How to Improve Liver Detox

The liver is the largest organ in the body. It processes all the food that enters the body and creates energy for the body to use. There are several ways to improve the functioning of the liver. Detoxification is one of these methods. By detoxifying the liver, many of the toxic substances in the body are removed. This cleansing not only improves the liver function, but it helps the entire body. After a liver detox a person feels healthier, has more energy, and is less prone to diseases affecting the liver.

Things You'll Need

• herbs - turmeric, ginger, milk thistle, burdock root, dandelion or licorice

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Instructions

• 1

  Drink more water. Drinking more water is the simplest way to detoxify the body. By drinking plenty of water every day, harmful substances are diluted and flushed out of the liver and other parts of the body. Drink 64 ounces of fluids each day, suggests the American Dietetic Association.

• 2

  Drink less alcohol. Too much alcohol seriously impairs the liver. According to the American Liver Foundation about half the cases of cirrhosis of the liver are attributed to alcohol abuse. During the detoxification stop drinking all alcoholic beverages.

• 3

  Eat more fiber. The article "Did you know what you eat affects your liver's health?" on the American Liver Foundation website recommends eating a lot of fiber such as fruits, vegetables and grains. The fiber "helps the liver work best."

• 4

  Lose fat. The American Liver Foundation also suggests losing weight to maintain a healthy liver. The article states that "being overweight can cause one of the most common types of liver disease, fatty liver disease." Improve the diet by eating less fatty foods, fast foods and fried foods. Also reduce the amount of sugar you eat.

• 5

  Exercise more. Exercise is also good for the liver, reports the American Liver Foundation. Any type of physical activity is useful for detoxifying the liver. Exercise also burns fat and helps you to lose weight. Many toxins are stored in the fat cells so losing weight and losing fat reduces the amount of toxins in the body that can damage the liver.

• 6

  Take herbs. There are several herbs that clean and strengthen the liver. According to the article "The Liver Herbs" on the Gay Men's Health Crisis website, milk thistle, burdock root, dandelion, turmeric, and licorice are good herbs for the liver. Take just one herbal cleanser at a time and get help from an herbalist to determine the proper dosage. Herbs are available as teas, juices or supplements and are sold in health food stores.