April is a great month to give your liver some love. According to traditional Chinese medicine, as we move from winter into spring, our liver can become sluggish.
You might notice that at this time of year you feel more headachy than usual, or maybe your neck and shoulder have been stiff and sore. You might even feel a tightness or achiness all over your body. Have you noticed that your eyes are more red or dry or even that you are suffering from rashes?
When it comes to your mood, you may be feeling irritable, indecisive or even downright angry. Many of these symptoms can indicate a sluggish liver.
Six ways to spring clean your liver
Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Keep things balanced by eating real, whole foods that are preferably organic, including whole grains, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats. When it comes to fats and proteins in your diet, focus on quality sources such as cage-free eggs, grass-fed meat or wild-caught seafood to lighten the load on your liver. If you need recipe ideas, check out my book “Cool the Fire: Curb Inflammation and Balance Hormones.”
Incorporate bitter foods into your diet. Bitter vegetables are supportive to your liver and other digestive organs, like the spleen and gallbladder. The presence of that bitter flavor means that certain beneficial enzymes are present that naturally support the detox process. Good choices include beets, sprouts (especially broccoli), Brussels sprouts, cabbage, arugula, asparagus and dandelion greens. These foods support your entire digestive system by boosting your healthy bacteria and some may help remove toxic pollutants. Other great vegetables for this time of year include artichoke, endive, fiddleheads, ramps (if you can find them), leeks, Swiss chard, kale and spinach.
Eat more cruciferous veggies. Crucifers, also known as Brassica veggies, are named after the flowers that blossom before the vegetable grows, which are shaped like tiny crucifixes. It’s kind of an interesting fact at this time of year.
Foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, arugula, radishes and bokchoy are all good examples. Cruciferous vegetables can increase production of glucosinolates, which help detoxify the liver and increase the liver’s ability to usher out carcinogens and heavy metals from the blood.
Crucifers also contain indole compounds, which are known to help eliminate carcinogens from the body.
Use more herbs and spices. Pungent spices like ginger, black pepper, cayenne, rosemary and turmeric are great choices for the spring as they help to clear out the stagnant energy of winter. Turmeric, parsley and cilantro are boosters of glutathione production. Glutathione is vital to your immune system, a master antioxidant and a detoxifier of every cell in your body.
Cool-weather herbs for the Monadnock region include dill, chives, parsley and cilantro. If you get used to using them liberally, it will help your health and make your meals more delicious.
Potent flavors and aromatic smells of herbs are a sign of beneficial essential oils. Herbs are also loaded with a variety of nutrients which have positive effects on your health, and all of these herbs lower inflammation.
Choose high-antioxidant fruits. Fruits like all berries, plums, citrus and purple, red and blue grapes protect the depletion of glutathione.
These antioxidants play a role in protecting the liver against toxins. Since the major role of the liver is to filter toxins out of the blood extra support allows the liver to remain healthy and able to do its job.
Drink some dandelion tea. This is a simple way to support your liver. Dandelion has been used for centuries as a liver tonic to stimulate and detoxify a sluggish or congested liver. There is also some interesting new science that indicates the root of dandelion may have a positive effect on the growth of healthy bacteria in our gut as well.
These are some very simple things you can do to support your liver, which is the workhorse of detoxification in your body. But even more important, if you have been experiencing any of the symptoms outlined above, you will start feeling better.
Ruth Clark, author of the best-selling book “Cool the Fire: Curb Inflammation and Balance Hormones,” is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a master’s in public health and over 35 years of experience. She lives in Sharon and her practice is 100 percent virtual. Clark specializes in mid-life and older women who are struggling with weight, mood and fatigue to regain their energy and vitality. You can reach her at ruth@ruthrd.com.