While eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of exercise and lots of sleep are crucial to an effective liver detox, there are also several herbal supplements you can take to supercharge your detox and safely restore your liver to optimum health.

The liver performs many important metabolic functions that keep you feeling healthy.  Among its many roles, the liver:

• Processes nutrients so that they can be more efficiently absorbed into the body
• Regulates blood composition to balance protein, fat, and sugar and removing toxins from the blood stream. This allows healthy, clean blood to be pumped throughout your body
• Produces essential chemicals to help blood to clot properly
• Breaks down and metabolises alcohol and medications
• Processes essential proteins and cholesterol
• Produces bile to help the body digest and absorb fats; and
• Stores essential vitamins and minerals

There are many ways in which a liver detox can help you to regain a feeling of wellbeing and vitality. An effective liver detox will both remove and replace harmful toxins and can assist in:

• Improving the appearance of your skin
• Increasing energy and concentration levels
• Reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes

To really take your liver detox to the next level, you need to not only cut out harmful foods, but to add back in nutrient-rich foods and supplements to restore liver health.

Here are a few of our favourite liver detox supplements:

Turmeric Root

Turmeric root assists in reducing the accumulation of metabolic waste products within the body. Turmeric contains curcumin which is considered by many people to be one of the key ingredients of this naturally occurring plant. In fact, some believe curcumin can assist in removing cholesterol from the liver. A popular way to take turmeric during a liver detox is to brew it into a tea with ginger, honey, cinnamon and a sprinkling of black pepper. This turns it into a deliciously soothing tea that can also assist in improving digestion.

Milk Thistle (or St Mary’s Thistle Seed)

One of the most potent herbs for detoxifying the liver, milk thistle extract may assist the elimination of heavy metals, prescription medications, environmental pollutants, and alcohol in the liver. Not only is it considered the ‘king’ of detoxifying herbs, it also contains silymarin, an active ingredient that helps strengthen the liver while supporting healthy regeneration.

Dandelion Root

The key to offering symptomatic relief of flatulence and bloating, dandelion root helps the liver produce more bile that is required to breakdown fats. As well as assisting your liver to more efficiently eliminate toxins, it also helps to strengthen the immune system. An added benefit if you are keen on improving liver health, dandelion root coffee is an excellent coffee alternative during your detox.

With the holiday season almost upon us, now is an excellent opportunity to start planning your liver detox. We recommend you read our comprehensive guide to a natural liver detox, and see for yourself the powerful effects of our Herbal Liver Plex tonic, which contains dandelion root, turmeric root, St Mary’s thistle seed, plus a unique combination of other powerful herbs to help you naturally restore healthy liver function.