Spring Cleaning - Supporting the Liver with Herbs
By Christa Sinadinos, Clinical Herbalist
The liver and the gall bladder are the organs correlated with the spring season, which is a traditional time of year to take herbs which cleanse and detoxify the liver. The liver plays an important role in detoxification. It breaks down hormones, waste products, chemicals, toxins, alcohol and drug metabolites, and excretes them in the bile. The liver regulates blood glucose levels (blood sugar levels) in concert with the pancreas. It also metabolizes carbohydrates, fats, and proteins; and stores many fat soluble vitamins and iron. The liver serves as a blood reserve with excess blood volumes and supplies blood when there is diminished blood volume.
In summary the liver functions are vast; it detoxifies the blood, enhances immunity, produces bile, regulates the blood sugar, metabolizes all nutrients, stores vitamins, stores blood, and lubricates the stools. It is important to consume foods and herbs to support, cleanse, and maintain healthy liver function.
Eating three to eight servings of vegetables on a daily basis helps to nourish the liver; leafy greens such as kale, chard, collards, and beet greens are especially beneficial for the liver. Try adding some fresh dandelion or chicory leaves to a salad; although they taste somewhat bitter, they are very helpful to detoxify the liver. One can incorporate fresh burdock root, also known as “Gobo” into soups, salads, or vegetable juice. Drinking warm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice first thing in the morning flushes the liver and the gall bladder.
Herbs such as burdock, chicory, dandelion, and milk thistle all play an important role supporting and cleansing the liver. These herbs can be used on a daily basis. If they are consumed before meals they enhance digestion. The herbs listed below can be ingested in the form of tea, tinctures, or capsules. However, milk thistle is not water soluble, so pills or tincture forms are the most effective. One can also fill a pepper mill with milk thistle seeds, and grind them fresh onto a salad or soup.
Burdock (Arctium lappa)
Burdock root is a liver cleansing agent. It is useful with skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. These conditions often manifest when the liver is overloaded from a diet high in fat and protein. Burdock aids the liver in metabolizing these nutrients and encourages the removal of waste products. This is in part why it is considered a “blood tonic.”
Burdock also aids in the removal of uric acid waste products, which makes it useful for those who suffer from joint conditions such as gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and bursitis. Such conditions often result from an excess of acidic waste products. Both burdock root and seed can act as a diuretic, making it useful for people who experience swelling in the hands and feet. Burdock root is safe to use during pregnancy for this purpose, but the seed should be avoided during pregnancy)
Contraindications: burdock seed consumption should be avoided during pregnancy.
Chicory Root (Cichorium intybus)
Chicory root is a stomachic and it improves the tone of the stomach. It has gentle detoxifying properties which cleanse the liver. It also stimulates bile secretion and can act as a mild laxative. Chicory is well known as a substitute for coffee. It helps to reduce the acidifying effects of coffee and also enriches coffee’s color. Some might agree that it enhances the flavor of coffee. Add one portion of ground chicory to two portions of coffee.
Contraindications: avoid consumption with a blocked bile duct.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Dandelion has been used for centuries as a liver tonic and a detoxifying agent. The bitter flavor stimulates the secretion of digestive juices. Its cholagogue properties increase the flow of bile, which improves the emulsification and digestion of fats, and also acts as a gentle laxative. Dandelion is a supportive herb for the treatment of hepatitis, jaundice, gallstones, and other liver problems. In addition, the leaves of this herb act as a potassium-sparing diuretic. The leaves encourage the release of excess water, which is helpful in the treatment of edema.
Contraindications: avoid consumption with a blocked bile duct.
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)
Milk thistle seed is an important liver protectant and liver regenerative agent. It can be used to enhance detoxification of hormones, recreational and pharmaceutical drugs, alcohol, endogenous toxins, and heavy metals. One of the means by which milk thistle works is to prevent liver damage by inhibiting the formation of free radicals. Free radicals have been shown to damage other cells, which can result in immune problems, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, as well as other conditions.
Milk thistle can be used by individuals who have poor liver function or liver disease; it can also be beneficial in skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and acne. It has also been commonly used as a short or long term treatment for liver disease such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or jaundice.
Contraindications: avoid consumption with a blocked bile duct.
Christa’s Favorite Liver Cleansing Tea
Mix the following ingredients and add 3-4 tablespoons per quart of water.
1 part each of dandelion root raw, dandelion root roasted, burdock root, Indian sarsaparilla, Jamaican sarsaparilla, anise, fennel, and carob pods; and ˝ part Licorice root.
Omit licorice if one has high blood pressure or edema.
