The liver is a central organ in the body’s cleansing process. We often talk about detoxifying the liver, in order to help the body eliminate excess toxins and toxins. But cleaning your liver can have many other benefits, such as losing weight. Here are some tips and tricks for cleaning your liver to lose weight.
The liver, the major organ of detoxification
The liver is an organ of the digestive system involved in nearly 300 vital functions. Blood is carried to the liver through the portal vein. The latter arrives loaded with a very large number of substances, most of which come from digestion. All the molecules brought by the blood will be absorbed by the liver cells. These cells are equipped with specific enzymes which will enable them to fulfill 3 main objectives:
Synthesis: Liver cells will synthesize the vast majority of blood proteins, from proteins and amino acids provided in the diet. They also allow the synthesis of cholesterol, bile and red and white blood cells in the fetus.
Storage: The liver will store glycogen within the hepatocytes and lipids in the form of triglycerides, which can be divided into fatty acids to meet the body’s needs. It will also store fat-soluble vitamins, namely vitamins A, D, K and E, but also iron, copper and vitamin B2.
Degradation and purification of toxic substances: The role of the liver here will be to degrade toxic substances into non-toxic substances. The degradation of toxic substances produces fat-soluble products which will be eliminated in the stools and water-soluble products which will be eliminated in the urine. This specific metabolic process of the liver requires several resources and occurs in two phases.
Why clean your liver to lose weight?
Quite simply because the liver is an organ which is involved in the digestion of fats. The liver will thus store excess fats. All this requires a certain amount of effort on the liver, which ends up tiring and performs its functions less and less well. Submerged, it begins to store excess toxins brought by an unsuitable lifestyle in fats, instead of eliminating them.
Liver problems can also be experienced alongside weight gain. These disorders may result in digestion and transit problems, particularly constipation.
Draining your liver means above all supporting its functioning, but also accelerating metabolism, removing toxins and toxins lodged in fats, which allows you to lose weight. This is why it is often recommended to cleanse your liver to lose weight.
When to undertake a liver detox?
Whether you want to cleanse your liver to lose weight or simply do a detox treatment, it cannot be done at any time or any way. The best time to undertake a liver detox is spring. It’s the season when the liver wakes up and activates to dislodge toxins and fats accumulated all winter. Indeed, winter is a period when we are more likely to store, particularly because the liver works slowly, just like us.
It is important to consider our own cleaning capacity and energy. Cleansing your liver requires a lot of energy from the body. Depending on your terrain, you may not always be able to provide this energy. In naturopathy, vitality is taken into account before undertaking a detox treatment. It is therefore necessary to respect certain rules before cleansing your liver to lose weight.
Vitality is none other than our “energy capital”, what keeps us moving, what drives us on a daily basis. A naturopath can help prepare the detox and support weight loss.
Liver drainage, some basic principles to respect
It is obvious that if you want to cleanse your liver to lose weight and you want the detox to be effective, it will be necessary to review your diet and your habits at the same time so as not to continue to overload the liver. There is no point in removing fat and restocking it behind.
It will therefore already be important to consume mainly fresh vegetables and fruits, in order to benefit from their fiber and all their nutritional properties. More generally, we will avoid industrial, processed, refined foods that are too fatty and too sweet.
It is imperative to limit or even eliminate alcohol and tobacco, great enemies of the liver.
Finally, remember to drink quality. Pure water throughout the day to help your body eliminate. You can add a few slices of cucumber or even a little lemon to the water to add flavor, but also for the draining and fat-burning action, ideal for losing weight. It is also possible to turn to herbal teas or even vegetable and fruit juices.
Cleansing your liver to lose weight, foods and plants to consume
Certain foods naturally support the liver’s detoxification work. They can be consumed regularly on a daily basis, without overdoing it. This is the case for lemon, cucumber, grapefruit, garlic, avocado, carrot, beet, coriander, eggplant, grape, apple, endive, escarole or even oilseeds, sources of phosphorus, a mineral which is involved in the breakdown of fats.
Of course, plants are also wonderful tools for effective liver detox, but also to aid in weight loss. Here are some plants to cleanse your liver to lose weight: Black Radish, Artichoke, Rosemary, Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Birch, Blackcurrant, Nettle and even Green Tea.
Read our blog article “Detox Herbal Teas” to find all the draining plants and our recipe for Slimming Detox Herbal Tea, to cleanse your body and lose weight.
How quickly can you cleanse your liver to lose weight?
You can carry out a detox treatment around two to three times a year, the best time being spring. It is also possible to consider a detox as soon as autumn arrives. If you are not used to doing detox treatments or if you want to lose a lot of weight, it is advisable to start slowly so as not to overload the body and tire it too much.
It is also advisable to take a break of at least 4 to 6 weeks between each treatment. Here too, it all depends on your body and the effects felt during the detox. Longer breaks may be necessary.
Cleansing your liver to lose weight: get support from professionals
First of all, it is essential to consult your doctor if you are overweight in order to find out the causes. It is also advisable to do a blood test, in order to have an overall vision of the body, in particular to target excesses or deficiencies.
At the same time, it is strongly recommended to be accompanied by a nutrition professional, such as a dietitian, in order to establish a diet adapted to your needs.
A naturopath will be able to set up a personalized and complete slimming the program, meeting your objectives, while respecting the needs of your body.
Cleansing your liver to lose weight is not a single and sufficient solution if you need to lose a lot of weight. It is necessary to change your lifestyle and resume appropriate regular physical activity.
