7 Signs Your Liver is Overtaxed and How to Detox for Better Health

Your liver represents the human body’s primary filtration system — converting toxins into waste products, cleansing your blood, and metabolizing nutrients and medications to provide the body with some of its most important proteins. As such a fundamental part of the body’s overall regulation, it’s paramount to keep your liver healthy and to limit overindulgence. What are the early symptoms of an overtaxed or stressed liver? Are there telltale warning signals that your liver could benefit from a little loving care and extra detox? Here are seven signs your liver may need some attention:

1. Fatigue (& Sugar Cravings) - Fatigue is a common complaint the world over, and is often experienced when the liver is under stress. The liver converts glucose into glycogen, a form of sugar that can be stored and then later released as glucose when the body needs a burst of energy. By storing and supplying the body with glucose, the liver helps provide energy and combat fatigue. If the liver is stressed it may become less efficient at regulation of blood glucose. Fatigue and sugar cravings may pop up.

2. Hormonal Imbalances - The liver detoxifies more than chemicals and pollutants. It also detoxifies our own hormones, including excess estrogen. Not surprisingly, when liver function is impaired, excess estrogen may not be adequately bound and excreted. Signs of excess estrogen in women can include PMS, fibrocystic breasts, moodiness, weight gain, menstrual disturbances, fibroids and more.

3. Gut Issues - When the flow of bile is stagnant or slowed, the gut shifts towards a state of dysbiosis, where unfriendly flora dominate, and constipation is common. The toxins from pathogenic bacteria then block detoxification pathways in the liver as well.  With the resulting imbalance of flora and dysbiosis, excessive gas and bloating may be experienced after eating.

4. Heavy Metal Accumulation - Human exposure to heavy metals has soared, due to an exponential increase of metals in industrial, agricultural, and technological applications. From coal burning power plants to plastics, textiles, electronics, wood preservation, and paper processing, metals are ubiquitous in everyday life. Heavy metals can cause DNA damage and contribute to a variety of human illnesses.  When the liver’s detoxification pathways are impaired, heavy metals can accumulate in the body. In particular, the liver’s stores of glutathione, which safely and effectively binds to toxins and metals, can be depleted.

5. Reactivity to Chemical Substances - When the liver is under stress, individuals may find themselves more reactive to chemical exposures, including gasoline, kerosene, natural gas, pesticides, solvents, new carpet, adhesives, glues, fabric softener, formaldehyde, cleaning agents, medications and more.

6. Allergies & Food Sensitivities - Seasonal pollen allergies may worsen, and food sensitivities may increase. The liver is responsible for breaking down excess histamine, and if it is sluggish, histamine may build up in the body. In individuals with chronic impaired bile flow, blood levels of histamine have been found to be significantly greater than normal.

7. Sleep Problems - Nearly 60 million Americans are affected by sleep disorders every year. Sleep problems run the gamut, taking too long to fall asleep (called sleep latency), waking up too early, fitful and poor sleep quality, frequent nocturnal awakening, or early morning awakening. The solutions range from sleep medications to cognitive reframing techniques, relaxation tapes, meditation, sleep hygiene, and more. But one simple solution may be to improve liver function. Sleep disturbances have long been observed in chronic liver conditions, and one mechanism may impair hepatic melatonin metabolism. Melatonin is the “circadian rhythm” hormone—the hormone our bodies naturally release as darkness falls, and which readies us for a good night’s sleep. 

When giving the liver a break I suggest to patients the liver friendly cleanse by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The goal of this cleanse is to eat food that puts no stress on the liver.  Do it for at least 10 days to get any health benefits.

1. Fruits and vegetables in salads, juiced or cooked should be consumed as much as possible.  All fruits and vegetables are allowed (except for those prohibited, listed on #8).  Some great options are:

• Apples

• Carrots

• Watercress

• Green Onions

• Celery

• Lettuce

• Cauliflower

• Broccoli

• Endive

• Chives

• Chicory

• Tomatoes

• Green Peppers

• Radishes

• Beet

• Cabbage

• Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and flaxseed oil for salad dressing

2. Sweet potatoes or yams may be served once a week.

3. Potatoes are recommended for lunch and dinner.

4. Brown or wild rice may be used to replace potatoes once in awhile.

5. The Hippocrates Special Soup is recommended as a starter to every meal.  The soup is prepared from the following ingredients:

• 3-4 stalks of celery

• small amount of parsley

• 1 ½ pounds of tomatoes

• 2 medium onions

• 2 small leaks or 2 additional medium onions

• a few cloves of garlic

• 1 pound of potatoes

Cover all ingredients with filtered water and cooked for 2 hours. The mixture can be processed to a thick creamy soup in a food processor, allow fibers and peels to remain. It is recommended to prepare the soup and refrigerate it only for 2 days of consumption.  

6. The following herbs and spices can be used in small quantities: allspice, anise, bay leaf, coriander, dill, fennel, mace, marjoram, rosemary, sage, saffron, tarragon, thyme, sorrel and summer savory.

7. Juices should be consumed several times through the day, not exceeding 13 glasses daily. Eight ounces of green leaf juice, apple-carrot juice, or any combination with the allowed fruits and vegetables is recommended. The vegetables used in green juice should be from the following list:

• Romaine lettuce

• Swiss chard

• Beet tops (young inner leaves)

• Watercress

• Some red cabbage

• Green pepper

• Endive

• Escarole

8. Prohibited Foods and Substances.

• The following “non liver friendly” health foods:

  • Berries

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Pineapple

  • Avocados

  • Cucumber

  • Mushrooms

  • Sprouted Alfalfa and other sprouted seeds or beans

  • Hot peppers

  • Mustard and carrot greens

  • Beans and legumes

• Black tea, green tea and other non-herbal or caffeine-containing teas.

• Coffee.

• Drinking of water is not encouraged.  Sip water only when thirsty.  You should be getting enough water in the prepared juices above.

• Beef, pork, poultry, eggs, fish, seafood and all other meat products.

• Dairy products of all types including goat and sheep.

• Oils and fats of all kinds are forbidden with the exception of fresh, raw, organic flaxseed oil.

• Flour and refined white and brown sugar.

• All manufactured or processed foods.

• Candy, cakes, muffins, pastries, and other refined sweets.

• Alcohol.

• Soybeans and soy products.

• Baking powder and baking soda which contain sodium and alum (aluminum).

• Any product that contains fluoride such as tap water, toothpaste, mouth gargle, hair dyes, beauty parlor permanents, cosmetics, deodorants, lipstick and lotions must be totally avoided.