HWA WILD BLUEBERRY BUCKLE

WILD BLUEBERRY BUCKLE

Wild blueberries are the star ingredient of this incredibly tasty buckle cake. With a moist cake base, bursts of flavorful wild blueberries, and a sweet and buttery streusel topping that is made with coconut oil instead of butter, this cake recipe is hard to beat. Plus, it’s gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and vegan, making it a great choice for a healthier cake that doesn’t compromise on flavor.

Wild blueberries are one of the most effective heavy metal detoxing foods and are also the most powerful brain food in existence. They are also the most potent prebiotic there is, and a star at restoring the liver.

Wild Blueberry Buckle Cake

Ingredients:

Streusel topping:
1/4 cup gluten free oat flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 tbsp coconut sugar
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp melted coconut oil

Cake:
1 cup gluten-free oat flour
1 cup brown rice flour
2 tbsp potato starch
2/3 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup unsweetened almond milk or light coconut milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract or vanilla powder
1 cup frozen or fresh wild blueberries (or regular fresh blueberries if needed)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line an 8 or 9 inch springform baking tin with parchment paper. Set aside.

Make the streusel by combining the oat flour, brown rice flour, and coconut sugar in a small bowl. Whisk until uniform, then pour in the maple syrup and coconut oil. Rub the wet ingredients into the dry until you get a crumbly mixture. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the oat flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, coconut sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until uniform and lump-free.

In another bowl, whisk together the almond milk, applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla until uniform. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir until evenly mixed. The batter should be very thick but pourable. Add a bit more flour or milk if needed to get this consistency. Gently fold in the wild blueberries. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and top with the streusel. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until browned on top and toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes in the baking tin, then gently remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Best enjoyed on the day of baking.

Serves 6-8

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-People Start to Heal The Moment They Are Heard-

Health and Wellness Associates

EHS Telehealth

DR ANNE SULLIVAN

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HWA – Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies-GLUTEN FREE

BANANA OAT BREAKFAST COOKIES  GLUTEN FREE

Let’s take a look at how some of the key ingredients in these Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies can offer healing support:

Bananas: The fructose in banana is liver’s favorite source of food. It provides quick fuel to the liver and wakes up sleepy cells, increasing their ingenuity and work output. Soothes the linings of the intestinal tract and also soothes the nerves attached to the intestinal tract. Contrary to popular belief, bananas are one of the most antibacterial, anti-yeast, antifungal foods. A great food to combine with other nutrient-rich foods or to take with supplements, because they improve the liver’s ability to absorb nutrients.

Cranberries: The anthocyanin in cranberries is multifaceted, as it does more than one job for your liver. Not only does it prevent oxidation in cells; it helps prevent cells from dying in general of toxic overload. It also removes and breaks free a variety of troublemakers, including those inherited from long past in the family line. The harsh fruit acid in cranberries that causes the mouth to pucker strips the cell membranes off pathogens, most especially bacteria. The vitamin C in cranberries holds similarities to the rare vitamin C in tomatoes in that it increases the liver’s immune system strength.

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:
1 large ripe banana (about 1/2 cup mashed)
1 cup gluten-free oats/ STEEL OR IRISH OATS
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup cranberries or raisins (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the banana in a medium-sized mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add the oats, cinnamon, and cranberries or raisins, if desired. Mix until uniform.

Scoop out the mixture using a heaping tablespoon measure—you should get about 8 cookies. Place them on the baking sheet and flatten them slightly to make discs.

Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until browned on the sides. Cool completely before eating.

We are in this Together!-

-People Start to Heal The Moment They Are Heard-

Health and Wellness Associates

EHS Telehealth

REVIEWED BY DR ANNE SULLIVAN AND P CARROTHERS

HWA SWEET POTATOES AND TOTS RECIPE

SWEET POTATOES AND TOTS RECIPE

 

Sweet Potatoes: An important glucose and glycogen storage food for the liver. All sweet potatoes and yams are beneficial, even white sweet potatoes. Similar to regular potatoes, they help support almost every function for which the liver is responsible inside our bodies. Sweet potatoes have phytochemical properties that calm heated, angry, stagnant, sluggish, and toxic livers and help prevent spasming. They also offer a range of hormone-balancing phytochemicals for the liver; the liver uses sweet potatoes and yams to regulate and control some of its hormone functions.

Sweet Potato Tots Recipe

Ingredients:
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon dried herbs such as oregano, thyme, or rosemary

OPTIONAL KETCHUP
6 ounces pure tomato paste (find one without additives or salt)
1/3 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons raw honey
1/4 teaspoon dried onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.

Add 3 inches of water to a medium-sized pot, bring it to a boil, and add a steaming basket. Place the sweet potatoes in the basket, cover, and steam for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender on the outside yet firm in the middle. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Remove the skins from the sweet potatoes and grate them using the large side of a box grater. Place the grated sweet potato into a bowl and add the herbs. Mix until combined.

Use a tablespoon to scoop the mixture, and then use your hands to form the tots into small cylinders.

Place the tots on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until browned. For a crispier tot, turn the heat up to 400°F/ 200°C for the last 10 minutes of baking. Let the tots cool for 5 to 10 minutes before eating.

To make the ketchup, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Serve with tots.

 

We are in this Together!

-People Start to Heal The Moment They Are Heard-

Health and Wellness Associates

EHS Telehealth

REVIEWED BY DR P CARROTHERS

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Lentil Tacos Recipe : For the Liver that Loves You Back

 

Lentil Tacos Recipe :

For the Liver that Loves You Back

 

 

Who doesn’t love tacos? The lentil filling for these romaine lettuce tacos can be enjoyed warm or cold according to your preference. If you’re looking for something a little heartier add some chopped chicken.

Onions (and scallions): Very similar to garlic, onions have antimicrobial sulfur compounds that expel unfriendly pathogens from the liver. Onions have a disinfecting quality for the liver, keeping it from becoming inflamed. They also improve the temperature control or “thermostat” of the liver so it can heat and cool itself properly.

Leafy greens (especially lettuces and their stems): An extremely cleansing tool for your liver that you can apply on a daily basis. The leafy outer greens of lettuce provide dozens of micronutrients for the liver to stay healthy and balanced, while the core of the lettuce, down closer to the root, provides milky chemical compounds that act as a purging mechanism for it. When leafy greens are eaten with fruit, their medicinal qualities increase twofold.

Mushrooms: Contain hundreds of undiscovered phytochemical compounds, many of which are detoxifying for the liver without hurting it. Mushrooms are medicine for the liver. Many people fear mushrooms because they believe that their status as a type of fungus means they feed fungus within the body. It’s just the opposite. A mushroom is a fungus that destroys fungus, and the liver accepts mushrooms as allies—if the liver is dealing with unwanted microorganisms such as fungus, mushrooms are very helpful in pushing them out of the liver. Mushrooms also reduce fungus, bacteria, and viruses in the intestinal tract, allowing for cleaner nutrients and cleaner blood to arrive in the liver.

Lentil Tacos

Makes 3 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup diced onion
½ cup vegetable broth
1 cup diced mushrooms (optional)
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked lentils
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon chipotle powder
¼ teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
2 heads romaine or butter lettuce

( if you are just starting out, you could try Progressive Lentil Soup instead of broth)

Directions:
Sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes until tender. Continue to add vegetable broth by the spoonful as needed to prevent sticking.

Add the mushrooms, garlic, lentils, poultry seasoning, cumin, paprika, chipotle, honey, and sea salt to the sauté pan. If spiciness is desired, add the cayenne as well.

Continue to cook everything over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and cooked through.

Serve the lentil mixture in individual romaine leaves as “taco shells” and top with any or all of the optional toppings.

 

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Baked Bananas Foster Recipe: Your Liver Loves it!

Baked Bananas Foster Recipe

Your Liver Loves it!

 

It may feel hard to find fat-free, healthy dessert recipes that are absolutely indulgent and rich. Well, look no further. This Baked Bananas Foster recipe is just as decadent as the original yet full of only the best ingredients for your whole body and soul. Enjoy them plain or serve them with the included Banana Nice Cream. Either way, you will find yourself swept off your feet.

Bananas: The fructose in banana is liver’s favorite source of food. It provides quick fuel to the liver and wakes up sleepy cells, increasing their ingenuity and work output. Soothes the linings of the intestinal tract and also soothes the nerves attached to the intestinal tract. Contrary to popular belief, bananas are one of the most antibacterial, anti-yeast, antifungal foods. A great food to combine with other nutrient-rich foods or to take with supplements, because they improve the liver’s ability to absorb nutrients.

Maple syrup: The combination of sugars and high mineral content quickly travels to the liver and becomes instant fuel of phytonutrient composition. It’s like an IV for the liver containing the best of both worlds: a vast array of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients (many of them still undiscovered) coupled with high-quality sugar on which the liver thrives.

Baked Bananas Foster

Makes 3 servings

Ingredients:
3 bananas
2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup, divided
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons maple sugar
¹⁄8 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the bananas in half lengthwise and arrange them in a baking dish lined with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, stir together ½ tablespoon of the maple syrup with the cinnamon, maple sugar, and sea salt until well combined.

Brush the banana slices with the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, making sure to coat both sides. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly along the top of the banana slices and bake them in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until the bananas are soft and golden brown.

Remove the baked bananas from the oven and serve alongside Banana Nice Cream if desired.

Banana Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients:
3 frozen bananas
2 tablespoons warm water

Directions:
Roughly chop the frozen bananas and place them into the food processor. Process the bananas, adding warm water by the tablespoon as needed to prevent sticking. Stop processing once the bananas have reached a smooth, soft-serve consistency. Enjoy immediately or place in the freezer to set for 2 to 4 hours.

 

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Wild Blueberry Cranberry Sauce

 

Enhance the nutrient power and healing properties of regular cranberry sauce with the addition of the most healing food on the planet: wild blueberries. Not only does this spin on traditional cranberry sauce taste incredible; its vibrant, rich color will also uplift your spirit.

Wild blueberries contain dozens of undiscovered antioxidants, including anthocyanin varieties. There’s not just one pigment inside a wild blueberry; there are dozens of pigments not yet researched or studied. The wild blueberry is to the liver as mother’s milk is to a baby. Not only do wild blueberries have the ability to grab on to plenty of troublemakers, they also hold on to them as they leave the liver, in a way that most other healing foods cannot. The pigments in wild blueberries have the ability to saturate deep into liver cells and cross cell walls and membranes inside the liver, spreading their blue everywhere. Wild blueberries enhance the intestinal tract, feeding good bacteria there,

The anthocyanin in cranberries is multifaceted, as it does more than one job for your liver. Not only does it prevent oxidation in cells; it helps prevent cells from dying in general of toxic overload. It also removes and breaks free a variety of troublemakers, including those inherited from long past in the family line. The harsh fruit acid in cranberries that causes the mouth to pucker strips the cell membranes off pathogens, most especially bacteria. The vitamin C in cranberries holds similarities to the rare vitamin C in tomatoes in that it increases the liver’s immune system strength.

Wild Blueberry Cranberry Sauce 

Ingredients:
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup frozen wild blueberries
1 red apple, diced
1 tsp orange zest
Juice from 1 orange
1/3 cup coconut sugar or maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks

Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered. Stir every few minutes for 20-30 minutes until the mixture is thick and the berries are soft.

Remove half the mixture from the pot and blend until smooth using an immersion blender or a jug blender. Place it back in the pot. Alternatively, you can leave the sauce chunky or blend it completely. Remove the cinnamon sticks and let cool before serving. Best kept in the fridge.

Makes about 1 cup

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Caramel Apple Rings: Liver Cleansing

Caramel Apple Rings

Coming up with fun, easy ideas for families can feel hard sometimes, and that’s when you can turn to these caramel apple rings. They’re a perfect breakfast idea for kids and adults alike. Try setting out all the different toppings “build your own” style and let everyone decorate the caramel apple rings with their own favorite choices!

 

Apples: Provide living water to support the liver’s hydration capabilities, so it can store the water and then release it back into the bloodstream when dehydration or dirty blood syndrome occurs. The fruit acids in apples help cleanse the liver by dispersing toxic films that build up inside its storage banks. Apples starve out bacteria, yeast, mold, other funguses, and viruses from the intestinal tract and liver. Great for dissolving gallstones.

Dates: The intestinal tract builds up mucus due to low hydrochloric acid and bile production, and that can slow down absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream. Dates expel and eliminate mucus, especially that produced by pathogens such as bacteria and fungus, from the colon. The sugars in dates feed the liver; they’re a great source of glucose for recovery and restoration that allows the liver to maximize its over 2,000 chemical functions.

These are the ones we made and we used coconut in them.  Putting them on a stick is the best!

 

This recipe is a lot of fun with a lot of variations.

 

 

Caramel Apple Rings

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 lemon, juiced, divided
3 red apples
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
1 inch vanilla bean (optional)
½ cup water

Optional Toppings:
1 cup raspberries
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup dried mulberries
¼ cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons raw honey

Directions:
Fill a large bowl with cold water and pour half of the lemon juice into it. Turn each apple sideways and carefully cut it into slices about ¼ inch thick. Use a small cookie cutter or bottle cap to punch the core out of the center of each apple slice. Place the finished rings immediately into the bowl of lemon water to prevent browning.

Blend the dates, vanilla bean, ½ cup water, and remaining lemon juice together until a thick, smooth “caramel” forms.

Remove the apple rings from the water. Spread caramel along the top of each ring and add any desired toppings!

Tip:
If the dates you’re using are dry, try soaking them in warm water for a few minutes prior to blending.

Health and Wellness Associates

Dr Gail Bohannan Gray

healthwellnessassociates@gmail.com

 

Baked Apple Roses

Health and WEllness Associastes

EHS – Telehealth

 

Baked Apple Roses

 

Makes 4 servings

 

Apples: Apples in themselves are miracles. They’re amazing for digestion: They collect and rid bacteria, parasites, viruses, and mold from the entire gut. They create a stable alkaline environment wherever needed. They also help heal diverticulitis and reduce inflammation in the stomach and intestinal tract. Apples are incredibly cleansing and healing for the gallbladder and liver. Not only do they detoxify, carefully extracting sediment from these organs; they also help dissolve gallstones.

Maple syrup: The combination of sugars and high mineral content quickly travels to the liver and becomes instant fuel of phytonutrient composition. It’s like an IV for the liver containing the best of both worlds: a vast array of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients (many of them still undiscovered) coupled with high-quality sugar on which the liver thrives.

Lemons: The rich calcium levels in lemons binds to the vitamin C within them, and both of these enter into the liver, where they waken a stagnant, sluggish, fatty liver, helping loosen and disperse fat cells. Lemons clean up dirty blood syndrome, improve glucose absorption, and even protect the pancreas.

 

Ingredients:

4 red apples

4 tablespoons maple syrup, divided

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¾ teaspoon cinnamon, divided

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup, the lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon until combined.

 

Using a knife or mandolin, thinly slice the apples, and toss the slices in the maple syrup mixture until well coated.

 

Arrange the apple slices in 4 small ramekins. Divide the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup over the tops of the ramekins.

 

Finish each one off with a dusting of extra cinnamon. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the apples have softened and gently browned. Remove from the oven and enjoy while still warm!

 

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Three Liver Detox Recipes

 

The liver is considered one of the strongest organs in the human body. There is a common saying, ‘the liver doesn’t break easily and when it does, it doesn’t heal easily’. In today’s fast-paced world, we have minimal or no time to cook food. Frequent consumption of junk food and sedentary lifestyle lead to toxic build-up in the body. This eventually results in various health problems.

Without the effective unification of natural remedies like fruits, vegetables, lemons, carrots, etc., into our lifestyles, we are at a high risk of being defeated by our metabolism. It’s easy to detoxify your body with healing foods and juices. There are many juices and herbs that can be added to your daily diet for healthful body cleansing and extra vitality. Juices like apple-celery, grapes, beets, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and papayas, help a lot in improving the liver’s defense system.

We have  a wonderful liver detox juice that may offer amazing benefits not just to the liver, but to the other organs as well! Here are the ingredients of this homemade liver detox juice:

Lemon

According to research, lemon is a good source of citric acid that efficiently helps in breaking down foods and promoting better digestion. This lessens the activities of the liver. Furthermore, it contains powerful antiseptic properties that inhibit the growth and activities of harmful bacteria along the digestive tract.

 

Ginger Root

In a study published at the Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, researchers concluded that ginger is capable of improving liver damage as well as in protecting the organ against liver fibrosis. It is also beneficial in preventing and treating fatty liver disease by reducing one’s insulin resistance, lessening the amount of oxidative stress on the liver, as well as in preventing inflammation which contribute significantly in the development of this condition.

 

Grapefruit

According to a study published at the European Journal of Nutrition, grapefruit is rich in antioxidants that promote liver health. Grapefruit juice soothes metabolic syndrome and lowers the level of fats in the body which are considered as major factors that trigger the occurrence of fatty liver disease.

 

Flaxseed

This herb is known for its antioxidant content that brings about liver health benefits. In a study published at the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, it was found out that intake of flaxseed can significantly reduce the level of fats accumulated in the liver. Heavy buildup of fats on the liver usually results to fatty liver disease.

 

Garlic

According to studies, garlic is an excellent source of proteins, amino acids and metabolites – and some studies have indicated that garlic may assist in protecting the liver against unintentional and intentional ingestion of many hepatotoxic substances.

Cumin Powder

Derived from cumin seeds, cumin powder is widely recognized for its ability to stabilize the functions of the systems of the body. It actually plays a vital role in stimulating the liver to increase its production of bile which is useful in getting better digestion.

 

Fresh Mint

This is actually considered one of the best herbs to promote liver health. Research shows that fresh mint helps the liver in executing its vital functions. It is reported to relieve liver swelling and protect the organ against cirrhosis.

 

Liver Cleanse Grape Juice

 

Ingredients

Water – 4-8 ounces (boiled and cooled)

Fresh lemon – 1

Ginger root – 1 inch, thinly sliced

Grape juice (you may use apple, grapefruit, or orange juice) – 8 oz or 1 cup

Flaxseed oil (or extra virgin olive oil)- 1 tbsp (slightly increase the quantity every day)

Garlic cloves – 1 (increase by 1 clove each day)

Cumin powder – 3 to 4 pinches

Fresh Mint – 3 to 4 leaves (optional)

Directions

Extract the lemon juice. In a blender, add some water, grated ginger, and garlic pieces. Blend well and filter the juice into a container. Combine the two juices (lemon and grape juice) with ginger-garlic water, and blend this mixture with the flaxseed oil and cumin powder for 40 to 45 seconds. Pour the juice in a glass, garnish with mint leaves, and serve.

 

Benefits

This recipe comprises no preservatives. It contains only fresh fruits, vegetables, a small quantity of flaxseed oil, and cumin powder, which supply the liver with much-needed vitamins and cleansing agents, that help flush out toxins from the liver.

 

Liver Detoxification Vegetable Juice

 

Ingredients

Fresh cabbage – 125 g

Fresh lemon – 1

Celery – 25 g

Fresh pear – 250 g

Ginger root – 1 inch

Filtered Water – 500 ml

Fresh Mint – 4 to 5 leaves

Directions

Chop the pear, cabbage, celery, and ginger into small pieces, and put in a blender along with a cup of water. Blend well for 1 minute. Add the fresh lemon juice to the blended juice. Mix well. Pour the juice in a glass, and serve chilled with mint leaves.

 

Benefits

This recipe is the mixture of fresh fruits and vegetables that taste unique, and help flush toxins from the body. Cabbages, pears, and celery are the best liver detoxification agents, that serve by facilitating the liver in functioning properly by inhibiting aggregation of fluid and toxins in it.

 

Ultimate Liver Cleanser

 

Ingredients

Distilled water – 300 ml

Large grapefruits – 2

Cold pressed flax oil – 2 tbsp

Lemons – 4

Fresh root ginger – 2 inches

Fresh garlic – 1 to 2 cloves

Acidophilus – 1 tsp

A dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

Extract the grapefruit juice and lemon juice, and put in a blender. Grate the ginger and garlic, and squeeze their juices into the blender. Add water, flax oil, and acidophilus powder, and blend for 35 to 40 seconds. Pour the juice in a glass, and serve with a dash of cayenne pepper.

 

Benefits

This juice comprises all potent liver cleansing ingredients, that give the liver a gentle flush and the opportunity to heal itself.

 

These liver detox juice recipes provide essential enzymes and nutrients, which help in the detoxification of the body. They help in keeping the liver in shape and maintaining the natural detoxifying mechanism of the body. You can have a detoxifying juice once a day. And, if you enjoy the taste, you can have it every day! As they are all natural, they are healthy and beneficial.

 

However, for the juices to work, you need to follow a healthy and balanced diet. You should avoid eating fatty foods like red meat, processed and preserved meat, deep-fried snacks, margarine, hydrogenated oils, too much salt or sugar, and foods that contain artificial colors and flavors. Such foods are likely to fill the liver with toxins, and may affect its functioning. Excessive intake of alcohol can also damage the liver.

 

You should consume lots of fruits and vegetables. You may incorporate avocados, walnuts, dried fruits, grapefruits, lemons, carrots, tomatoes, low fat dairy products, whole grain foods, etc., in your daily diet. If you follow a healthy diet, and periodically do a 2-5 day juice cleanse, you will notice a difference in your skin. You will feel energized. However, as the body will try to flush out accumulated toxins, one may suffer from diarrhea, headache, runny nose, cold, flu, fatigue, or even skin rash. Drink lots of water. The symptoms will be less intense each time you do a juice cleanse.

 

If you have any health concerns, or need a personalized health care plan, please call us:

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Take Care of Your Liver!

 

Take Care of Your Liver, You Only Have One!

 

If the fat in your liver makes up 5–10 percent of the organ’s weight, then you are diagnosed with fatty liver disease. There are two main types of fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is another rare condition that happens when fat builds up in the liver of pregnant women.

 

One of the hardest-working organs in the body, the liver works tirelessly to detoxify our blood, to produce the bile needed to digest fat, to break down hormones, and to store essential vitamins, minerals and iron. This is why it’s so important to take care of our livers or practice a liver cleanse — as when the liver is not functioning optimally, we cannot digest our food properly, especially fats.

 

It’s the liver’s responsibility to process nutrients absorbed by the intestines so they’re more efficiently absorbed. The liver also regulates blood composition to balance protein, fat and sugar. Finally, it removes toxins from the blood, and breaks down both alcohol and medications.

 

For people with fatty liver disease, the handling of fat by liver cells is disturbed. Increased amounts of fat are removed from the blood and produced by liver cells, and not enough is disposed of or exported by the cells. As a result of this, fat accumulates in the liver. There is an imbalance between the uptake of fat and its oxidation and export.

 

Today, we’re faced with so many environmental toxins occurring in our homes, places of work and in our food supply, so it’s essential for our general health and well-being to keep our livers functioning properly.

 

Foods that Make Fatty Liver Disease Worse

 

Alcohol

If you have fatty liver disease, and you are a heavy drinker, quitting is the most important thing to do first. Alcohol is the culprit; it’s what caused the liver disease because your liver cannot break it down quick enough for your body. According to a review conducted at the Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New York, fatty liver disease is common among alcoholics not only due to malnutrition, but also because of toxicity and inflammation. Even if you have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, it’s best to eliminate alcohol from your diet.

 

High-Carbohydrate Foods

Foods such as bread, rice, grits and corn should be avoided. All white bread and carbs should be eliminated or reduced from your diet, and some whole grain products aren’t great either. When we consume too many refined carbohydrates, insulin levels spike, and insulin sensitivity is a major factor in the cause of liver disease. Read the label on whole grain packages, and avoid buying anything that is labeled “enriched.”

 

If you want to have some bread here and there, buy fresh bread that is made in the bakery or health food store — you can also try breads from gluten-free flours, like Ezekiel bread, or these sandwich substitutes. If you are going for rice, choose brown rice.

 

Sugary Drinks

Sports drinks, soda, energy drinks and juice are full of sugar and artificial sweeteners. This sugar that enters your body causes fatty liver disease. The average 12-ounce can of soda, for example, has 10 teaspoons of sugar! Your body isn’t able to break down the amount of sugar that most Americans consume every day, and it’s impacting the liver, big time.

 

According to a study conducted at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, sugars, particularly fructose, are suspected to contribute to the development of NAFLD and its progression. There have been substantial links between increased fructose consumption and obesity, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance.

 

Processed Foods

Hydrogenated oils, refined sugar, convenience foods and lunch meats are notoriously toxic to your system. Nitrates and nitrites, for example, are commonly found in processed foods and lunch meat, and they have been linked to serious conditions, including cancer. The high fructose corn syrup found in our processed foods is the single biggest cause of fatty liver; you must stay away from these products in order to heal liver disease.

 

Foods that Improve Fatty Liver Disease

 

Raw Vegetables

A review published in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry states that natural products that are found in vegetables, as well as fruits, plant extracts and herbs, have been traditionally used for treating liver diseases. It’s so important to add vegetables to your everyday diet.

 

An easy way to do this is by juicing vegetables for near-perfect health. With impaired liver function, juicing vegetables has the added benefit of making the vegetables easier to digest and more readily available for absorption. Vegetables ideal for a liver detox include kale, cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, beets and celery; try something like beetroot juice to start.

 

Ginger Root

High-fiber foods help support a healthy digestive tract, hastening the elimination of toxins in the body. For example, ginger root benefits the digestive system. Make ginger tea by boiling ginger slices in green tea or water. You can also add ginger to a stir-fry, salad or smoothie.

 

Sweet Potatoes

Because of there potassium content, sweet potatoes are beneficial because they help cleanse the liver. One sweet potato contains nearly 700 milligrams of potassium! It’s also rich with vitamins B6, C, D, magnesium and iron. Sweet potatoes are easy to eat because they’re naturally sweet, and the sugars are slowly released into the bloodstream through the liver, so it won’t cause a spike in blood sugar. There are a ton of healthy sweet potato recipes that you can try at home today.

 

Bananas

Containing 470 milligrams of potassium, banana nutrition is also great for cleansing the liver and overcoming low potassium levels; plus, bananas assist in digestion and help release toxins and heavy metals from the body.

 

Dandelion Root

The vitamins and nutrients present in dandelions help cleanse our livers and keep them working properly. Dandelions also aid our digestive system by maintaining the proper flow of bile. They’re natural diuretics and allow the liver to eliminate toxins quickly. Dandelion tea or stems are also high in vitamin C, which helps with mineral absorption, reduces inflammation and prevents the development of disease.

 

Milk Thistle

As a liver support and aid, milk thistle is a powerful detoxifier. It helps rebuild liver cells while removing toxins from the body that are processed through the liver. According to a study published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences, milk thistle has the power to improve mortality in patients with liver failure; it’s able to naturally reverse the harmful effects of alcohol consumption, pesticides in our food supply, heavy metals in our water supply, pollution in the air that we breathe in and even poisons.

 

According to a 2010 study, milk thistle benefits help treat alcoholic liver disease, acute and chronic viral hepatitis, and toxin-induced liver diseases.

 

Liver

Liver from young, healthy, grass-fed cattle or chicken liver pate is full of nutrients and vitamins. It’s rich with vitamins A and B, folic acid, choline, iron, copper, zinc, chromium, and CoQ10; in fact, it’s one of the most nutrient-dense foods that you can eat. If you rather not animal liver, take liver supplements that guarantee no hormones, pesticides or antibiotics were used in the feeding and care of the cattle.

 

There are supplements that you will need to take to cleanse and protect your liver and you need to work with a healthcare provider to come up with a personalized plan for just you.  If you need help please call us, 312-972-WELL, that is what we are here for.

 

In the mean time you can always try our liver detox recipe:

 

Liver Detox Juice Recipe

Liver Detox Juice

 

Total Time: 5 minutes

 

Serves: 2

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 beet (medium size)

6 celery stalks

1 cup fresh cilantro

1/2 lemon

1 knob ginger

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to vegetable juicer. Gently stir juice and consume immediately.

 

Please share with family and friends, and do not forget to call us for a personalized healthcare plan just for you.

 

Health and Wellness Associates

Archived: P. Carrothers

312-972-WELL