Published: 14th April 2022
Detox Time:
Spring has finally sprung in the UK. This is the time when the earth begins to come alive and the days are finally getting much longer. In the world of naturopathy; it’s time for spring detox.
What makes this season so important is that the expansive energy of spring actually helps our bodies to detoxify – and shed off any excess winter weight gain. It also helps to prepare our bodies for the warmer months to come.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the internal organs that are activated during spring are the liver and gallbladder – 2 of the most important detoxification organs in the body! So let’s all seize the opportunity to work on detoxification.
Food as Information
It can be helpful to think of our food as ‘information,’ with different foods targeting different areas of our bodies. For example, lemons contain properties that assist with liver detoxification, making them one of the go-to foods to enjoy during spring season. Conversely, fried foods congest and stress liver function, which makes them impair the liver’s ability to detoxify.
Fortunately, there are many foods we can choose from that help the liver and gall bladder organs as they go about their essential detoxification processes.
Here are 5 key foods that support detoxification:
- Lemons – Lemons contain a phytonutrient called limonene which helps stimulate the liver detoxification pathways. Beneficial when squeezed first thing in the morning into a glass of water.
- Green vegetables – Greens offer powerful protection for the liver. They are high in plant chlorophylls which help to remove toxins from the blood stream. They also help neutralize heavy metals, chemicals and herbicides/ pesticides found in our foods. You might like to try my simple detoxifying green juice recipe here: Digestive booster juice
- Artichokes – Artichokes contain 2 phytonutrients that enhance liver and gall bladder function: cynarin and silymarin. Cynarin is an antioxidant which aids the liver in producing bile and silymarin is a flavonoid that aids in the protection of liver cells.
- Turmeric – A key spice traditionally used to detoxify the liver and assist in bile production and flow through the gallbladder. The curcuminoids found in turmeric are both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
- Beetroot and carrots – These root vegetables and high in beta carotene and flavonoids. Grating these raw into salads can help stimulate and improve liver and gall bladder function.
Key supplements
The following supportive supplements can help with detoxification:
- Milk Thistle – A traditional naturopathic liver herb which has been used for centuries to assist with liver detoxification and protection.
- Dandelion – A wild flower that yields remarkable liver/ gall bladder detoxification benefits. In Chinese medicine, dandelion is considered a liver and gall bladder tonic that can stimulate the flow of bile. *Note: not appropriate for those with gall stones.
- Vitamin C – This important water soluble vitamin performs many internal functions including assisting with liver detoxification. However, it’s worth noting that all supplements are not the same. This vitamin is best taken in a proper whole-food state supplement in order to reap the benefits of true vitamin C.
May you enjoy a happy and healthy spring season!