How to Support Your Liver For Hormone Balance
Let’s talk about liver health and how the liver supports SO MUCH when it comes to our hormones. I also want to share with you why fad liver cleanses are NOT something your liver needs and why they can actually cause more harm than good. And of course, I’ll share what you SHOULD be doing to support your liver!
Grandpa Liver: Your Body's Filter and Protector
Your liver, known as the "grandfather organ," acts as your body's filter and protector. It’s the largest organ in your body, responsible for cleansing your bloodstream and supporting immunity and energy production. And in my own opinion (this is not scientific evidence here) it really may be one of the most important organs for supporting your physical health.
It’s best known for its role in detoxing your body. It takes metabolic waste, drugs, chemicals, used hormones, all that kind of stuff, and transforms them so they can be excreted from your system. So, if you are having hormonal issues — let's say you have acne, you have painful periods, you’re fatigued all the time, or you get bloated all the time — you need to be looking at supporting your liver because your liver is what is detoxing all of this stuff out of you.
That doesn’t mean you should go on some weird liver cleanse.
Our liver naturally and automatically detoxifies. It's just going to do its job. Your liver does what it's supposed to do. Your body is incredible. So you don't need to go on any fancy detox, but you should support your liver through simple daily habits.
The thing that is necessary to support your liver is good nutrition. Why is that? Because good nutrition allows your liver to filter the way it's supposed to — identifying good things and bad things — kind of like finding stains in your laundry! This is so important because if you aren't getting the correct nutrients that your body needs, then your liver is going to become what we call a sluggish liver. Meaning, it’s not keeping up with everything that needs to be detoxed and that's when we start to experience these symptoms. One of the big symptoms you may notice is acne.
Your Liver Has Two Phases Of Detoxification
Phase One:
This is when your body uses enzymes and nutrients to transform the bad guys. We're gonna call them bad guys right now. That's toxins like drugs, food additives, all that kind of stuff, and it begins to neutralize and break them down.
At this halfway point, in between phase one and phase two, toxin reactivity actually increases and can cause problems if your liver can’t continue on to phase two detoxification right away.
Phase Two:
This is the final transformation of that toxin, making it water soluble for removal from the body. So amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein that drive phase two, they attach to the toxins to further neutralize and take things out of your body so you can just squirt them right out.
Then finally, the toxins are eliminated through the digestive tract via bile or via the kidneys in urine.
Nutrient-Dense Foods: The Key to Supporting Your Liver
Phase One nutrients are the fat-soluble nutrients that we need. So you need fat, B vitamins, fat-soluble A and D vitamins, antioxidants, milk thistle, calcium, gluten ion fruits, root veggies, and folic acid. All of these are necessary for this phase.
And then you head into Phase Two nutrients, which are water-soluble and we right into the waste. Phase Two nutrients are amino acids, protein, glycine, glutamine, Tarin, and sulfur. So like, bone broth, gelatin, eggs, and fish — all of these are amazing Phase Two nutrients.
Now, let’s be super clear. I’m not saying you need to go out and find all these crazy supplements. Just focus on nutrient-dense foods!
Juice Cleanses vs. Liver Support
Now, remember when I said that at the halfway point, toxin reactivity actually increases and can cause problems if you do not continue to phase two? That means it’s super important to have all the nutrients for both of those phases to support your liver.
This is exactly why juice cleanses and fad liver cleanses make no sense. They just don’t have the necessary nutrients for optimal liver function. While they may support Phase One detoxification with antioxidants and fruits, they lack the amino acids essential for Phase Two. Remember, toxin reactivity increases when Phase Two is incomplete. This is why it’s SO important to focus on a balanced, nutrient-dense diet to provide your liver with the necessary support.
Gut Health and Thyroid Function
Gut health plays a crucial role in liver function as well. If you're having gut issues, that will put more stress on your liver, impacting hormonal balance because it’s getting rid of all our used up hormones and other toxins that can get in the way of hormone absorption. Moreover, the liver is responsible for the conversion of inactive thyroid hormone (T4) to active thyroid hormone (T3).
There Is No Magic Pill
Just doing these random cleanses while we’re over-consuming alcohol and eating empty calories is NOT enough to help our body to what it's supposed to do. Our bodies are incredible — but you have to give them what they need! We have to give our bodies the nutrients they need to do all the amazing things it’s supposed to do.
This is why I will preach to my dying day and while banging my hand on the table that you CANNOT out-supplement your foundations. There is no magic pill that's just going to put everything right for you.
Simply Supporting Your Liver Daily
Okay, so what do we do if we have liver issues and we need to support our liver?
Number one absolutely most important thing you can do — eat a nutrient-dense diet. That means eating the rainbow and balancing your blood sugar.
So, let’s go over some ways that you can support your liver every single day that aren't that complicated or expensive.
Let’s start with how we wake up in the morning. I want you to wake up and hydrate. Our liver has this amazing flush and clean cycle at nighttime. According to Chinese medicine, it's typically between one and three at night. So now, you're going to get up and you're going to drink a huge glass of lemon water. I try and drink at least 20 if not 32 ounces of water as soon as I wake up. I mean literally climbing out of bed, walking to the kitchen, and immediately drinking water. Just guzzle it down. With the lemon, you're getting some vitamin C in there too, which is also going to be good for your progesterone.
Then, start your day with balanced blood sugar. Your body uses up your glycogen stores at nighttime. So let's eat a wonderful, balanced blood sugar breakfast. You want to include a complex carb, protein, and fat. Remember, protein and fat for both phases of your liver detoxification process.
And then, throughout the day, consider incorporating bitter herbs such as dandelion tea or milk thistle tea, known for their liver-supportive properties. And remember to eat the rainbow! Eating a variety of fruits, root vegetables, and antioxidants ensures a nutrient-dense diet and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption also helps alleviate liver stress.
It Doesn’t Have To Be Complicated
Your liver plays such a crucial role in maintaining your hormonal balance and overall health. Rather than relying on fad liver “cleanses”, just focus on these simple things you can do daily to support your liver. By providing your liver with the necessary nutrients and practicing healthy lifestyle habits, you can make sure it’s able to do what it needs to support you and your hormone balance!
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The recommendations presented in this blog are not a substitute for medical advice from a qualified doctor. Before making any changes to your diet and lifestyle, please consult with your health care provider.
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