The below article is written by contributor, Erica Casavecchia, Erica Casavecchia, MS is a Functional Nutritionist and certified yoga teacher in NYC. She focuses on functional nutrition to get to the root cause of health issues, not just treating symptoms, but healing them for good. Erica believes that the food we eat, our emotions, and our spirituality are all complex and closely related. It is important to understand the connection between the mind and the body, and the tools to reconnect them. Erica incorporates these mindfulness techniques and practices to address the mind-body connection to help clients to heal on a deeper level. Her practice Casawell Health helps clients to get well, for good!

The liver is the body’s main detoxification organ. It is the most intricate working organ in the body and detoxifies everything we consume, from the food we eat to the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the everyday products we use on our bodies. The liver removes these unwanted toxins, pathogens, viruses, heavy metals, and other harmful substances by converting them to be safely eliminated. The liver is the silent hero of the organs and is responsible for more than 2,000 functions. It is the largest internal organ in the body and is responsible for many metabolic processes, such as creating bile.

When the liver is not working optimally, it becomes sluggish and stagnant, and it isn’t hard to feel the effects. We can attribute so much of our overall health to the power of the liver. Over the years, the liver can become overburdened with toxins we unknowingly consume, making it more difficult to do its job. This can lead to liver stagnation, the root cause of many symptoms. By gently detoxifying the liver, we can decrease inflammation, improve digestive issues, decrease bloating, decrease toxic overload, heal acne and skin conditions, remove heavy metals, improve elimination issues, balance hormones, and more.

Now that it is officially spring, there is no better time to incorporate liver detoxifying techniques into your daily practices. In Chinese medicine, spring is the season of the liver. Springtime signifies new beginnings and is a beautiful time for cleansing and rejuvenating the body.

We can detoxify the liver by consuming specific foods and incorporating mindful practices. Here are a few ways to holistically detoxify the liver to see benefits from the inside out.

Drink liver-supporting teas.

Many herbal teas contain nutrients that help to detoxify the liver. Roasted dandelion tea helps the liver to flush out toxins. Hibiscus tea has been used for centuries to help support healthy liver function. Schisandra berry tea contains glutathione, a potent compound highly beneficial to liver health and can help prevent inflammation.

Consume cilantro.

Cilantro is an incredible liver detoxifier. It is the ultimate food for detoxing toxins, such as heavy metals. In the liver, cilantro works like a magnet to bind to toxins and heavy metals from the organs and tissues to safely remove them. Cilantro helps to remove neurotoxins from the liver and also helps to detox excess hormones from the body, preventing hormonal imbalances. Try adding a handful to your salads or blending it into your smoothies.

Meditation + Breathwork.

Our emotions can significantly affect the physical body, especially the liver. In Chinese medicine, the liver is associated with anger, negative emotions, and holding onto the past. Old, stored emotions can be a cause of liver stagnation. Incorporating daily meditation and Breathwork can have a significant effect on our overall health, including liver health. A mindful practice of patience, forgiveness, and compassion to let go of resentment can free the liver of these old emotions and help to eliminate stagnation.

Sign up for a meditation or a breathwork class in The Study today!

Drink lime water.

Limes are a powerful liver-healing food that gently helps remove toxins from the body. There are countless detoxification processes happening while we sleep at night, and drinking 16 oz of lime water first thing in the morning is the best way to eliminate all the toxins accumulated overnight. Limes help to filter out toxic substances from the liver that we consume unknowingly, such as plastics and microplastics, heavy metals, synthetic chemicals, and much more.

Dry brushing.

Dry brushing helps to move stagnation from the body. It is incredible for gently stimulating the lymphatic system and aiding liver detoxification. Dry brushing may help to remove and detoxify excess waste and environmental toxins more efficiently, improving the function of the liver.

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Eat + drink celery.

Celery is a potent healing food, especially for the liver. Celery helps strengthen bile production, improving digestion and decreasing bloating. The natural sodium in celery helps to bind to toxins, flush them from the liver, and gently remove them from the body.