The liver is the main detoxifying organ in the human body, so it is essential that it always continues to function at its best. Unfortunately, the toxins that the liver helps remove from the body also attack the liver, causing it to become congested and unable to completely remove large amounts of harmful toxins from the bloodstream.
A liver cleanse, or liver rinse, helps remove small stones and crystals from the liver and associated gallbladder so that they retain their invaluable detoxification abilities. It is always beneficial to perform a colon cleanse and a kidney cleanse before washing the liver. This is because the colon stores decomposing food matter that releases self-produced toxins into the body, so this harmful food matter must be excreted before doing anything else. In addition, the kidneys must be cleaned so that they in turn do not become congested when waste from the liver passes through them.
It is imperative to cleanse your liver regularly, especially if you live on a fast and processed food diet or consume moderate amounts of alcohol. Leaving the liver in a congested state means that it no longer has the ability to remove toxins from the blood. These toxins continue to circulate through the body until they settle in one place and cause illness and disease, which can sometimes be quite serious.
So what do you need to cleanse the liver?
- Apple juice and lots of juice: It should be drunk in large quantities for up to 5 days before rinsing the liver. It contains malic acid that helps loosen stones and other debris that stick to the walls of the liver tubules.
- Epsom salts dissolved in water or fruit juice (not citrus): help to relax the smooth muscle of the bile duct so that large particles that could cause pain flow smoothly.
- Virgin olive oil: Helps the gallbladder and bile duct (through which waste from the liver runs) to contract strongly, thus expelling large particles that could become trapped.
- A large grapefruit or 3 lemons: The juice of these fruits is mixed with olive oil to help it travel through the stomach, thus reducing the risk of nausea. When the oil reaches the small intestine, it helps remove stones and waste from the liver.
A liver cleanse needs to be done on a schedule to work properly, so more detailed instructions should be sought before trying it yourself.