How to Support Your Liver Health

Whether you're dealing with gut issues, mineral imbalances, or hormonal concerns, supporting liver function is an essential first step to optimizing your healing journey. The liver is a major detox organ that is involved in healthy bowel movements, blood sugar regulation, thyroid hormone conversion, hormone balance, and detoxification. When the liver is not functioning well we often see symptoms like constipation, acne, PMS, painful or heavy periods, blood sugar imbalances or insulin resistance, low thyroid function, fatigue, and brain fog just to name a few. 

Now before jumping on a trendy liver detox supplement or 3 day juice cleanse to “detox” (of which do very little to actually support your liver health), I want you to focus on energy on doing things that will actually help your liver function better. There are so many non supplemental ways that you can support your liver function through diet and lifestyle before you ever need to add in a supplement.

In fact, this is something that I work with my clients on all the time! Before we even look at adding in supplementation, we look at optimizing your diet and nutrition to actually get your body what it needs. This step right here will only enhance any supplementation that we add in and allowing it to be more effective in your protocol. Just remember, you can’t out supplement a bad diet!

Now back to liver support… Here are a few things to start working on today to support the health of your liver.

Blood Sugar Balance

Keeping your blood sugar balanced reduces stress on the liver allowing it to function optimally. When you experience blood sugar imbalances, the liver is involved in converting stored energy into usable energy, thus keeping blood sugar from dropping into a dangerously low place. While your liver is fully capable of doing this, this demand takes away from other jobs that you want your liver to focus on.

To keep blood sugar balanced, focus on eating balanced meals, using resources like the Nourish Bowl Formula as well as eating regularly. Always start your day with breakfast within 30-60 minutes of eating as this can reduce your overall stress followed by eating consistent meals throughout your day. While everyone will operate differently, start with at least 3 main meals then consider adding in 1-2 snacks between meal as needed.

Protein Intake 

I am sure you have heard some conflicting conversations on whether or not protein intake is helpful or harmful for the liver. One side claims that high protein diets can harm the liver whereas the other side claims that protein can actually improve liver health. The main thing to focus on is balance - eating too much protein for your body may lead to liver stress just like overeating fats or carbs can. So it is not so much the protein that is the issue, it’s the overall amount that is being consumed.

Protein is important for supporting liver health as it breaks down into amino acids which serve as fuel during various stages of the detox process. Amino acids have been shown to actually help lower elevated liver enzymes in the blood that can be a sign of liver stress. This means that eating enough protein which provides adequate amino acids can actually improve liver function and detoxification.

My standard protein recommendations start at 100g of protein daily. If you aren’t consuming 100 grams of protein, this is where I want you to begin. From there, aim to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of your healthy body weight.

Carbohydrate Intake

Your low carb diet isn’t doing your liver any favors. In fact, carbohydrates break down into glucose which provide the most accessible fuel source for liver cells to do their many, many jobs. Carbohydrates and glucose are very misunderstood because whole food carbohydrates have been looped in with the surplus of processed sugars and refined flours which are also rich in carbohydrates. When we are talking about consuming adequate carbohydrates for liver health, we must focus on whole food, nutrient dense carbohydrates. This includes food sources like fruits, root veggies, and winter squashes. Properly prepared grains and legumes can also be included in the category if your body tolerates them well. Natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup are also sources of carbohydrates that are more nutrient dense then your refined sugar and therefore can be a supportive carbohydrate in your diet when consumes in moderation and in balance with your protein and fat intake.

Consume Traditional Fats

The type of fat you consume has a direct impact on the bile that is produced in the liver and released via the gallbladder. Bile is what helps breakdown fats into fatty acids to be absorbed via digestion. Bile also is a main detox component as it aids in transporting toxins out of the body. When we consume industrialized or oxidized fats and oils or if you avoid fats all together, it can cause the bile to become sluggish, impairing its release from the gallbladder. This back up of bile can begin to contribute to malabsorption, nutrient deficiencies, poor detoxification (which adds more stress to the liver), and digestive concerns. Over time, this sluggish bile begins to calcify contributing to the production of gallstones.

Focusing on traditional fat sources like butter, ghee, olive oil, coconut oil, and animal fats over industrialized seeds oils like canola, vegetable, corn, soybean, peanut, safflower, or sunflower oil will help ensure that your body is producing healthy bile, detoxing effectively and keeping your liver stress free.

Include Beets and Dandelion Root Tea

In addition to consuming the right type of fats, there are foods that can support the production of healthy bile, keeping it from getting stagnant. Beets and dandelion root tea are two foods that you can incorporate into your routine to support healthy bile production and thus a healthy and happy liver. Dandelion root tea has been shown to support constipation by stimulating liver function. Regular bowel movements will help your body detox regularly which will not only keep your digestive system healthy but will also reduce stress on your overall liver function.

Castor Oil Packs

Whether you are dealing with hormonal imbalances, digestive symptoms, or energy concerns, castor oil packs can be an extremely supportive biohack to add into your routine.

Simply put, a Castor Oil Pack is essentially a piece of fabric that has been saturated with castor oil that is placed over the liver. As the Castor Oil is absorbed into your skin, it will stimulate the lymphatic system which supports detoxification and removal of toxins from the body. This can reduce stress on the liver and improve overall detoxification. Additionally, castor oil packs can reduce inflammation and promote the parasympathetic state both of which can support liver function. If you just add in castor oil packs and change nothing else about your diet or lifestyle, you may not notice much of a difference, however when combined with diet and lifestyle, it can be a powerful liver supportive hack.

I personally love Queen of Thrones Castor Oil Pack for an easy way to implement this habit into your healthy lifestyle.

Additional Nutrients

As I am sure you are beginning to pick up, your liver doesn’t just function on thin air. It requires nutrients to function as well as nutrients to keep it healthy from things like oxidative stress and the abundance of toxins we come into contact with every day. Retinol and Vitamin C are two nutrients that provide antioxidant like properties that can protect liver cells. Nutrients like the B vitamins are essential for proper methylation which is an aspect of phase II detoxification. High levels of chronic inflammation amongst other things can begin to deplete the B Vitamins needed for proper methylation causing more concerns with liver function and detoxification.

Consume foods rich in retinol, Vitamin C, and the B Vitamins is a helpful food first approach to a healthier liver. Here are some great sources of these nutrients to get your started:

• Retinol: Grass Fed Beef Liver, Pasture Raised Eggs, Grass fed Butter or Cream, Wild Caught Salmon, Sardines

• Vitamin C: Citrus Fruits, Tropical Fruits especially Kiwi, Cherries, Camu Camu, Strawberries, Red Bell Peppers

• B Vitamins: Grass Fed Liver, Grass Fed Beef, Pasture Raised Chicken, Wild Caught Seafood like Salmon, Avocados, Pasture Raised Eggs, Sprouted Lentils, Leafy Greens, and Nutritional Yeast (Non Fortified)

Looking to dive in Deeper?

If this peaked your interest and you are wanting support diving deeper into supporting your liver health, let’s chat! I provide a 30 minute complementary discovery call where we can talk through your symptoms and discuss if nutritional therapy is right for you.