, sweat and bile]," says Dr. Sandra Cabot, author of The Liver Cleansing Diet and The Liver & Bowel Book. This is especially true if you have hepatitis B or C, where your liver is already stressed.
If your liver cannot convert these toxins into water-soluble forms says Dr. Cabot, they cannot be eliminated and will build up in the fatty areas of the body such as the brain, endocrine glands and fat tissue. This can lead to fatigue, brain dysfunction, chronic disease or even many types of cancer.
Helping your liver means minimizing the toxins you come in contact with whether through the air you breathe, the materials you touch or the food you eat. It also means detoxifying your body of the toxins it already holds.
What toxins are we talking about?
Toxins come from the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the surfaces we touch. Dr. Elson Haas, author of The Detox Diet and Staying Healthy with Nutrition, says that toxins are found in, "strong environmental chemicals from cleaners, varnishes, to all kinds of sprays. Also, drugs like cocaine and even Tylenol (acetaminophen) [can be toxic]."
Examples include the pesticides found in non-organic fruits and vegetables and steroid hormones used in meat production. Solvents are found in the home in everything from the chemicals used to clean the bathroom to the paint on the walls. Antibiotics can also be toxic to the liver in people who use them on a long-term basis. Toxins can also be found in the food chain and our water supplies.
Dr. Cabot warns that these toxins are especially prevalent for people who work in dry cleaning plants, the agricultural industry, hairdressers and nail technicians, industrial chemists and people in the automotive, plumbing and building industries.
Avoiding Toxins at Home and Office
Though most people will only be affected mildly, toxins in a persons environment can have a major effect on their health, says Dr. Haas. Toxins are found everywhere, and a component to detoxifying your body is to avoid as much of them as possible in the first place.
As a key factor to your very ability to live, air is important to consider if you wish to avoid toxins. The air we breathe ends up in our blood, circulating throughout our bodies.
Inside air, whether at home, the office or any building is generally far more toxic than outside air. Fumes from cleansers, mildews, molds and other toxins are continually recycled back to us in our climate control systems.
To circulate toxins out of the air, open the windows periodically and buy an air purifier if possible. Plant trees outside your home, as they produce fresh oxygen, and place plants inside, as some plants remove toxins from the air, in addition to providing oxygen. Replace your chemical air fresheners with more natural alternatives, such as candles, fragrant flowers, potpourri, or simmer cinnamon and cloves. The air ducts running through your home also harbor dust, mold, mildew and a host of other toxic problems. Get them cleaned periodically.
Besides the air you breathe, your home harbors other potential toxins. Synthetic carpets, chemically treated fabrics, painted and lacquered furniture are toxins that make continual skin contact, or may release fumes as they age.
Try to use non-toxic materials in your home. Bare wood floors, organic cotton fabrics and materials such as tile, metal and glass will all help reduce toxin levels in your home.
Household cleaners are an obvious cache of chemicals to avoid. Throw out your chemical cleansers and use natural alternatives. It is healthier for you and has the added benefit of helping the environment.
Laundry is another potential toxin source. Avoid dry cleaning and hand wash your clothing or buy fabrics that dont require dry cleaning. If you must dry clean, remove your clothing from its plastic bag and air it out. This will limit your exposure to perchloroethylene, a solvent used in dry cleaning.
When cleaning laundry at home, use safer alternatives than typical laundry detergent. To avoid fabric softeners and static cling, line dry your clothing or remove them from the dryer while slightly damp.
Personal hygiene products are another potential source of toxins. Try to use unscented products, free of dyes and other chemicals. Avoid aerosol cans, and stick to roll-on deodorants and pump hair sprays or styling gels. Shop for products made from all-natural ingredients whenever possible.
When using cosmetics, select fragrance free or hypoallergenic varieties. Remember, these cosmetics are applied directly to your skin.
Diet Detoxifying
Changing your environment is important in avoiding toxins, but if you wish to detoxify your body, diet is essential. "The good news is that it is easy to love your liver," says Dr. Cabot. "You do not have to count calories or weigh food."
A good place to start is with juicing. "Raw juicing is your greatest liver strategy. It can save your liver and your life," says Dr. Cabot. Eating whole raw fruits and vegetables is also recommended. "Raw foods contain living enzymes, natural antibiotics, vitamins, anti-oxidants and phyto-nutraceuticals which reduce liver inflammation and cleanse the liver," says Dr. Cabot.
One caveat says Dr. Haas, "all these foods are best eaten organically grown if possible, to lessen the chemical burden."
Specific vegetables to consider are varieties high in sulfur. Foods that contain organic sulfur support liver detoxification and aid in toxin elimination. Cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, garlic and onions are all examples of vegetables high in sulfur.
Bitter, green vegetables will aid the flow of bile, which increases elimination of toxins via the bile says Dr. Cabot. These vegetables include dandelion, watercress, rocket, bok choy and carrot tops.
Dr. Cabot also recommends the addition of essential fatty acids into your diet, as they help liver cell membranes. They are found in oily fish, beans, raw nuts, cold pressed seed and vegetable oils.
Red and white meat can be eaten, as well as all seafoods. However, stick to organic, free-range chicken and lean, fresh red meat.
Breakfast would not be the same without coffee and eggs, and both can be eaten says Dr. Cabot. "Eggs contain the sulfur-bearing amino acids which aid detoxification. They can be eaten regularly but must not be fried." As for coffee, avoid instant and use real coffee.
Alternative Cleanser Recipes
The Environmental Protection Agency offers some cleaning alternatives that will help the environment, and you.
Surface cleanser: Mix 1 quart of hot water with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil-based soap or detergent, 1 teaspoon of borax and 2 tablespoons of vinegar.
Glass cleaner: Mix 1/4 cup of white vinegar with 1 qt. water.
Tub and sink cleaner: Use straight baking soda, it acts as a scouring cleanser.
Toilet bowl cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup of borax with 1 gallon of water to clean and deodorize.
Laundry Detergents: Use natural, unscented laundry soap and add borax, washing soda or baking soda as a water softener.
For more alternative cleanser recipes, as well as suggested alternatives for everything from paint to pesticides, visit the Environmental Protection Agencys Website.
The final, and vitally important component to a detoxifying diet is water. In his book Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Dr. Haas writes, "water is possibly the most important detoxifier. It helps dilute and eliminate toxin accumulations, and it helps our sweating through exercise and cleans us through our skin and kidneys."
Filtered water is ideal. If filtering is not an option, boiling tap water for 10 minutes will eliminate some of the chlorine present that is used to clean our water of biological agents. Boiling will also reduce the levels of pesticides and other chemicals that run-off into our water supplies.
Drink 8 - 12 glasses throughout the day, avoiding large amounts of fluid at meals. Keep in mind that your body is two-thirds water. It requires a large amount to keep it hydrated. With that much fluid entering your body on a daily basis, water is the last thing that you want to introduce toxins into your system.
There are foods to avoid when detoxifying your body warns Dr. Cabot. "Avoid the unhealthy fats. I have found that very specific foods must be avoided." These include all dairy products, margarine, deep fried foods, preserved meats and processed foods made with transfatty acids.
Other Measures
Helping the organs that excrete the toxins the liver filters into the body is another way to reduce them in the body and help the liver work more efficiently.
Dr. Haas recommends regular aerobic exercise to improve general metabolism and help with overall detoxification of the body. Exercise also stimulates sweating, which eliminates toxins through the skin. Exercise, however, also increases their production, so it must be used in conjunction with other detoxifying strategies.
Besides exercise, saunas and sweats can be used to induce sweating and detoxify the body through skin elimination. Hot baths help cleanse the skin of released toxins and allow the pores to eliminate more toxins.
The colon is another site of toxin elimination. The colon is the bodys sewage system. If it gets clogged, toxins can quickly build up, hampering its ability to absorb nutrients. It then becomes a storehouse of toxins, increasing the likelihood of their entering the bloodstream. Dr. Haas suggests that enemas, colonics and cleansing diets with fiber supplements, under the guidance of a professional, can all be used to cleanse the colon.
Ultimately, increasing toxin output by the liver is hampered if the toxins cannot escape the body because of problems with the skin or colon.
Conclusion
Your liver is the only filter and cleanser for the blood stream. When nursing a compromised liver it is important to save it from as much work as possible. It only makes sense, if you can decrease the toxins coming into contact with your body, you will decrease the workload of your liver.
At minimum, anyone with a compromised liver should follow some sort of detoxifying diet program for a set period of time and repeat the program periodically to destress the liver. If that is not possible, Dr. Cabot recommends following her twelve principles in day-to-day eating.
"Your diet has a huge effect upon your liver function, the efficiency of your immune system and the amount of inflammation in your liver. Whether you are currently taking combination therapy or other drugs, it is still vital to check your diet. The drugs may eliminate the virus, but they will not repair the liver damage that you have already sustained. Only nutritional medicine can do this," says Dr. Cabot.
Combining an environmental change to reduce the amount of toxins in your body with a dietary one designed to detoxify the toxins you already possess, will keep your body running like a well-oiled machine.
The Twelve Vital Principles To Improve Your Liver Function
If you are reluctant, or unable to follow a structured detoxification diet program, Dr. Cabot recommends that you follow twelve principles outlined in her Liver Cleansing Diet book.
Listen to your body if you are not hungry, dont eat. Have raw juice or a piece of fruit instead. On the other hand, if you are hungry, eat. Structure your meal times around your hunger and not the clock.
Drink at least eight to twelve glasses of filtered water daily water helps clean your liver and kidneys so drink it throughout the day.
Avoid large amounts of sugar replace sweets with fresh raw fruits. Excessive refined sugars cause the liver to work harder, along with other potential problems.
Dont worry about measuring calories it is more important to follow the general guidelines outlined, than to worry about calories.
Avoid the foods that you may be allergic to this includes foods that you know upset your digestive system.
Be aware of the quality of the food you eat when attempting to detoxify the body eating preserved meats or unsafe seafood will put a tremendous strain on your liver.
Times of stress and anxiousness are bad times to eat it will only cause bloating and poor digestion as blood is diverted away from your intestines and liver.
Look for fresh, organically grown produce - natural foods free of pesticides and other toxins are ideal for cleansing the body of toxins.
Use diverse sources to obtain protein - legumes, nuts and grains all provide protein. Try not to rely on chicken, fish or eggs.
Buy breads free of unnatural chemicals - most mass produced breads are made with artificial chemicals. Shop wisely.
Avoid constipation drink water throughout the day and eat raw fruits and vegetables. Keep your bowels moving, supplementing your diet with high-fiber meals if necessary.
Avoid unhealthy fats saturated or damaged fats can cause liver damage when eaten regularly and contribute to your chances of getting a "fatty liver."
By Sean Guillemette
If your body were an automobile, your liver would be the filter that cleans the fuel and ensures the engine runs efficiently. If the filter gets clogged with dirt, the car sputters and stalls.
Similarly, your body needs clean fuel to work as efficiently as possible. Your liver filters and cleans the blood that runs through your system. It breaks down and removes toxic material that enters your body. "It is only the liver that can effectively break down fat-soluble toxins that are derived from petro-chemicals and steroid hormones. The liver must first convert fat-soluble toxins into water soluble forms so that they can be excreted via water fluids [such as urine, sweat and bile]," says Dr. Sandra Cabot, author of The Liver Cleansing Diet and The Liver & Bowel Book. This is especially true if you have hepatitis B or C, where your liver is already stressed.
If your liver cannot convert these toxins into water-soluble forms says Dr. Cabot, they cannot be eliminated and will build up in the fatty areas of the body such as the brain, endocrine glands and fat tissue. This can lead to fatigue, brain dysfunction, chronic disease or even many types of cancer.
Helping your liver means minimizing the toxins you come in contact with whether through the air you breathe, the materials you touch or the food you eat. It also means detoxifying your body of the toxins it already holds.
What toxins are we talking about?
Toxins come from the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the surfaces we touch. Dr. Elson Haas, author of The Detox Diet and Staying Healthy with Nutrition, says that toxins are found in, "strong environmental chemicals from cleaners, varnishes, to all kinds of sprays. Also, drugs like cocaine and even Tylenol (acetaminophen) [can be toxic]."
Examples include the pesticides found in non-organic fruits and vegetables and steroid hormones used in meat production. Solvents are found in the home in everything from the chemicals used to clean the bathroom to the paint on the walls. Antibiotics can also be toxic to the liver in people who use them on a long-term basis. Toxins can also be found in the food chain and our water supplies.
Dr. Cabot warns that these toxins are especially prevalent for people who work in dry cleaning plants, the agricultural industry, hairdressers and nail technicians, industrial chemists and people in the automotive, plumbing and building industries.
Avoiding Toxins at Home and Office
Though most people will only be affected mildly, toxins in a persons environment can have a major effect on their health, says Dr. Haas. Toxins are found everywhere, and a component to detoxifying your body is to avoid as much of them as possible in the first place.
As a key factor to your very ability to live, air is important to consider if you wish to avoid toxins. The air we breathe ends up in our blood, circulating throughout our bodies.
Inside air, whether at home, the office or any building is generally far more toxic than outside air. Fumes from cleansers, mildews, molds and other toxins are continually recycled back to us in our climate control systems.
To circulate toxins out of the air, open the windows periodically and buy an air purifier if possible. Plant trees outside your home, as they produce fresh oxygen, and place plants inside, as some plants remove toxins from the air, in addition to providing oxygen. Replace your chemical air fresheners with more natural alternatives, such as candles, fragrant flowers, potpourri, or simmer cinnamon and cloves. The air ducts running through your home also harbor dust, mold, mildew and a host of other toxic problems. Get them cleaned periodically.
Besides the air you breathe, your home harbors other potential toxins. Synthetic carpets, chemically treated fabrics, painted and lacquered furniture are toxins that make continual skin contact, or may release fumes as they age.
Try to use non-toxic materials in your home. Bare wood floors, organic cotton fabrics and materials such as tile, metal and glass will all help reduce toxin levels in your home.
Household cleaners are an obvious cache of chemicals to avoid. Throw out your chemical cleansers and use natural alternatives. It is healthier for you and has the added benefit of helping the environment.
Laundry is another potential toxin source. Avoid dry cleaning and hand wash your clothing or buy fabrics that dont require dry cleaning. If you must dry clean, remove your clothing from its plastic bag and air it out. This will limit your exposure to perchloroethylene, a solvent used in dry cleaning.
When cleaning laundry at home, use safer alternatives than typical laundry detergent. To avoid fabric softeners and static cling, line dry your clothing or remove them from the dryer while slightly damp.
Personal hygiene products are another potential source of toxins. Try to use unscented products, free of dyes and other chemicals. Avoid aerosol cans, and stick to roll-on deodorants and pump hair sprays or styling gels. Shop for products made from all-natural ingredients whenever possible.
When using cosmetics, select fragrance free or hypoallergenic varieties. Remember, these cosmetics are applied directly to your skin.
Diet Detoxifying
Changing your environment is important in avoiding toxins, but if you wish to detoxify your body, diet is essential. "The good news is that it is easy to love your liver," says Dr. Cabot. "You do not have to count calories or weigh food."
A good place to start is with juicing. "Raw juicing is your greatest liver strategy. It can save your liver and your life," says Dr. Cabot. Eating whole raw fruits and vegetables is also recommended. "Raw foods contain living enzymes, natural antibiotics, vitamins, anti-oxidants and phyto-nutraceuticals which reduce liver inflammation and cleanse the liver," says Dr. Cabot.
One caveat says Dr. Haas, "all these foods are best eaten organically grown if possible, to lessen the chemical burden."
Specific vegetables to consider are varieties high in sulfur. Foods that contain organic sulfur support liver detoxification and aid in toxin elimination. Cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, garlic and onions are all examples of vegetables high in sulfur.
Bitter, green vegetables will aid the flow of bile, which increases elimination of toxins via the bile says Dr. Cabot. These vegetables include dandelion, watercress, rocket, bok choy and carrot tops.
Dr. Cabot also recommends the addition of essential fatty acids into your diet, as they help liver cell membranes. They are found in oily fish, beans, raw nuts, cold pressed seed and vegetable oils.
Red and white meat can be eaten, as well as all seafoods. However, stick to organic, free-range chicken and lean, fresh red meat.
Breakfast would not be the same without coffee and eggs, and both can be eaten says Dr. Cabot. "Eggs contain the sulfur-bearing amino acids which aid detoxification. They can be eaten regularly but must not be fried." As for coffee, avoid instant and use real coffee.
Alternative Cleanser Recipes
The Environmental Protection Agency offers some cleaning alternatives that will help the environment, and you.
Surface cleanser: Mix 1 quart of hot water with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil-based soap or detergent, 1 teaspoon of borax and 2 tablespoons of vinegar.
Glass cleaner: Mix 1/4 cup of white vinegar with 1 qt. water.
Tub and sink cleaner: Use straight baking soda, it acts as a scouring cleanser.
Toilet bowl cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup of borax with 1 gallon of water to clean and deodorize.
Laundry Detergents: Use natural, unscented laundry soap and add borax, washing soda or baking soda as a water softener.
For more alternative cleanser recipes, as well as suggested alternatives for everything from paint to pesticides, visit the Environmental Protection Agencys Website.
The final, and vitally important component to a detoxifying diet is water. In his book Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Dr. Haas writes, "water is possibly the most important detoxifier. It helps dilute and eliminate toxin accumulations, and it helps our sweating through exercise and cleans us through our skin and kidneys."
Filtered water is ideal. If filtering is not an option, boiling tap water for 10 minutes will eliminate some of the chlorine present that is used to clean our water of biological agents. Boiling will also reduce the levels of pesticides and other chemicals that run-off into our water supplies.
Drink 8 - 12 glasses throughout the day, avoiding large amounts of fluid at meals. Keep in mind that your body is two-thirds water. It requires a large amount to keep it hydrated. With that much fluid entering your body on a daily basis, water is the last thing that you want to introduce toxins into your system.
There are foods to avoid when detoxifying your body warns Dr. Cabot. "Avoid the unhealthy fats. I have found that very specific foods must be avoided." These include all dairy products, margarine, deep fried foods, preserved meats and processed foods made with transfatty acids.
Other Measures
Helping the organs that excrete the toxins the liver filters into the body is another way to reduce them in the body and help the liver work more efficiently.
Dr. Haas recommends regular aerobic exercise to improve general metabolism and help with overall detoxification of the body. Exercise also stimulates sweating, which eliminates toxins through the skin. Exercise, however, also increases their production, so it must be used in conjunction with other detoxifying strategies.
Besides exercise, saunas and sweats can be used to induce sweating and detoxify the body through skin elimination. Hot baths help cleanse the skin of released toxins and allow the pores to eliminate more toxins.
The colon is another site of toxin elimination. The colon is the bodys sewage system. If it gets clogged, toxins can quickly build up, hampering its ability to absorb nutrients. It then becomes a storehouse of toxins, increasing the likelihood of their entering the bloodstream. Dr. Haas suggests that enemas, colonics and cleansing diets with fiber supplements, under the guidance of a professional, can all be used to cleanse the colon.
Ultimately, increasing toxin output by the liver is hampered if the toxins cannot escape the body because of problems with the skin or colon.
Conclusion
Your liver is the only filter and cleanser for the blood stream. When nursing a compromised liver it is important to save it from as much work as possible. It only makes sense, if you can decrease the toxins coming into contact with your body, you will decrease the workload of your liver.
At minimum, anyone with a compromised liver should follow some sort of detoxifying diet program for a set period of time and repeat the program periodically to destress the liver. If that is not possible, Dr. Cabot recommends following her twelve principles in day-to-day eating.
"Your diet has a huge effect upon your liver function, the efficiency of your immune system and the amount of inflammation in your liver. Whether you are currently taking combination therapy or other drugs, it is still vital to check your diet. The drugs may eliminate the virus, but they will not repair the liver damage that you have already sustained. Only nutritional medicine can do this," says Dr. Cabot.
Combining an environmental change to reduce the amount of toxins in your body with a dietary one designed to detoxify the toxins you already possess, will keep your body running like a well-oiled machine.
The Twelve Vital Principles To Improve Your Liver Function
If you are reluctant, or unable to follow a structured detoxification diet program, Dr. Cabot recommends that you follow twelve principles outlined in her Liver Cleansing Diet book.
Listen to your body if you are not hungry, dont eat. Have raw juice or a piece of fruit instead. On the other hand, if you are hungry, eat. Structure your meal times around your hunger and not the clock.
Drink at least eight to twelve glasses of filtered water daily water helps clean your liver and kidneys so drink it throughout the day.
Avoid large amounts of sugar replace sweets with fresh raw fruits. Excessive refined sugars cause the liver to work harder, along with other potential problems.
Dont worry about measuring calories it is more important to follow the general guidelines outlined, than to worry about calories.
Avoid the foods that you may be allergic to this includes foods that you know upset your digestive system.
Be aware of the quality of the food you eat when attempting to detoxify the body eating preserved meats or unsafe seafood will put a tremendous strain on your liver.
Times of stress and anxiousness are bad times to eat it will only cause bloating and poor digestion as blood is diverted away from your intestines and liver.
Look for fresh, organically grown produce - natural foods free of pesticides and other toxins are ideal for cleansing the body of toxins.
Use diverse sources to obtain protein - legumes, nuts and grains all provide protein. Try not to rely on chicken, fish or eggs.
Buy breads free of unnatural chemicals - most mass produced breads are made with artificial chemicals. Shop wisely.
Avoid constipation drink water throughout the day and eat raw fruits and vegetables. Keep your bowels moving, supplementing your diet with high-fiber meals if necessary.
Avoid unhealthy fats saturated or damaged fats can cause liver damage when eaten regularly and contribute to your chances of getting a "fatty liver."
