How to Support Your Liver and Detoxification Systems

Jun 8, 20238 min read

Updated: Jun 23, 2023

Nutrient density

There’s no doubt about it: Reducing your exposure to toxins and supporting your body in getting rid of them is an important formula for health. Before toxins can be removed via urine, stool, or sweat, they must be transformed from fat-soluble compounds (more likely to be stored in the body) into water-soluble compounds (which can be more easily excreted).

This transformation occurs primarily in the liver via a multiple-phase, nutrient-dependent detoxification process requiring several amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds. This makes having a nutrient-dense eating approach one of the most crucial factors for supporting detoxification in the body.

Phase 1

What Happens: In the initial detoxification phase, enzymes carry out reactions that break down toxins into less harmful by-products.

Secondary Food Support: Nutrients essential for the first detoxification phase include B vitamins; vitamin C; and the amino acids cysteine, methionine, and choline. Antioxidants (glutathione and resveratrol), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower), and certain herbs (milk thistle, caraway, dill, and sassafras) are also supportive. Having sufficient nutrients available in the body ensures this phase works optimally and the body can transition to the next phase. Try citrus fruits, blueberries, leafy greens, or dark chocolate for a nutritional boost.

Phase 2

What Happens: In the second detoxification phase, the liver attaches a molecule to each less harmful by-product created in the first phase, enhancing its water solubility and helping promote excretion from the body.

Secondary Food Support: Essential nutrients for supporting the second phase of detoxification include vitamin B12; folic acid; vitamin C; magnesium; and the amino acids choline, glutamine, glycine, and taurine. Eating proteins like fish, eggs, meat, beans, and dairy, as well as garlic and onions, can increase supportive amino acid intake. Leafy greens, mushrooms, avocado, and cabbage help increase B vitamin and magnesium levels.

Phase 3

What Happens: During the final detoxification phase (known as transportation), the body sends the second-phase by-products to the kidneys or small intestine for excretion.

Secondary Food Support: The final phase of detoxification requires adequate dietary fiber and hydration for efficiency. Beans, broccoli, berries, popcorn, whole grains, apples, dried fruits, and potatoes are all sources of fiber that can support detoxification; hydrating with water, most herbal teas, juice, fruits, and vegetables can support the excretory system in removing by-products from the body.

Monitor bowel movements

We must have at least one bowel movement a day, two is even better. The goal is to be formed, sausage-shaped, and easy to pass.

Decrease liver loaders

Eliminate processed food, synthetic substances, trans fat, and refined sugar. Understand how the liver works and be honest with how much caffeine, alcohol, and processed food you eat.

Detox support tools

Oil pulling

Oil pulling is the ancient practice of gargling or swishing oil around the mouth to help eliminate unwanted bacteria from the tongue, gums, and teeth. While any oil works well, opt for one that tastes pleasant to you, such as coconut or sesame oil.

How to do it: Vigorously swish 1–2 tablespoons of oil in your mouth for 5–20 minutes. Because oil can harden in plumbing, spit it into a trash can (rather than the sink) when you’re done. Rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth. Repeat daily for best results.

Hydration

Drink a large glass of warm water with fresh lemon on an empty stomach in the morning. This combination helps cleanse your organs, gets your digestive system moving, and hydrates your cells. Hydrating is essential for moving toxins out of your body, so aim for eight glasses of water every 24 hours; those who exercise will want to consume more. If that feels daunting, there are lots of ways to up your intake.

Here are some ideas:

Flavored water: Jazz it up with fruit and herbs. Try a cooling lime basil infusion in the summer and a warming lemon ginger infusion in the winter.
Herbal tea
Celery or cucumber juice
Coconut water

Tongue Scraping

As an ancient Ayurvedic practice, tongue scraping removes mucus and toxic buildup in the mouth that appears overnight as the body processes everything ingested that day. Scraping off the coating of built-up toxins first thing in the morning prevents reabsorption of those toxins in the body.

How to do it: Either use a tongue-scraping tool or spoon and gently apply pressure toward the back of your tongue and pull forward, collecting the tongue’s white film as you go. Rinse the tool in water to remove the white film, and repeat it several times. Tongue scrapers are available online or at most local health food stores.

Dry brushing

Dry brushing is easy to do, and your entire lymphatic system will thank you for it. It is the practice of brushing your skin to promote circulation and reduce toxins. Dry brushing can be done anytime, but it’s probably easiest right before a shower.

How to do it: Use a dry brush to brush your legs, starting from the bottom of your feet and moving up toward your hips. Then brush from your fingertips to your shoulders. You can also brush your trunk, chest, and shoulders toward your heart, and your stomach in a counterclockwise direction to aid digestion.

Gua sha

Gua sha is a lymphatic massage technique that originated in ancient Chinese medicine. It usually involves repeatedly stroking a smooth-edged tool, like a jade roller, over the skin. Gua sha and jade rolling both use a tool on the body or face to help release tension and increase circulation in the tissues. They’re most commonly used to relieve pain, boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, and nourish the lymphatic system. Gua sha is also believed to amplify and firm skin tissue in the face and help move fluids within the body.

How to do it: Hold the gua sha tool with the curved side to your face or use a jade roller. Glide the tool gently upward and outward, starting with the neck and moving to the jawline, chin, and around the mouth. You can also glide the tool from your eyebrows up to your hairline or outward from the middle of your brow line. Repeat 3–5 times in each area. It’s important to start with the neck as this wakes up the lymphatic system and ignites the drainage process.

Contrast showers

Contrast showers switch between periods of hot water exposure and shorter periods of cold water exposure. They can boost mental and physical alertness, increase circulation, support the immune system, reduce inflammation, and aid muscle recovery. Therefore, they also support detoxification. Hot water dilates your blood vessels, creating a pumping effect that promotes circulation and lymphatic drainage. Cold water contracts blood and lymph vessels, activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which can give you a huge boost in energy while also relaxing you. How to do it: Shower for a few minutes in warm or hot water to warm your body and dilate your blood vessels. Turn the water to cold for about a minute; then turn the water back to warm for another few minutes. This cycle can be repeated a few times, but 10 minutes is generally enough to reap the benefits.

Salt baths

Epsom salt contains magnesium and sulfate, two minerals the body needs and often lacks. Epsom salt eases muscles, provides relaxation, increases circulation, supports elimination, and is great for your skin, especially if you suffer from eczema or psoriasis.

How to do it: Draw a warm bath and soak your body in two cups of Epsom salts for at least 20 minutes.

Colonics or enemas

Toxins from the diet and the environment can build up in the body and contribute to disease over time. Colon hydrotherapy, which should be performed only by a certified practitioner, is the rinsing of the large intestine with water to release excess fecal matter and mucus.

Enemas are an at-home option. People have used enemas for centuries to reduce constipation and other bowel issues and cleanse the colon. Some of the benefits include improved circulation and energy, weight loss, skin support, liver detoxification, and more regular bowel movements.

How to do it: An enema involves inserting a liquid solution into the colon via a tube through the rectum. The liquid softens stool in the colon and can stimulate muscle contractions that expel the stool from the colon. Once you determine a colonic or enema is safe for you and meets your bio-individual needs, you can purchase kits online or see a trusted practitioner perform the procedure. The most popular types of enemas are hot water and coffee. Depending on the ingredients in your enema kit, you can support heavy metal detoxification and gut health and help boost the immune system.

Movement

Any form of movement benefits health. Studies have shown that a 30-minute walk every day has enormous benefits, including lowering blood pressure, improving sleep quality, lowering the risk of heart disease and diabetes, improving mood, and reducing stress. Exercise keeps the body moving, increases blood circulation and the uptake of oxygen, and enhances the body’s detoxification process.

How to do it: While all movement is beneficial, certain types might enhance the detoxification process. For example, the up-and-down motion of jumping compresses and decompresses tissues and fluids and helps distribute lymph fluid throughout the body. Yoga twists squeeze, or massage, the organs, which can stimulate digestion. Deep breathing with strong exhalation empties carbon dioxide from the lungs and allows for more oxygenated air flow, which nourishes the cells.

Essential oils

Essential oils are liquid extracts of various plants. There are multiple strategies for using essential oils:

Topically – The skin is the largest organ of the human body. Using oils directly on the skin is an efficient way to get them into the bloodstream.
- Mix with a carrier – like coconut or jojoba oil – to dilute its potency and apply it to targeted areas.
- Use for massage.
- Add to lotions or moisturizers.
Aromatically – Inhaling oils can offer a host of mind-body benefits.
- Put in an essential oil diffuser.
- Apply a drop to your hands and take a couple of deep breaths.
- Wear it as a personal fragrance on your chest or wrist.
Orally – Only some oils can be ingested, so make sure they’re safe for internal use.
- Add a drop to a glass of water.
- Mix a drop or two with a carrier oil and take in a veggie capsule.
- Put a drop under your tongue.

Breathwork

Breathwork refers to any type of breathing exercise or technique. Some breathing exercises – box breathing, alternate nostril breathing, and 4-7-8 breathing – can be practiced on your own. Others require a trained professional to assist in the process. These include shamanic breathwork, vivation, transformational breath, holotropic breathwork, clarity breathwork, and rebirthing. Breathwork is very cleansing to the system and can help reduce stress and pain, among other benefits.

Nature

Being in nature is one of the simplest things you can do for your health. The natural world has incredible power to cleanse and lift energy! Nature is always available to you, and the mind-body benefits are immense. The sun also offers vitamin D, which is beneficial and important to overall health, supporting the nervous system and brain.

Affirmations

Affirmations are statements you repeat to yourself frequently to draw supportive energy into your life. An affirmation is similar to an intention; however, it’s typically just a few short words or phrases you repeat to yourself multiple times a day. For example, “I have my health; I have my community; I am enough.” Our cells listen to everything we say to ourselves. By repeating positive affirmations daily, the physical body will start to respond to the energy we’re drawing in through our thoughts and words.

Nutrition Coaching

If you are overwhelmed with all of this information, a nutrition coach like myself can give you the 1:1 support and empowerment you need on your health journey. During my Metabolic Makeover program, I include a 15-day liver cleanse in your package. This is the first and most important step for my clients to jump-start their health goals. Find out more, here :)