Antioxidants: The Key to Maintaining a Healthy Liver
Most of us take our liver for granted. We eat a lot of fatty and greasy foods. We consume a lot of alcoholic drinks. All of these do damage to our livers. That’s actually the last thing we would want to happen. A damaged liver gets us into a world of hurt; a lot of it, actually.
The Liver’s Role in our Body
To understand the implications, it is also important to understand what the liver does for our body’s health and fitness. So, what exactly does the liver do for our body to deserve that importance?
The liver is actually very instrumental in keeping our bodies healthy and clean. It removes and blocks all harmful or unwanted substances in our food from entering the bloodstream and getting into our brains. If harmful chemicals get into our brain, it can cause considerable damage. The liver exists to ensure that does not happen. Consider it a filter, if you may.
Like all filters, the liver also works both ways. You can compare it to a computer’s processor. The processor takes all the data and distributes it to the programs that need them. In the liver’s case, it grabs all the necessary nutrients in the chemical composition of food and absorbs them into the bloodstream.
The liver is not impregnable, however. It may be able block all the unwanted compounds from entering our bloodstream, but residue may still clog it and affect its performance. If too much residue is collected, the liver may not be able to process food effectively. This will have dire effects to our body. Several diseases – lethal ones like jaundice and hepatitis among them – may develop in our body.
Cleansing the Liver with Antioxidants
Fortunately, it is possible to cleanse the liver of any toxins that have clogged it. We can do this through a cleansing diet. You can take this diet for up to 7 days, but there is a shortened version called a 3-day cleansing diet. Like its name suggests, this liver diet lasts for 3 days. This is perfect for beginners who may not yet be used to this different diet.
A 3-day cleansing diet consists of foods that are heavy in antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that can restore the body’s cells to prime condition. This means that antioxidants can help maintain the liver’s continued functioning by repairing damaged cells. Antioxidants also strengthen and enhance the metabolism of the healthier cells not only in the liver, but in the whole body. Scientists also find out that, through cellular repair, the aging process is slowed down considerably by these compounds.
The most common antioxidants include Vitamins A, C and E, selenium, and some common phytochemicals like lycopene (which also prevents cancer), polyphenols, lutein, lignan, and glutathione.
Because they are heavy in antioxidants, your therapist will recommend and formulate for you a 3-day cleansing diet which will include these food sources:
- Carrots, squash and broccoli
- Citrus fruits
- Green peppers
- Strawberries
- Fish
- Spices like garlic
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