When toxins enter your body, they can potentially destroy tissues and damage cells, you want your liver to be functioning optimally to ward off any damage. Liver cells disarm the toxins by converting dangerous substances to less harmful substances or by packing the toxins up for easier elimination through the kidney, bowels and skin. Cleanse and nourish your liver with this toxin neutralizing anti-oxidant packed smoothie. Did you also know that anger is associated with a blocked liver? In Chinese medicine, most organs are connected to an emotion, and your liver is the organ connected to anger.
This smoothie will help to open up the channels of elimination and excretion, which ultimately leads to a healthier mind and body.
The Liver functions to:
1. Filter, detoxify, and nourish blood;
2. Regulate amount of blood in circulation, release blood when needed and store blood until needed;
3. Store sugar in the form of glycogen, released into the body as glucose when extra metabolic energy is needed;
4. Manufacture enzymes essential for optimum immunity;
5. Store all toxins the body takes in;
6. Receive all amino acids extracted from food by small intestine then recombine amino acids to synthesize various forms of protein required for growth and repair of bodily tissue;
7. Harmonize emotions and prevent emotional stagnation;
8. Control peripheral nervous system by regulating muscle activity and tension;
9. Control ligaments & tendons (along with muscles determines physical coordination);
10. Create bile, which breaks down fats;
11. Help maintain electrolyte and water balance;
12. Break down and eliminate excess hormones;
13. Control the smooth flow of Qi.
When the liver is overloaded, increased amounts of toxins circulate through the blood affecting most of our body systems. Our liver must transform the hormones released during emotional states, so they can be eliminated. When the liver is not functioning properly, emotional states that should come and go, stay around longer than necessary. When our environment is full of excess emotions, this puts a burden on the liver.
A healthy liver is associated with:
- Strong digestion
- Bullet proof immune system
- Strong moist nails, hair and skin
- Healthy blood supply
- Musculoskeletal flexibility
Liver impairment can manifest as:
1. Menstrual/Gynecological problems;
2. Thin, brittle nails
3. Inability to relax
4. Abnormal level of sexual energy
5. Gas/bloat
6. Tense muscles
(Source)
- 1 apple, peeled and cored
- 1 beet, cut
- 1 large carrot
- 1 cup of dark leafy greens (dandelion, spinach, kale, etc..)
- ½ lemon, juice or peeled minus the seeds
- 1 cup purple cabbage
- 1 cup fresh mint
- 1 inch chunk of ginger, peeled
- 1-2 tsp. of fresh tumeric (or powder)
- 2 TBSP coconut oil
- Filtered water
- 1 cup of ice
- Blender
- Add all ingredients to blender
- Fill up to ¾ of blender with water and add some ice
- Blend and drink immediately to take advantage of the most nutrients
- You can place the rest in the fridge and re-blend throughout the day. This should keep for up to 2 days in the fridge.
- Drink and....love your liver!
How to I make 1 cup of fresh mint. Should I fill up one cup of mint leaf?
Yes 🙂
OK. Thanks, Melissa Malinowski! I’m a (worker) VN, too. It’s great to see a medical person seeing both sides of things. Sounds like an awesome smoothie! It makes a huge batch though, how long can I keep it refrigerated and still keep the nutritional.
A few days, enjoy!
Hi. Are they pickled beets? Or fresh raw beets? I am planning on trying this tomorrow! Is it best to drink this first thing when you wake up? I saw that you recommend drinking it daily. Is there a certain period of time, like a week or two, that you should drink it? Or just whenever you feel like your liver needs some extra support?
I used raw, but there is no right or wrong way and yes, drink when your liver needs support.
I’m going to try this recipe, it looks great. I like that it’s full of veggies.
Awesome, keep us posted Catherine!
Thanks for sharing your recipe! How much do you suggest drinking each day?
You’re welcome. 1-3 servings per day, use on and off, cheers!
I have fatty liver and have fibroscan done which is not looking good. I really need to cleanse my liver and loose wait. Can I take it everyday?? TIA
It’s always best to confirm with your doctor, but this is all real food. Cheers!
Will this smoothie help your liver to heal itself?
Hi Renee. It can help cleanse and help detox and healing occurs when you feed the body real food.
Some very good infor
So glad someone asked about the beet because that brings me to the lemon… I don’t see it in the picture. Do people really eat lemons peel and all? Seeds? Or should this be squeezed?
Just squeeze the juice or use the inside without the peel or the seeds Heidi 🙂
I have liver autoimmune disease, can I do something like this? I do take RX that my liver Doctor prescribed me. I also do take Tumeric capsules.
Hi Crystal, you will have to discuss that with your medical doctor.
Hi,
I am interested in doing this liver detox smoothie along with attempting the paleo diet, main reasons to get rid of inflammation in my body especially to cure interstitial cystitis, but my main concern is – I have fluctuating blood sugar levels and they get low easily, I usually have to eat sugar when I wake up. What should I do to regulate blood sugar while starting detox/new diet?
Amy
Great question Amy, you need to greatly increase your fats and proteins (and vegs), this will help turn your body from a sugar burner to a fat burner. Check out my article on what a naturopath eats everyday. But basically, fats and proteins every 2-3 hours and you have to clean up the bugs (parasites) and gut flora. Many times I find the root issues of IC is bladder worms.
Thanks so much for the advice! I keep hearing more and more about parasites being an underlying issue for certain ailments, that topic has never surfaced before publicly until recently and it blows my mind there could be such a simple yet kind of scary cause. What do recommended to expell parasites? And how long do you expell them for? Some people are saying a couple days, some say 2 months
Amy
There are many variables to your questions. That’s when you need to work with someone as everyone is different and has different exposures, therefore the protocol will be different for each person. In the meantime, here are a few of my articles that can help.
Ok i just made this and I cannot stomach it the consistency is just unbearable. How can i make this taste better?
Start with using just a couple ingredients and work your way up to adding them all.
Hi,
I have hypothyroid and take a daily dose of thyroid medication. I’ve noticed over recent years I have eczema in various spots. I think a good cleanse will do me good. Who knows what else ails me! How long do you suggest I do this daily? Then to I reduce it to weekly for a while?
Thanks for sharing this!!
Hi Anissa, you can drink this daily and/or eat the items in a salad. Real food heals, so there is no time frame per say. I would also check out a good probiotic and fermented fish oil. I have a list here.
How often should i take this smoothie? once a week or every day and for how long? My liver is fine, but i DO take medications for rheumatoid arthritis so want to protect my liver from all sorts of medications. I don’t drink or smoke.
If you have RA and take all sorts of medications it sounds like you have deeper imbalances, especially in your stomach pH and mineral absorption and probably diet. The smoothie can be drank daily/weekly, it is just real food, you can even swap out and make a salad as well.
1 inch chunk of fresh tumeric (or powder)
how much powder??
Thanks!
~ 1-2 tsp. Enjoy!
how often should i make that smoothie
There is no set amount, it would depend on how deeply you want to cleanse your body. Every day for more intense cleansing and 1-2 x week for less intense. Enjoy!
I’m doing the smoothie, Is the Beet Raw?
Yes