How To Cleanse The Liver To Lose Weight

Before knowing how to cleanse the liver to lose weight, we need to understand the effects of this process on the body. When we are overweight, fat and toxins build up in the liver. This is what leads to a condition we often hear called fatty liver. Fatty liver occurs when you overextend your liver capability through mistreatment. Fat collects in the liver tissue, causing inflammation and reducing functionality. Some causes of fatty liver include:

• A pre-existing condition which has fatty liver as a symptom
• Eating too much fatty food
• Not eating enough food
• Extreme weight gain or loss
• Eating gluten if you have celiac disease
• Taking medications or recreational drugs which reduce liver function
• Alcohol intake

Fatty liver is, fortunately, a reversible disease. We can change our diet and lifestyle to increase liver function and finding ways to cleanse the liver will go further to help with weight loss. Unfortunately, if we don't cleanse and look after our liver, we can develop more serious concerns such as liver cirrhosis. This is a liver disease which is irreversible, so losing weight and improving the health of our liver can be invaluable.

After we cleanse the liver, the toxins and fats which have accumulated in the body will reduce, passing into the intestines to be subsequently expelled in our feces. It is important to know that cleansing the liver is just one stage in weight loss. We need to make sure we reduce the behavior which causes liver problems such as drinking too much alcohol and eating fatty foods.

If you are seriously obese, then you can use these ways to cleanse the liver, but only in conjunction with doctor's advice. If you are supplementing a new health regime with a liver cleanse, then you shouldn't feel any adverse effects. However, if you are of particularly ill health, perhaps due to obesity or alcoholism, then you may experience some side effects. If you have these conditions and have not sought a doctor, it is important that you do so. They will be able to run tests and provide better advice. This is particularly important if you experience cramps, abdominal pain and continuous bowel movements during your cleanse.

Cleansing your liver is all about detoxing (i.e. getting rid of the toxins which you ingest through food and drink). there are some natural and healthy foods which can help reduce harmful fats and eliminate certain toxins. Detox juices are one of the most common ways to cleanse the liver. They concentrate all the fruit and vegetable goodness into one drink which can get to cleansing your liver more quickly.

It is recommended that you cleanse your liver to lose weight over the weekend, as you will be eating foods which stimulate intestinal transit (i.e. food moving through your digestive tract). You won't be distracted by other concerns through your working week and you can rest or exercise if you need to.

One option to cleanse the liver to lose weight, is to enjoy a mixture of watercress, kefir and dill before going to bed. Simply add 40g kefir, 2 handfuls of watercress and 2 pinches of fresh dill into a pint of water and juice in a blender. With the addition of kefir, this will seem like more of a green shake than a juice, but it is great when you are wanting to improve liver function. This is because kefir is full of probiotic goodness which will help improve your digestion.

It also contains vitamins and minerals which will be good for your overall health. You need to be careful with kefir, however, as it can range in quality. As kefir is fermented it can contain alcohol, so you will need to ensure you have a non-alcoholic version. Otherwise it will be counterproductive when you want to cleanse your liver. If you find this drink a little pungent, you can add a little natural sweetener such as stevia to make it more palatable. Not all liver cleanses are delicious.

A much tastier (and even a little spicier) detox juice to cleanse the liver is crushed ginger, orange and spinach. Spinach is rich in vitamin E and this vitamin has the ability to help the body flush out toxins and prevent liver damage. Get a pint of orange juice, add two tablespoons of ground ginger, a tablespoon of chopped garlic, 40g spinach and blend into juice. This should not need any sweetening. It is ideal to use fresh ginger, so use about 1" - 2" of root if you do.

Ginger has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, if not more. While there is still some research to be done, a recent study showed that ginger "showed beneficial effects on some [non alcoholic fatty liver disease] characteristics"^[1]. It is believed this happens through decreasing insulin resistance in the liver, but it does need to be included in regular supplementation of a balanced diet.

Another supplement for improving your liver which is being considered more and more by researchers is edible blue-green algae. This doesn't mean you can go to your local watering hole and scoop up some algae to consume. However, including this type of edible blue-green algae in your liver cleanse is a great way to metabolize fats and detoxify the kidneys as well as liver. This is supported by a 2013 report which concludes that edible blue-green algae can be effective in "preventing inflammation and oxidative stress"^[2], including in the liver.

There are many ways you can include algae in your diet, but one of the best ways is in a wakame salad. Obviously, eat a healthy salad without high fat dressings otherwise all the algae in the world won't cleanse your liver.

Green tea is perhaps the best natural detoxifier that may exist. Having a cup of green tea on an empty stomach and again 30 minutes after each meal, will eliminate toxins from the body and burn fat. There are many ways you can enjoy green tea, you can prepare it with mint and take it as a hot infusion or in capsules. You can even use matcha, a green tea powder, to add to breads, cakes and desserts, such as Japanese daifuku. However, the fat and sugar contents in these foods will not make it positive for a liver cleanse.

Green tea is an amazing antioxidant and can help reduce weight by suppressing appetite. However, like anything you ingest, too much of a good thing can be problematic and end up being counterproductive^[3] in cleansing the liver for weight loss. Part of the problem is over the counter dietary supplements which contain green tea, but are not FDA regulated. Do not take green tea supplements without consulting a qualified doctor or dietitian.

Flavonoids and beta-carotene are major natural stimulants for liver function. They can be found in large quantities in carrots and beetroot. They are good fruit to cleanse the liver to lose weight. Have them preferably with a watercress salad and avoid high-fat dressings, You can also choose to flavor it with lime juice.

Beta-carotene and other carotenoids work as an antioxidant. However, there is a possible contraindication (i.e. taking two things together which can have negative reactions) in people who smoke^[4]. However, this is only likely in very high doses, so using in this liver cleanse should be perfectly safe. Making a carrot soup in winter will warm you up and provide a liver cleanse at the same time.

Green leafy vegetables are a great way to help strengthen your liver, as are avocado, aubergine, endive, olive oil and radishes. These will help you lose weight as well as increasing your overall health as they are packed full of superfood goodness.

To get the weight loss results you are looking for, you will have to make them part of your diet. You can do this by adding them to a juice or by including them in salads, vegetable sides or by eating them raw. It is also vital to cut out processed foods, saturated fats, cold meats and other foods that prevent your liver from staying clean.

There are many pharmaceuticals available that can help you to cleanse the liver to lose weight. However, the best way to have a healthy liver is to follow a balanced diet, exercise and reduce your alcohol intake.

If you want to cleanse your liver, it is best to ask your doctor for advice before making any non-recommended changes to your diet or taking any medications that may be harmful to your health.

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

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