Want To Detox? Try These Tactics

1 min

Protection from environmental toxins begins with minimizing your known exposures – avoiding smoking and secondhand smoke, reducing or avoiding alcohol, eating organic, pesticide-free foods, and reducing your contact with toxic chemicals like plastics are good ways to start. The herb milk thistle may also have beneficial, detoxifying effects: it has an excellent reputation for supporting the health of the liver, the main organ responsible for processing toxins.

Anyone who drinks alcohol regularly, takes drugs or medications that can harm the liver (including the common over-the-counter acetaminophen), works with cleaners or solvents, or has a history of toxic exposures should consider taking milk thistle daily. Look for extracts standardized to 70 to 80 percent silymarin, and take as directed. Milk thistle is nontoxic and can be used for extended periods without any significant side effect concerns. You should regularly ask your health care provider to monitor the health of your liver by measuring the enzymes ALT, AST and GGT. Elevations often relate to irritation and your efforts can result in lowering these levels within a couple of months.

Also realize that the current, number one liver health issue is fatty liver. The overconsumption of sugars and refined carbohydrates causes the liver to convert the excess into fat. Since fatty liver is now the most common cause of liver transplant, a diet focused on moderating your carbohydrate intake also provides a level of detox support and often leads to lower levels of liver enzymes in the blood.

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