Liver Health
Liver issues and damage are more common than most people realize and can cause a variety of chronic symptoms. People diagnosed with liver cirrhosis (nonalcoholic or alcoholic), fatty liver disease, and/or elevated liver enzymes each year are at staggering numbers! These diagnoses can be scary to hear, especially since the mainstream medical community rarely believes cirrhosis can be halted or even healed to certain levels. It is true that this should be taken very seriously. Advanced stages of liver disease can result in multiple paracenteses, TIPS procedure, and/or liver transplant. No matter what stage you are at, these lifestyle changes and plant medicine can be very beneficial. I have had liver issues with elevated liver enzymes and gallbladder issues in the past due to a toxic lifestyle. I know from personal experience that the liver can heal with these methods.
Signs and Symptoms of Liver Problems:
Persistent fatigue
High blood pressure
Blood sugar problems
Weight gain or swelling
Abdominal pain
Frequent digestive problems and/or indigestion
Hormonal imbalances
Rashes or very itchy skin
Jaundice of skin or sclera of eyes
"You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine." John C. Maxwell
What you put into your body matters! Your overall health is dependent on this fact. Also, exercise and moving the body is very important. Do not underestimate walking and low-impact exercise either, if more strenuous physical activity is not possible right now. However, this article will focus more on nutrition and herbs/plant medicines that can change your health dramatically.
Five Steps to Healing Your Liver:
Stop eating fried, highly processed, sodium-filled foods. No pre-packaged microwave meals. Stop or seriously limit fast food.
No pop/soda or sugar-filled beverages, even juices that have artificial flavors and dyes.
If you can grow it, it's made to be eaten. Increase vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes/beans, and ancient grains.
You do not want to ingest pesticides! They are toxic and poison to our system. Go organic when you can and non-GMO.
Start drinking herbal teas DAILY and increase using herbs in food dishes as well.
Changing your diet is key! Many also underestimate the power of plants and do not realize they were put here for a purpose. Herbs are incredibly healing, containing amazing properties which benefit the entire body. One other area that needs to be addressed is being in an over-medicated world!! The mentality of "there's a pill for everything" has negatively affected our society's health. Sometimes, in emergent situations, the need for pharmaceutical drugs have their place. Long-term, however, they can be quite detrimental to other organs. Each medication comes with a long list of adverse effects; the longer you take it, the greater the chance you will eventually have negative effects. Do yourself a favor and try to eliminate as many pharmaceutical medications as possible. Replace the mantra with "there's an herb for that" instead! Trust me, after 18 years of being a nurse and seeing this firsthand, synthetic medications should not be equated with long-term health goals. The more pills a person was on, the sicker they were. Anyone who tells you differently is either ignorant of this fact or they are lying.
Top 3 Herbs for Liver Health:
Dandelion is a powerful diuretic that helps eliminate toxins and improve liver and kidney health. Helpful in weight loss, blood circulation, minimize oxidative stress, and improves bone health, among many other benefits. This herb is particularly helpful in liver and gallbladder health (they go hand in hand).
Milk Thistle- the number 1 herb for the liver! This is a must for those with liver issues, including cirrhosis. This herb protects the liver, detoxifies, and heals the liver from damage caused by alcohol, cirrhosis, fatty liver, and hepatitis. Also, regulates insulin levels, and helps manage diabetes with the combination of antioxidants and silybin properties.
Burdock Root- is considered a blood purifier and a liver cleanser and also helps with lymphatic congestion by stimulating lymphatic drainage. Detoxifies the system and is a powerhouse of antioxidants.
My recommendation for using these herbs is in tea form. Drinking herbal tea is wonderful for the body and works also as a natural diuretic. You can easily get the medicinal benefits of the plant/herb when you consume them as tea. Make sure you buy organic tea, so you are not drinking pesticides which is very harmful to our body and can cause cancer.
You can improve your liver health, which in turn will improve your overall health! The liver is incredibly important as it's one of the main filters in our body. The last piece of this puzzle is sleep. Sleep is very important and rejuvenating for our body. The liver also goes through a cleansing and healing cycle during sleep. If you are not sleeping well, it needs to be addressed. There are herbs that help decrease stress, calm the body, and help sleep quality tremendously as well! My favorite herbal teas for sleep are Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night tea, Lavender, Chamomile, Holy Basil Tulsi, Valerian Root, and Passionflower. Take care of your mental health by taking walks in nature, warm baths if possible, exercise/stretching, read, and pray. Make your health and yourself a priority!
"Sorry there's no magic bullet. You gotta eat healthy and live healthy to be healthy and look healthy. End of story." Morgan Spurlock
*This is for general information purposes only and is meant for those interested in natural alternatives and healthy living. This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If taking medications and dealing with medical conditions, consult a naturopathic physician before adding any herbal remedies, as some can interfere with how certain meds work.
Sources:
Staughton, J. "Top 10 Benefits of Dandelion Tea." Organic Facts, 30 June 2020. Top 10 Benefits of Dandelion Tea | Organic Facts
Lambert, M., Jeppesen, P., Wirngo, F. "The Physiological Effects of Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) in Type 2 Diabetes." National Library of Medicine, 10 August 2016. The Physiological Effects of Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) in Type 2 Diabetes - PMC (nih.gov)
West, H. "7-Science Based Benefits of Milk Thistle." Healthline, 19 January 2018. 7 Science-Based Benefits of Milk Thistle (healthline.com)
Gotter, A. "What is Burdock Root?" Healthline, 6 January 2021. Burdock Root: Benefits, Side Effects, and More (healthline.com)