Spring Detox: Your Liver Will Thank You
In Chinese medicine, Spring is the season when the body naturally detoxifies. More specifically, Spring is the season of the liver and gallbladder, which play a significant role in ridding the nasty stuff our body doesn’t require.
But sometimes this natural spring detox of our liver and gallbladder need a little help, particularly after a long winter that feels like a hibernation. And to best support their natural processes, it’s important to aid them with proper diet and cleansing practices.
To add, these days we’re especially bombarded by toxins. From plastics we use, the chemicals we breathe, to the GMOs in foods, they’re messing up everything from hormones to mental health to fertility. (Not to mention they also make us sluggish and fat!)
Which is why we want to provide a few nutritional tips to support your body’s natural spring detox in a gentle way:
Foods to Give Your Liver Some Love
Get protein from nuts and seeds. You want to avoid animal proteins when detoxifying so it’s best to consume high-protein nuts and seeds like pumpkin, sunflower, almonds, chia seeds, and flax seeds.
Say yes to dark leafy greens and brassicas. Broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and collard greens are all great for cleaning the liver.
Add some herbs and spices. Certain herbs and spices cleanse our liver, such as dandelion, chlorophyll, blue-green algae, yellow dock, burdock, parsley.
Not So Liver-Friendly Foods
Eat small amounts of animal protein. Try to limit how much meat you intake. And when you do eat meat, avoid red meats and pork and make sure it’s organic and pasture-raised or wild-caught.
Avoid dairy. Dairy is also an animal protein as well as an inflammatory. Try some dairy alternatives instead, although it’s best to stick to nut milks (added proteins!) or to at least ensure the soy milk is non-GMO.
Avoid sugar. That means sugary foods, sugary drinks, fruit juices, and yes—booze. Alcohol does a number on our livers.
Avoid caffeine. Next to alcohol, caffeine also produces stress on your liver. While some of us feel as though we can’t live without coffee, you might be surprised by these energizing coffee substitutes that can get you through the day.
Extra Spring Detox Assistance
In Chinese Medicine, Spring is the time for purging—both our body’s toxins and our emotional baggage. Part of our transition into Spring means releasing stress factors and tension that’s been bottled up. So it’s important to recognize this too and find ways to relax (like meditation).
Often, our body’s natural spring detox will feel a bit, shall we say, clogged. If your body is feeling in a rut or you’re simply still feeling stuck in winter blues or frustrated, it may need some extra assistance. For this, Naturna offers a 2-4 week detox program for your liver and gallbladder, including herbal medicines and maybe acupuncture to set you on the right track to feeling 100% refreshed and renewed—exactly like Spring!
