Alternative health experts talk about the need to detox. They believe illness is a result of nutritional deficiencies, coupled with toxic overload.
There are different ways for the body to remove toxins. But the liver is one of the primary organs to do this. That’s why detox protocols typically focus on the liver. The thinking is that if you can support the liver, it will deal with toxins more efficiently.
It’s also important to avoiding toxins going forward. That’s why ongoing diet and lifestyle changes are typically recommended.
Natural Home Remedies For Liver Detox
(This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything, I receive a referral fee, at no extra cost to you.)
I’m not a doctor or a healthcare expert. All I can do is share my own experience of regaining my health naturally, without unpleasant or complicated detox protocols. For best results, work with a professional.
I was blessed to have two excellent homeopaths. I’m convinced homeopathy is one of the easiest (and most under appreciated) ways to detox.
At my sickest, I relied heavily on homeopathy. This form of healing was popular 200 years ago. Then it fell out of favor. People started using pharmaceuticals instead. Now, though, there’s growing awareness that drugs have limitations. Actually, some drugs can hurt your liver.
One of the most notorious of these drugs is acetaminophen. This supposedly “safe” OTC medication is a leading cause of liver failure. Needless to say, I don’t own acetaminophen. Instead, I use essential oils for natural pain relief.
Home Detox Remedies for Liver
My biggest health problem was nerve inflammation. This condition produced different symptoms, including overwhelming fatigue. But what bothered me most was an excruciating backache. At one point it was so bad I could barely walk.
The solution was reducing excess inflammation. Some inflammation is good and healthy. However, mine was off the charts. So I worked on getting it down. This included eating well, taking various natural remedies and avoiding environmental toxins.
Reducing the toxic burden on my liver would help it work better, I figured. I was in it for the long game. It took years to accumulate these toxins. So getting rid of them wouldn’t happen overnight. (People with life threatening conditions, however, need to work with a qualified professional. Time may be critical.)
Liver Detox With Home Remedies
I had the luxury of regaining my health slowly (and safely). I didn’t have to do anything unpleasant. Early on, I took various homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic medicine is based on the principle of like cures like. You ingest a tiny (infinitesimal) dose of poison that matches your symptoms. Full strength, this would wreak havoc. However, tiny amounts (too small to measure) is healing.
That’s why I highly recommend working with a professional. I know good homeopaths are really hard to find. So here is an earlier post on how to find a homeopath.
Bach Flower Remedies Experience
There’s another type of homeopathy you can do yourself. This type of homeopathy is known as Bach flower remedies. Bach flowers are designed to detox the emotions. There are only 38 Bach flower remedies to choose from. Each corresponds to a particular set of emotions.
I found both regular homeopathy and Bach flower remedies extremely helpful. They seem to work on different levels. Dr. Edward Bach, MD, who created them, was convinced that negative emotions can make us sick. Healing the emotions, he believed, could lead to physical recovery.
Natural Home Remedies to Detox Liver
Homeopathy was really helpful. But I also changed my diet. Unfortunately, we’re surrounded by toxins. It doesn’t make sense to continue eating pesticides. So I try to buy organic meat and produce. I know this can be expensive. However, I’ve found a lot of good ways to save money on organic food.
Another option would be to eat real food that doesn’t contain artificial chemicals or genetically modified ingredients. You’ve probably already know that GMOs are controversial. However, this post explains why genetically modified food is so bad for us, and how it’s been shown to cause cancer in animals.
Easy Ways to Detox Your Liver Naturally
As I cleaned up my diet, I started to feel better. My entire body seems to work better. I feel better and I sleep better. I also have more energy. So it stands to reason that my liver is doing a better job of removing toxins.
However, I have no hard and fast proof of better liver function. (I’m not seeing a regular doctor for laboratory testing. Instead, I spent my time with holistic healers.)
So all I can do is share my own experience. I’ve bounced back from a debilitating condition. Because I’m not a doctor, though, this entire post is written for informational purposes only. It’s not intended or designed as medical advice. So I urge you to work closely with your healthcare providers.
Can Milk Thistle Detox Your Liver?
Milk thistle is often recommended for liver support. It’s one of the first herbal remedies that come to mind when you think of liver detox. I haven’t tried this time-tested herbal remedy. But I do plan to order it at some point. I have used a number of other herbal remedies, including tulsi and ashwagandhga. These are Indian Ayurvedic herbs with a wide range of uses. In Ayurvedic medicine tulsi is known as the “Queen of Herbs.”
But I will at some point try milk thistle. I get better results from rotating my remedies. So this is a good one to add to the mix.
How To Gently Detox Your Liver
For me, gentle liver detox seemed to work. But, in addition to clean eating, homeopathy and various herbal remedies, I did a few more things to get the toxins out. (If you suffer from chronic health problems, please work with your doctor before trying any of the suggestions below.)
Cabbage Leaf Compress – This is incredibly easy and it’s said to be effective. Although I can’t promise or guarantee results (I don’t think anyone has studied this), it’s one of those things that can’t hurt and might help. All I did was put an organic cabbage leaf over my liver and kept it there for about a half hour. The idea was to draw toxins out.
Mustard Foot Bath – Occasionally, I also put my feet in a warm mustard food bath. I used USDA-certified organic mustard powder mixed with very warm water and I kept my feet in the water until it cooled.
Epsom Salt Foot Bath – This is a variation on the mustard foot bath. I used Epsom salt, baking soda and lavender essential oil, in an attempt to draw toxins out of my feet. One bonus is that this home remedy also helps soften your feet.
Bentonite Clay – Have you ever heard of mud baths? These are considered an excellent way to detox. An easier way to take a mini mud bath at home is to put natural Bentonite clay on your feet, under your arms and over your liver. It’s believed that clay contains negatively charged ions that draw positively charged toxins out of your body. Don’t forget to put some clay on your face. Clay is excellent for gently exfoliating your skin, and leaving it with a healthy glow.
Essential Oils to Detox Your Body
I see a lot of posts on social media about using essential oils to detox your body. I use essential oils myself. But I have no way of measuring whether they are working to eliminate toxins.
However, I can tell you this. Essential oils have done so much for my sleep. In fact, since I’ve started using them, I rarely worry if I’ll get a good night’s sleep or not. I know I can rely upon my essential oils. Not having to worry about sleep is one of the best natural insomnia remedies I know about. If you’ve never tried essential oils, there are a number of really good sleep and relaxation blends available.
So it’s quite possible my essential oils are also helping to remove toxins, and helping my liver work better. Deep, restful sleep is when our bodies process a large amount of toxins. Anything that helps you sleep better is good for your overall health.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils or herbal or homeopathic remedies unless directed to do so by a healthcare professional.
Natural Pain Management StrategiesSign Up For My Course
Detoxing From Negative Emotions
There’s growing awareness that emotions are a powerful force, and that it’s impossible to separate the mind from the body. Actually, I’m convinced that healing will be very difficult if you allow a toxic situation to fester. Dealing with toxicity in a healthy way may mean simply accepting it, or taking active steps to remove yourself from all the negativity.
A good example is workplace bullying. Unfortunately, right now, one-third of American workers report being bullied on the job. Going to work in a pressure cooker can have devastating consequences for your health. There’s also research showing that once a workplace situation deteriorates, it usually doesn’t get better.
Sign Up For Free Tips On Dealing With Narcissism
Complaining to the Human Resources department often backfires. Or it accomplishes nothing. So often the best recourse is to leave the job. It’s good to try to do this with a glowing letter of recommendation in hand.
Then, forgiving your abuser is the next step. This is what will set you free. Typically, this is done in the absence of a sincere apology. That’s because bullies hate to apologize. If you need help taking this next step, my book on How to Forgive a Malicious Person is written for you. This book is designed to help you view the abuse in a different light.