When it comes to health and well-being, a healthy liver is one of the most important components. The liver is your second-largest organ and performs hundreds of vital tasks in your body every day. Among other things, it ensures you get the nutrients you need, filters toxins out of your blood, and balances blood sugar so you feel alert and full of energy.
An underperforming liver can have a major impact on your health and cause many different noticeable symptoms, such as fatigue, allergies, nausea, and brain fog. Fortunately, there's a lot you can do to support your liver.
Some things that make a big difference
Lemon water
Drinking a large glass of pure water with a splash of freshly squeezed lemon or lime first thing in the morning is one of the simplest ways to help your liver. The water helps flush through the system after the night, while lemon or lime makes the water more absorbable and "alive" to rehydrate cells and restore cellular balance.
Exercise
Sweating and getting your blood pumping properly is perhaps the most effective way to relieve the liver. When we exercise, the body gets the opportunity to excrete toxins through skin and lungs, while blood moves out to all tissues and increases the turnover of nutrients and waste products. This allows the liver to get some relief and focus on more important functions.
Dietary habits
What we eat is obviously central to the liver's well-being. Heavy and processed food, white sugar, cheap fats, and additives like flavorings and sweeteners are all things that can be overwhelming for the liver. Foods that make the liver extra happy are fruits and vegetables, berries, algae, avocado, sprouts, and fresh herbs like ginger, cilantro, parsley, and basil.
Two hands surrounding a liver-shaped green leaf. Illustration of a healthy liver.
Green juice
If you want to give your liver an extra boost, drink a green juice every morning before breakfast. Pure celery juice is very good, but also cucumber, apple, fennel, leafy greens, lemon, and ginger. Among green foods in powder form that are liver-friendly, we find Wheatgrass, Barley grass, Spirulina, and AFA algae.
Herbs for the liver
There are many herbs that work supportively for the liver. Among the superstars, we can mention Dandelion root, Lemon balm, Turmeric, Chaga, Reishi, Milk thistle, Burdock root, and Peppermint. You can buy these in different forms, such as tinctures of pure herbs, ready-made blends, or as dried herbs to make your own tea.
Supplements for the liver
Nutrients that can support the liver are Vitamin C, Vitamin B12, Zinc, Selenium, Magnesium, Glutathione, and CoQ10.
Fasting/Detox
Regularly giving yourself a period of extra clean eating or fasting where you replenish with nutrition in the form of juices and supportive herbs is one of the best things you can do to give your liver space to "deep clean" and regenerate itself.
There are many different cleanses and philosophies around this. Our experience is that what's important is to be kind to yourself and find something that suits you specifically. Cleanses that require extreme discipline and hunger/nausea are usually not recommended as they can do more harm than good, since too many toxins are released at once and overstrain both body and mind.
You can benefit from reflecting on how you should think about this.
We hope this little guide was helpful. Feel free to reach out if you have questions about what might suit you specifically!
