Herb Detoxifiers For Your Liver
The silly season has arrived and it is time for Christmas parties and general merriment among family, friends, and colleagues, which means excessive alcohol consumption and over indulging in sweet and savoury food alike. Although it is fun when you are doing it, the following day you can feel bloated, and like you have been hit by a train. But don’t panic, there are some herbs you can take to ease those unpleasant feelings, and cure that hangover.
Dandelion
Although most people dislike dandelions and usually run the lawn mowers over them, they are actually a very healing herb. They contain the minerals iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc, and vitamins A, C and D. Dandelion contains more beta-carotene than carrots. It has been used in traditional Arabic and Native American medicine from about 900 AD. It is helpful for cleansing the liver by stimulating the production of bile, and expelling toxins out of the body. It also promotes bowel regulation and eliminates excess fluid from the body. You can consume it as a tea, coffee or in tincture form. While it doesn’t cure hangovers, it should help to ease them because it helps to maintain a healthy liver.
A 2009 study conducted in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed that after the first two cups of tea, it helped to stimulate people’s kidneys, which resulted in a decrease in water weight, and a reduction in bloating. The Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Poland tested different herbs for the amino acid (kyurenic acid) which aids digestion and bile production. Dandelion had the highest amount of this amino acid.
Health benefits of Dandelion
Vitamin A is important for preventing cancers of epithelial tissue, including the mouth and lungs.
Fiber which helps to prevent diabetes, lowers cholesterol, reduces cancer and heart disease risks, and encourages weight loss. A diet high in fiber is low in calories and fat, and helps to keep you feeling full for longer.
Calcium which decreases the risk of getting osteopenia and osteoporosis.
B vitamins which are helpful for anxiety and stress (alcohol eliminates them from the body.)
Stimulates the production of bile which helps to support the liver
Contraindications for Dandelion
Although dandelion is usually a safe herb to take, it is not safe for everybody. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid consuming it. It might interact with some prescription medications and diuretics. People with gallbladder ailments shouldn’t take dandelion.
Milk thistle
This herb is native to southern Europe, southern Russia, Asia, North Africa and North and South America. It has been used to treat liver problems for about 2,000 years. It is an herbaceous annual/biennial plant, and is a member of the Asteraceae family. Its flowers are red and purple in colour, and it can grow to about ten feet tall. Milk thistle is named because milky white fluid is secreted from it when the leaves are crushed.
The United States National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health have recorded over 400 scientific studies about the benefits of this plant. In Europe Milk thistle is prescribed as a medication to treat mushroom poising, cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis, and drug and alcohol related liver damage.
Health benefits of Milk Thistle
Hangovers
Alcoholic cirrhosis
Chronic active hepatitis
Drug and alcohol induced liver damage
Acute viral hepatitis
Fatty liver, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
Fibrosis and Cirrhosis
Hepatic toxicity caused by steroid usage
Environmental toxins
Contraindications of Milk thistle
While it is mainly a safe herb to consume, it is not suitable for everybody. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not take it. It is unsafe for people who have kidney problems or are taking diuretics. People on prescription medication should also avoid consuming it.
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