Cleanse your liver to lose weight
The liver is one of the key organs of the digestive process. And persists the common idea that after overeating, illness or at each change of season, it would need to be detoxified. Is it really useful to cleanse your liver and does this detox allow you to lose weight?
Focus on the liver, this vital organ
Theliveris aunique and singular organ, both in its physiognomy and in its functions.
Regarding its anatomy:
- it is thelargest digestive organ of the human body (2% of the total weight of an individual) and thesecond most active organ, after the brain;
- it ishighly vascularizedand contains more than 10% of the body’s blood;
- It can, unlike other organs, regenerate ;
- it is divided into4 lobes, each divided into segments;
- itsvolume may increase ;
- It is afull organand not a pouch (like the stomach).
Even more astonishing are the notablephysiological functionsit performs:
- It intervenes in thedigestion of dietary fats, with the gallbladder, and also allows themetabolism of carbohydrates from the diet ;
- it plays adepurative role, because it is responsible for ridding the blood of its waste, both endogenous and exogenous;
- it intervenes in thestorage of macro- and micronutrients, since it is at its level that glucose,vitaminsand minerals are stored;
- it is a blood regulator, both because it produces proteins essential for blood clotting and because it regulates the amount ofcholesterol, glycogen and trace elements present in theblood;
- It has adirect impact on the robustness of the immune system, since it generates and activates part of the immune cells, the lymphocytes.
And these examples are just some of the roles of the liver, which takes on more than 300!
Does the liver need to be cleansed?
In the collective unconscious, the liver, due to its purifying function, could become engorged with toxinsover time. It is therefore not uncommon to hear many recommendations signifying the need to detoxify the organ regularly, by following specific cures – both food and supplementation with plants orfood supplementstag. But what is it really?
Doctors specializing in hepatology are unanimous: not only does the liver not store waste – since it is an emunctory organ which, by definition, processes and eliminates it – but in addition, if one is in good health, it does not need to be cleanedtag. Onlycertain factors can hinder the cleansing work that the liver usually does:
- serious liver disease – autoimmune like cancer, genetic like hemochromatosis, viral like hepatitis;
- a deleterious lifestyle – tobacco, alcohol , junk food ;
- Risky Behavior that can lead to contamination – drug addiction, unprotected sex, lack of vaccination against hepatitis, drinking dirty water, etc.
How to do a liver detox cure?
These details being made, everyone is free to form their own opinion on the effects of detox. And if you feel the need for liver detoxification, or simply to take care of your liver, here are some tips.
Foods good for cleansing the liver
By definition, all fresh, raw and possibly organic foods are good for the liver. But some are particularly beneficial to liver tone. Among which :
- Artichoke , which is a bile tonic and contains chemicals with hepatoprotective potential;
- chocolate, which, contrary to popular belief that it is the cause of “liver attacks”, participates in its regeneration thanks to its high magnesium content – provided of course to choose it dark and strongly endowed with cocoa;
- Tea , very rich in antioxidants and cholesterol-lowering, helps protect the liver and facilitate the digestion of lipids (4) ;
- foods rich in fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes), which facilitate digestion and capture some of the dietary fat;
- Lean Dairy Products , whose calcium has a beneficial effect on blood coagulation and thus facilitates the work of the liver on the blood;
- Colored Plants , whether orange (carrot, squash), red (berries, beets) or green, because their antioxidant substances are hepatoprotective;
- oilseeds , very rich in phosphorus, a micronutrient contributing to the proper metabolism of lipids.
Helping plants
Some plants , due to their chemical composition, are reputed to protect the livertag. They are indeed notorious forstimulating the secretion and evacuation of biletag. Among the most cited:Boldo , Black Radish , milk thistle , fumitory , gentian , Rosemarygoldcarawaytag. They can be consumed regularly, in raw form or as aninfusiontag. But they also come in the form of food supplements (Capsules, tablets, ampoules). However, before any cure, it is better to inquire with a health professional, because the plants are not harmless. Liver detox cures must also be limited in time.
Habits to avoid to preserve your liver
Finally, to relieve your liver and help its regeneration, certain habits are to be abandoned. They concern both diet and general lifestyle:
- Regular alcohol consumption is harmful to liver health, because the breakdown of ethanal is essentially done by enzymes secreted by the organ. And this secretion requires a heavy work;
- and
- drug overconsumption must be curbed , because it is the liver that eliminates drug residues;
- smoking must be stopped , because the toxins present in tobacco products are also supported by the body.
Can a liver detox help lose weight?
There is no evidence that a detoxifying cure of the liver can lose weight. It is rather the healthy lifestyle measures aimed at preserving it that can induce weight loss. Health recommendations beneficial to the liver have indeed a positive impact on the line: increased consumption of vegetable fibers, avoidance of saturated fats and fast sugars, reduction of alcohol consumption.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.