Detoxification of your Liver is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health. In this day and age, everyone should take steps to support detoxification, but it’s especially crucial for women.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 800 chemicals in the environment are known to wreak havoc on the female endocrine system. This not only knocks the hormones out of balance, but also puts women at greater risk of obesity, reproductive issues, and chronic disease.
Every year, scientists discover new toxic substances in our food, water, and environment. There’s simply no way to avoid them all. There’s also no way to test them all, which means we really don’t know how extensively they’re impacting our health.
Let’s take a look at how your liver and hormones are related and why detoxification is so important.
How Toxic Overload Affects the Liver
When the body is overloaded with toxins like sugar, caffeine, alcohol, pesticides, and other chemicals, the liver has to work overtime to detoxify these substances from the body. It simply can’t keep up. And when you add in our less than ideal diet and high-stress lifestyle, it’s easy to see how liver function might become compromised.
How Does This Relate to Hormone Levels?
But how does this relate to your hormones? The first thing you need to know is that the liver’s job is to remove toxins and excess hormones from the body. When the liver is overloaded with toxins, it can’t do its job efficiently. Things get backed up, causing the liver to recirculate the molecules it can’t detoxify back into the body.
And that’s where the trouble starts! Many of these molecules are hormones. This causes confusion in the body’s hormone receptors, which in turn leads to hormonal imbalance. For women, an overabundance of the hormone estrogen in the body can lead to a host of issues.
From unexplained weight gain and fertility issues to brain fog, mood swings, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and even acne- these conditions are often related to estrogen dominance. This condition is often behind hormonal health issues, like PCOS and PMS, too.
Things You Can Do To Protect Your Liver from Toxic Overload
- Incorporate more cruciferous vegetables into your diet. Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage, and kale, contain phytochemicals that support liver health. Add them to your diet regularly to release a compound called diindolylmethane (DIM), which is great for detoxing excess estrogen from the liver.
- Avoid plastic whenever possible. Plastic contains molecules called xenoestrogens. These molecules mimic estrogen in the body and interfere with proper hormone balance. These toxins can leach out of the plastic into your food or drink, especially if the plastic is heated by the sun or a microwave.
- Make the switch to natural personal care products. Convention personal care products, such as makeup, shampoo, and skincare, contain many of the toxins we’ve been talking about. They’re a major contributor to toxic overload in the liver.
- Prioritize the nutrients your liver needs. Providing your liver with the right nutrients is crucial for supporting natural detoxification. B-complex, vitamin, and selenium are essential.
- Cut back on sugar, coffee, and alcohol. Sugar, coffee, and alcohol are some of the biggest liver loaders and they’re something we have complete control over. If your liver is working hard to detoxify these substances, it won’t have the ability to detoxify other toxins as efficiently.
- Drink more spearmint and green tea. Green tea is rich in EGCG, which is a powerful antioxidant that not only assists the liver with detoxification, it also reduces inflammation, which can contribute to hormone balance. Spearmint tea may also be beneficial for detoxification and balancing hormones.
- Supplement with rosemary and turmeric. Rosemary and turmeric are fantastic for liver health. They can actually boost its function and assist in detoxification.
- Eat organic whenever possible. Herbicides and pesticides contain xenoestrogens that mimic estrogen in the body. Whenever possible, choose food and supplements that are certified organic.
Why Liver Detoxification is so Important
No matter how careful you are with your daily diet and lifestyle, you can’t avoid every toxin. There are lots of reasons to do a hormone detox regularly.
If you’re dealing with acne, PMS, irregular periods, or you’re simply feeling sluggish, bloated, and unable to focus, it’s probably time for a detox. If you’re struggling to conceive, a fertility detox can also help you get your hormones back in balance, especially after IVF. A detox can also help your body get back on track from illness.
Other Benefits of Following a Detoxification Program
- Healthier Skin: Our detoxification program will help you get your liver functioning optimally and your hormones back in balance. Hormonal imbalance is a major contributor to excess sebum production and inflammation. If you are dealing with breakouts at specific times of the month, a detox can be extremely beneficial.
- Improved Mood Health: If you’re dealing with sluggishness, lack of motivation, depression, anxiety, or low moods, a detox may be the answer. Mood swings are often caused by blood sugar and hormonal imbalances, which are often corrected after a detox.
- Improved Relationship with Food: As you go through the detoxification program, you’ll begin to notice that you feel less bloated. You’ll probably lose some excess weight. But even more importantly, you may notice a change in the way you think about food. A detox includes guidance on how to approach your meals and how to enjoy healthy, detoxifying foods. These will be lessons you can take with you into your everyday life.
- Enhanced Calmness and Creativity: Detoxification can be a transformational experience that encourages calmness and creativity. You can take this positive energy with you when you leave and use it to make positive changes in your daily life. The mental clarity and focus that come with detoxification can help you home in on what’s really important in your life.
Wrapping Things Up
Every woman can benefit from a hormone reset once in a while. By following the strategies outlined in this article, you can boost your liver function and help you get your hormones back to optimal levels quickly, and keep them there for the long term. When done right, a detox can jumpstart weight loss, reset bad habits, and boost your moods and energy levels, too. It’s a win-win all around!
Ananda Yoga and Detox Center offers 3.5, 7.5 and 11 day detoxes. You can include a liver detox in this program. More details on our program can be found here. https://anandayogadetox.com/detox-addons/liver-gallbladder-cleanse/