Your liver is one of the most important organs in your entire body.

It cleanses your blood, produces proteins, controls blood sugar, regulates fat storage, metabolizes fat, and produces energy.

It's like the Swiss Army Knife of organs.

Your liver plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal health, but unfortunately, most men and women over the age of 40 don't pay enough attention to it. 

Maybe they're too busy worrying about their biceps or their abs or whatever.

When toxins clog and overwhelm your liver, it fails to perform its functions correctly, and the poisons can trigger an immune response.

If you don't change your ways, a toxic liver can lead to several health problems such as food allergies, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, skin conditions, digestive problems, and autoimmune diseases.

So, if you want to avoid all this drama, take care of your liver.

How to Detoxify Your Liver

While you cannot completely avoid exposure to toxins and poisons, there are some things you can do to lighten the load on your liver and cleanse and detoxify it.

Here are three actionable steps to detoxify your liver, starting today.

1. Smart training

Progressive resistance training (aka lifting weights) and deep breathing can stimulate circulation and blood flow, delivering nutrients and oxygen to all parts of your body, including the liver.

Aim for at least 40 minutes of exercise four days per week.

Start with a hip-hinge move, like a squat. After that, pair a pushing movement, like a pushup, with a pulling exercise, like a chin up. Perform three sets and eight reps of each move.

Finish the workout with conditioning intervals to work your heart and lungs.

Do two-minute intervals of hill sprints. Sprint up the hill for 30 seconds and take 90 seconds to walk back down. If no hill, do the intervals on a stationary bike.

2. Mindful nutrition

Avoiding certain foods can help reduce the toxic load on your liver.

Watch out for artificial sweeteners, overly processed foods, chemical additives, pesticides, excess animal fat, and medication if possible.

Frequent use of over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), and naproxen (Aleve, others) can seriously harm your liver.

Especially if you mix them with alcohol.

Instead, focus on adding in foods that are believed to help cleanse the liver such as:

• Garlic: contains sulfur compounds that can help activate liver enzymes responsible for flushing out toxins.
• Grapefruit: contains antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and protect liver cells.
• Beets: contain betaine, which can help stimulate liver function and protect the liver from toxins.
• Carrots: contain beta-carotene, which can help protect the liver from damage caused by environmental toxins.
• Green tea: contains catechins, which can help improve liver function and reduce the risk of liver disease.
• Filtered water: drinking enough water can help flush out toxins from the body.
• Leafy green vegetables: contain chlorophyll, which can help eliminate toxins from the body.
• Olive oil: contains healthy fats that can help improve liver function.

3. Healthy environment

Reducing your exposure to environmental toxins can also help lighten the load on your liver.

Use natural personal care products to help reduce the toxic load on your liver, as these tend to be absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream. For example, choose underarm deodorant without aluminum.

Swap strong cleaning solutions with non-toxic cleaners like vinegar and baking soda.

You can also drink filtered water because tap water contains trace pharmaceuticals and other contaminants like nitrates, lead, agricultural waste, industrial pollutants, and other nasty stuff.

Getting plenty of fresh air can indirectly improve liver health by enhancing the overall health of your body.

When you breathe fresh air, your lungs take in oxygen, which is essential for the functioning of all your organs, including your liver.

Moreover, fresh air can help reduce the stress on your liver by aiding in the removal of harmful toxins from your body.

When you breathe in fresh air, your lungs release carbon dioxide, which is a waste product that your liver filters out of your bloodstream.

Additionally, getting fresh air and sunlight can improve your mood, reduce stress, and help regulate your circadian rhythm.

When you are less stressed and well-rested, your liver doesn't have to work as hard, and can focus on performing its vital functions, such as cleansing the blood and producing essential proteins.

So, while fresh air may not directly affect your liver, it can certainly contribute to your overall health and well-being, which in turn can help your liver function optimally.

Summary:

Taking care of your liver is crucial for optimal health. Treat it with respect, and it'll do its job without causing any drama. While you cannot avoid exposure to all toxins, you can take steps to reduce the toxic load on your liver and improve its function. By exercising, eating a healthy diet, and reducing your exposure to environmental toxins, you can detoxify your liver and improve your overall health. Follow these actionable steps into your daily routine to keep your liver happy and healthy. And who knows, it might even send you a nice fruit basket or something.

To your success,

Coach Joe

Joseph Arangio helps 40+ men and women get leaner, stronger, and happier. He's delivered over 100,000 transformation programs to satisfied clients around the globe. If you want to lose weight from home, with the best online longevity personal trainer, or you want to visit the best age-management personal trainer in the Lehigh Valley, you can take a free 14-day trial.