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Detox or flush is a fancy term that implies making dietary changes that help the liver function better.
Detox or flush is a fancy term that implies making dietary changes that help the liver function better. Many claims are made, wherein certain powders, pills, and enemas can be taken by individuals to clean their system; however, your liver can cleanse itself. It does not require any extra aid; in fact, many times, such detox can cause more harm than any good. Rather than using a pill or juice to flush out from the body, you can try these methods to help your liver clean your system:
- Flush out with plenty of water intake: Water is the best flushing agent. It flushes your liver and kidney when taken optimally. Make sure you have 8-10 glasses of water daily.
- Get regular exercise: Exercise helps to burn extra calories that reduce your risk of diabetes, excess weight, high blood pressure, and high blood fat. These conditions also have a relationship with fatty liver disease, which may cause liver cirrhosis (inflammation and scarring).
- Limit alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol seriously hampers liver function. Stay away from alcohol as much as possible. The maximal allowed dose is one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men (30 mL).
- Eat nutritious food: A balanced diet that includes organic pesticide-free fruits, vegetables, and whole grains keeps your liver healthy. The following foods could potentially help the body cells to heal and replenish:
- Choosing the right type of healthy fats: Avoiding too much unhealthy fat and salt may help to keep your liver healthy because a high-fat diet is another contributor to fatty liver disease. Choose healthy fats from plant sources such as almonds, coconut, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds or animal sources such as eggs and fatty fish (salmon).
- Cut down sugar: Keep the daily sugar intake up to 20-30 g or less because the liver is responsible to digest the sugar level in the blood. Too much sugar in the blood may exhaust liver function.
- Stress management: Manage your stress with meditation and yoga. It will control your cortisol level that may reduce stress on your liver. You can use certain counselling for better results.
What does liver detox mean?
The liver is one of the largest organs in the human body. It helps to remove toxins, wastes, and digest various nutrients and medicines. It has a huge potential for self-recovery. The so-called liver tox is not only unnecessary but also dangerous and can initiate liver damage in an otherwise normal liver.
Liver detox is a therapy/program that claims to remove or cleanse or flush toxins from your body. There is no evidence to prove its benefit.
The so-called liver detox program includes several steps that involve fasting, a restricted diet, or drinking certain juices or liquids for several days. It may suggest consumption of herbal or dietary supplements, diuretics, and laxatives improve your system.
Are there any side effects of liver detox?
Yes, it may cause harmful side effects such as:
Liver injuries
- Liver inflammation
- Weakened your immune system
- Kidney damage
- Onset of migraine
- Irritability
- Weakness or fainting spells
Liver detox program/therapy must be avoided if you have
- Kidney disease.
- Diabetes.
- Hepatitis B.
- Liver damage.