How to cleanse the liver and why (and when)? The liver is a very important organ for good health and excellent metabolism : in fact it is involved both in the metabolism of sugars, which it converts into glycogen, and in the metabolism of fats, which it digests thanks to bile. No less important, it is the liver that disposes of many of the toxins that accumulate in the body , that is, it helps detoxify us, acting as a filter of all the substances that arrive from the intestine, and it is always the liver that allows us to produce many of the protein substances. essential for our health, such as albumin. It is also the liver that allows us to have an adequate number of nutrients and stable glucose in the blood. If the liver is not working well, the immune defenses are lowered, toxins accumulate in the body through the blood (for example an excess of ammonium, metabolism is lowered and hormones become unbalanced, starting with the thyroid ones (failure to convert T4 into T3), fat accumulates abdominal, you have problems with both cholesterol and high triglycerides.

But how do we know if we need to cleanse the liver?
We may suspect that we have a problem when these symptoms occur: daytime fatigue and apathy especially in the morning, previous history of alcohol or drug abuse (supplements are also among them), excessive sensitivity to nerve substances such as coffee and nicotine, bitter taste in the mouth after main meals, indigestion, digestive problems especially in the presence of fat in the diet, excessive sensitivity to even moderate or minimal doses of alcohol, chronic fatigue, tendency to haemorrhoids or varicose veins, pale or oily stools , morning sickness, bloating and abdominal pain. If we have more than one of these symptoms, it is necessary to do some tests to check the health of our liver, includingtransaminases, triglycerides, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, direct bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase .

How to cleanse the liver?
– First of all by eliminating many substances that alter its functionality: additives and preservatives in food including carrageenan, BHA, nitrate and sodium nitride, partially hydrogenated oils, sulphites, artificial colors, artificial flavors, as well as parabens, tuluol or methylbenzene, petrolatum, propylene, nitrosating agents, silicone derivatives in cosmetic products, detergents, food preservation materials. How to do it: reducing the consumption of industrial products of all kinds, both food and non-food, reducing the consumption of plastics,using organic products for cosmetics and personal and home hygiene, using organic products on tap for cleansing and cleaning, using glass containers instead of plastic. 
– Increasing the consumption of seasonal and organic fruits and vegetables
– Increasing the consumption of foods with vitamin C: citrus juices, tomatoes, kiwis, peppers, parsley, papaya, pineapple, beets, etc. – Avoiding where possible drugs and supplements that are not natural but synthetic (and even in this case it is better not to overdo it in the use of herbal products) – Reducing the consumption of alcohol, from daily to occasional – Helping digestion: that is, avoiding everyone those foods that cause us an excessive intestinal fermentation– Preferring good quality proteins : organic eggs, local and non-farmed fish, organic and locally farmed meat, cheeses without additives, organic or long-aged, sprouted whole grains that are more digestible and have more easily absorbed vitamins and minerals.
– Avoiding aggressive cooking such as grilling, cooking too high in the oven, frying at high temperatures: slow cooking is preferred, for example stewed meat instead of grilled meat