Liver Cleanse Diet - Foods to Consume and Avoid for Detoxification

What are some important elements and foods to include or avoid in a liver cleanse diet?

Your liver, the body's main mode of detoxifying the toxins you are exposed to everyday, will work wonders if properly cared for. If not, toxins accumulate and you feel sluggish and tired, and many people experience varying degrees of headaches. In the long run, serious diseases can result.

Toxins come from many places - chemicals from cosmetics, medicines, foods, water, surfaces we touch, even the air we breathe. There is no way we can avoid toxins, making it imperative that the liver be successful in keeping the body as free of toxins as it can.

We can begin this process by eating organic when possible (have almost 50% more antioxidants and a higher level of minerals than non-organic), and taking supplements that will help support the liver.

Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals that can be destroyed in various ways - by heat, water, etc. This does not mean that you cannot cook foods, but if they can be served raw, they should be. As part of your liver cleanse diet, choose dark green leafy vegetables (salads) and red, orange, purple and yellow colored fruits and vegetables. Try to eat raw, 30 to 40%, with every meal for their living enzymes, natural antibiotics, vitamin C, antioxidants and anti-cancer phyto-nutrients.

In order for the liver to rid the body of any toxins it encounters, it sends them back through the digestive tract. With fiber present in the body, those toxins are flushed from the body with the next elimination. If this does not take place, the toxins are reabsorbed into the system and the liver will again have to try to get rid of them. As part of your liver cleanse diet, try whole grains and ground flax or psyllium seed in addition to the fruits and vegetables.

Proteins are also important in your liver cleanse diet - include foods such as beans, some nuts, and fish in small portions (beef, poultry and other animal proteins should be eaten an occasion). Try avoiding high-temperature methods of cooking, such as grilling and frying, as these can lead to the creation of harmful chemicals.

The liver thrives on fats such as omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oils and omega 6 fatty acids found in olive or grape seed oil. When cooking, use extra virgin olive oil, as it can handle heat; grape seed oil can also handle high heat. Fresh avocado; fresh raw nuts and some seeds; legumes such as beans, peas and lentils; as well as whole grains can all contribute to the liver's need for essential fatty acids.

While on liver cleanse diets, pamper your liver with vitamin K (green leafy vegetables as well as sprouts), vitamins B, E and C, as well as herbs, including turmeric, cilantro, garlic, fennel, parsley, cayenne and ginger.

Arginine, found in legumes, oats, carob, wheat germ and seeds, help detoxify the liver of ammonia. Glutathione, glutamine, methionine, carotinoids, glycine and taurine all help the liver to function at its best. Selenium (Brazil nuts, brewer's yeast, kelp, seafood, brown rice, garlic) and methionine (legumes, fish, seeds, nuts and eggs) are essential for detoxification, as are natural sulphur compounds (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts). These listed foods are thus useful additions to your liver cleanse diet.

On the flip side, what foods should be avoided while on liver cleanse diets?

Refined carbohydrates found in white flour, cakes, cookies and crackers all increase blood sugar as well as clog the colon. As it is the liver which helps adjust blood sugar, keeping levels low during a detoxification program works to your advantage.

Shellfish and other seafood can have high mercury content which can be very toxic; even in small doses, it can place a burden on the liver. Processed meats - bacon, lunch meats and hot dogs - contain preservatives, such as nitrates, which should be avoided.

Read More: More on Liver Detox and Cleansing | Specific Organs to Detox and Cleanse | Specific Internal Detox Methods and Protocols | Full Body Detox - How To Detox Your Body | Home Page | Site Search

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Wish to learn more about cleansing and detoxification after reading about a liver cleanse diet?

Have you heard of the 10-day Master Cleanse, the 12 steps to a complete body detox, or the definitive detox diet? Do you know how to detox to lose weight, or to detox your body at all levels in 5 minutes without ingesting anything? You could also discover the supposed body detox secret, or learn about colon cleansing as undertaken by a former toxic colon victim.

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