Detoxing is actually one of the most important functions of the liver. So, it makes sense that the liver should have the ability to clean itself. So, while cleansing and detoxing may be two of the most common words in the health field, supporting the liver is probably the best way to express a diet and lifestyle that improves liver function.

You can call it whatever you want. The point is that supporting liver health is vital to your overall health.

A- Why focus on liver health?

We live in a toxic world. Our bodies must deal with ever-growing toxic burdens. These toxins may appear in the form of pesticides, household dust, outdoor air pollution, chemicals in water supplies, hormones injected into animal meat, artificial ingredients in processed foods, or harmful substances in makeup, lotion, and shampoo.

When toxins enter the body and pass into the bloodstream, they go to the liver. The liver then begins to sort out what should go and what should remain. More specifically, it defines what must be neutralized and eliminated and what must be allowed to pass to provide nutrients to the body.

However, detoxing is not just a simple filtration process. Detoxification occurs in two stages. In the first stage, liver enzymes must bind to the toxic substances and convert them into safer compounds. Then in the second stage, the liver adds molecules to these compounds to make them water soluble (so they are more stable and easier to transport).

Glutathione is one of the main things for the liver in the second stage. Made up of three amino acids ( cysteine , glycine, and glutamine ), the liver uses glutathione to bind toxins and transport them out of the body.

Glutathione is one of the most powerful antioxidants your body produces. As an antioxidant, it fights free radicals - unstable oxygen molecules that form during the body's normal metabolic processes. In an effort to restore stability, these oxygen molecules try to rip electrons from surrounding molecules, creating more free radicals. As this activity continues to spread, cell damage can occur. This is believed to be the pathway to the effects of aging, as well as the occurrence of infections and diseases, including cancer.

Since glutathione is made in the liver, it's easy to see why liver health should be a major focus of your efforts to stay healthy. When the liver has to deal with a large amount of toxins regularly, it can overwhelm its resources. Not only does this decrease the glutathione supply, but other liver functions may be affected as well. The liver performs other important roles such as producing bile (which is needed to digest fats), treating iron and vitamin disorders , getting rid of old red blood cells, and converting stored sugar into a form your body can use to produce energy when needed.

B- Ways to support the liver:

Here are some principles that serve as a lifestyle that increases liver health:

- Exercising

Exercise reduces stress on the liver because the skin is another pathway to flush out toxins. With increased sweating, more toxins can be eliminated through the skin, reducing the burden on the liver.

- Stress reduction

Cortisol is the "stress hormone". It also controls the homeostasis, or balanced state of the liver. Excess cortisol can disrupt this balance.

- Reducing alcohol intake

The liver can only break down a small amount of alcohol every hour. Drink in moderation, which means no more than one drink a day for an average-sized woman and two drinks a day for an average-sized man. A standard drink is 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1.5 ounces of distilled liquor.

- Following a nutritious balanced diet

Limit your intake of trans fats, saturated fats, and hydrogenated fats, as they increase your risk of developing fatty liver disease. Saturated fat is found in fried foods, dairy products, and red meat (but grass-fed beef has less saturated fat than grain-fed beef). Limit refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup. Since these types of sugars can only be processed in the liver, avoiding them can reduce the burden on the liver. You can also add foods that support healthy liver function.

C- Liver health foods and supplements

- Glutathione boosters

Green tea , fish oil and resveratrol contain substances that activate the genes responsible for creating glutathione . Cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower) improve glutathione production. Both garlic and onions contain sulfur, which is needed to make glutathione.

- Selenium

Selenium is a mineral that enhances the liver's ability to recycle glutathione. It can be taken in supplement form or in foods such as turkey, sardines and Brazil nuts .

- Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that helps recycle glutathione. Foods rich in vitamin E include almonds , avocado, and spinach.

- Vitamin C

Vitamin C , a well-known antioxidant , works with glutathione to flush out water-soluble toxins from the body.

- N-Acetyl Cysteine

N-Acetyl Cysteine is an amino acid that acts as a precursor to glutathione. So it helps replenish the supply of glutathione in the liver.

- Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha Lipoic Acid is an antioxidant that also acts as a precursor to glutathione.

- Green tea

Green tea is abundant in antioxidants known as catechins, which enhance liver function.

- Fermented foods

Kefir, kimchi, kombucha , sauerkraut, and other fermented foods contain probiotics and beneficial bacteria that support digestive health and maintain the intestinal lining. Keeping harmful substances in the digestive system and out of the bloodstream reduces the amount of toxins that the liver has to deal with. The toxins can then simply be expelled in the stool.

- Beet

The betaine present in beets helps in the detoxification process as well as the breakdown and removal of fats in the liver.

- Green leafy vegetables

Green vegetables like kale, romaine, spinach, watercress, and green beans are high in chlorophyll , which increases bile production, helps purify the blood, and neutralizes heavy metals, pesticides, and toxic chemicals that burden the liver.

- Lentils

The liver uses choline , which is found in lentils, to prepare fats for distribution throughout the body. When this is done, choline helps prevent fat build-up in the liver.

- Omega-3 fatty acids

Oils contain fish and krill on omega - 3 fatty acids , which are proven to reduce fat and inflammation in the liver in patients with fatty liver disease , non - alcoholic. Thus, omega-3 supplementation may improve liver function and reduce inflammation.