3 Nutrients Which Help Detoxify Your Liver

February 28, 2022

You come into contact with harmful, odorless, and invisible toxins with every breath you take. These poisonous toxins come from a variety of sources—including agriculture, construction, toiletries, makeup, household cleaning products, and more. And since these toxins are everywhere, they are inevitable. 

Doesn't sound good right? Well, here’s the good news: 

Your body is a brilliant detoxifying machine. Your liver, kidneys, skin, lungs, and GI work together to expel the harmful toxins we encounter before your toxic exposure causes more serious symptoms. 

Some of these symptoms include: 

  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Brian fog
  • Depression
  • Chronic pain
  • Skin rashes
  • Allergies
  • Food sensitivities 
  • And even immune suppression 

When you’re exposed to these toxins, your body increases its detox mechanisms. But if your exposure to these toxins becomes too much, your body cannot activate its detox capabilities. This is where a variety of symptoms hit you at once.

Since every toxin passes through your liver, detoxing your liver is a critical part of staying the healthiest you can be. I recently covered this in a YouTube video you can watch below:

The video above covers an in-depth look at running a liver detox. And in this article, you’ll discover 3 key nutrients which provide support to your liver and help it detox. 

Let’s jump in… 

Liver Detox Nutrient #1: Milk Thistle 

Ancient civilizations used milk thistle in their medicine over 2,000 years ago. Since then, milk thistle has picked up the nickname, “the liver protector.” It’s a bitter herb loaded with protective antioxidants for your liver. It hinders oxidative stress and potentially cancerous free radical damage in your liver 

And it contains the protective bioflavonoid silymarin, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Silymarin has a strong connection to your liver. It both stabilizes cell membranes and repairs damaged liver cells. Plus, it helps protein synthesis in your liver and creates a protective layer on your cells, which prevent future liver damage, and in extreme cases, liver failure. Studies show silymarin also helps treat conditions like hepatitis C. 

More:

Milk thistle helps your liver detoxify fat before it releases bile, which alleviates your gallbladder of stress. 

And last but not least? 

Milk thistle increases your body’s production of glutathione, leading us into the next nutrient… 

Liver Detox Nutrient #2: Glutathione  

Glutathione, aka the “Mother of all Antioxidants,” is one of the most important and potent antioxidants in your body. It’s one of the few antioxidants primarily produced in your body instead of only inside foods you eat. But you can also find glutathione in certain dietary sources. 

Glutathione is vital for your liver health, removing fat-soluble compounds from your liver. And it doesn’t just help your liver — it helps your entire body detoxify. Besides your liver, it also eliminates poisons in your liver, lungs, intestines, and kidneys. It provides protection to cells, tissues, and organs throughout your body and keeps them young and vibrant. 

Here’s the problem with glutathione

Your body’s ability to produce glutathione decreases as you age. And exposure to high levels of toxins further exhausts your glutathione reserves. That’s why milk thistle is such a crucial factor for protecting your liver. 

Some other simple ways to boost your body’s glutathione levels include:

  • Eating sulfur-rich foods like protein and cruciferous vegetables 
  • Increasing your vitamin C intake, which boosts all antioxidants in your body
  • Consuming glutathione-rich foods like spinach, avocados, and asparagus
  • Sleeping at least 8 hours each night
  • Exercising regularly 
  • And avoiding too many alcoholic beverages

Let’s look at our last powerful liver detox nutrient. 

Liver Detox Nutrient #3: Artichoke Leaf  

Artichoke leaf extract gains popularity for your liver health as researchers discover more benefits it has on your liver. Studies suggest artichoke leaf extract may protect your liver from damage and even promote the growth of new tissue. 

Like milk thistle, artichokes are another type of thistle which produce silymarin. And they also contain other powerful antioxidants like rutin, quercetin, cynarin, and gallic acid. 

Emerging research shows artichoke leaf extract has a positive effect on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD.   

What’s NAFLD? 

It’s the accumulation of liver fat in people who drink little to no alcohol. Fatty liver disease used to only affect folks who drank an excessive amount of alcohol. But that isn’t the case today. 

NAFLD includes a spectrum of liver conditions which can lead to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis (advanced liver scarring and damage), and even liver failure. And there’s a strong correlation between NAFLD and increased rates of insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. 

Not good news, especially considering NAFLD doesn't have a treatment.

But there are preventative measures you can take, and artichoke leaf extract might be one. 

Back to the emerging research studies: 

A 2017 study gave obese adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease artichoke leaf extract every day for two months. At the end of the study, they found participants had reduced liver inflammation and less fat deposition than the control group. 

Another study from NIH revealed that taking 600 mg of artichoke leaf extract every day for two months also led to improved liver function. 

Plus, artichokes are jam-packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which support your overall health. 

Detoxifying Your Liver 

These 3 nutrients mentioned in this article will help keep your liver detoxified and in tip-top shape. 

But I urge you to watch my quick, 12-minute YouTube video where I walk you through the three phases of liver detoxification. And why following a rigid detox approach like this helps you feel more energized, healthier, and happier every morning when you roll out of bed. 

Watch the video below: 

Should You Use Supplements During Detox? 

You don’t need to take supplements when you do a liver detox. But they sure do make the process easier, more effective, and faster. Especially if you’ve never done a liver detox before or if you’ve been beating up your liver with toxins. 

If you do choose to use supplements during your detox, I recommend grabbing something from Wellevate. They have milk thistle, glutathione, and artichoke leaf extract supplements. And you can slash 20% off your order total if you have an account. 

If you don’t have an account already, you can create one using my practitioner code here: https://wellevate.me/kristina-hess. Once you create your account, you’ll receive an extra 20% off any order.

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