Springtime is liver and gallbladder time.  In Chinese medicine the season Spring is associated with supporting the liver and gallbladder.

It’s a good time to cleanse the diet, liver and gallbladder.

To give these vital organs the extra love and attention they require to continue functioning well.

Why do we want and need a good functioning liver?

A congested or struggling liver can:

• equal chronic constipation.
• play a part in formation of gall/bile stones and those stones getting caught in the bile ducts.
• be the cause (or part of the cause) of your feeling nauseous when trying to incorporate healthy fats.
• make you feel constantly toxic and sluggish.
• give you migraines.
• cause brain fog.
• show up as spider angioma.  Visible small, spider-like capillaries caused by elevated levels of estrogen, indicating the liver is struggling, NOT metabolizing hormones (one of its key roles).
• show up as facial acne, liver spots (those so called brown “age” spots), or jaundice.
• lead to bruising and bleeding.  Bruising can also be a sign of specific B Vitamin deficiencies.  But coupled with other factors, often is an indication of a struggling liver.

Yikes!  That’s quite a list, and it’s only a few of the problems.

Before I get to ways of offering support and gentle cleansing, let’s talk about the important rolls of these two organs.

The liver has approximately 500 vital functions to perform.

It must process nutrients from the gut; manufacture vital nutrients and active substances such as cholesterol, enzymes, and antioxidants; recycle enzymes hormones and neurotransmitters; and store excess glucose and releases it back into the blood as necessary to help maintain proper blood sugar levels.¹

It is our major detoxification organ. It destroys and recycles toxins from the gut and the rest of the body.²

Toxins which the liver cannot destroy are unloaded in the bile, which flushes them into the digestive system so they can be eliminated from the body through the stool.

Bile is an extremely important substance produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, which when signaled releases it into the duodenum (the upper most section of the small intestine) to digest fats

Without bile we are not able to properly digest dietary fats and can develop deficiencies in the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and in essential fatty acids (Omega 3,6 , 7, 9).

Without these substances your body cannot function well, you cell regeneration is impaired (which means your body cannot heal or rebuild its tissues) and your immune system collapses.³

A person who lacks bile, won’t be able to digest fats. The fats end up in the stool, making the stool greasy and pale in color.

At the same time, the deficiency in fats can cause poor immunity, susceptibility to infections, lack of energy, poor memory and cognitive ability (your brain is a very fatty organ), depression, endocrine problems, osteoporosis, heat/cold intolerance, dry skin and hair, hair loss, low or high body weight,…

 

In order for the liver to maintain the bile flow we must consume natural fats, as depicted here, with every meal. The fat in the food makes the capsule of the liver contract; while the bile ducts relax their walls and become wider. As a result, the bile flows easily out of the liver and gallbladder into the duodenum.⁴

 

This was a super brief explanation of the liver and gallbladder’s importance. The issue of gallstones (aka bile stones) are also of interest and utmost importance. When the stimulation just described doesn’t happen, for a long time, the bile ducts can get clogged with bile stones. I will address this concern in a separate blog.

For now, I want to get you started loving your liver. 

The following are some gentle ways to support and cleanse the liver and gallbladder.

As always when introducing new protocols, go slowly and listen to your body.

Full disclaimer. I am not a medical doctor. Nothing I am suggesting here should be construed as medical advice. It’s for informational purposes only.

• Eat liver. Either cooked or raw. This will best feed and nourish your liver with the nutrients it needs. You can make liver shots by cutting partially frozen liver into tiny pieces, spread them on a tray, freeze them, put them in a zip log bag or container. Daily pop one in your mouth. I like to chew them. But if you can’t muster doing so you can just wash them down with water.
• Liver in supplement form
• Squeeze lemon in your water and drink throughout the day.
• Avoid drinking too much plain water. Natural electrolytes are important for the liver to function. Too much water dilutes electrolytes and can increase their removal from the body through the kidneys. Adding mineral salt to your water will add electrolytes. Natural lacto-fermented beverages also contain good electrolytes.⁵
• Beet kvass. You can find a recipe here: Karen’s Recipe Page
• Cooked beets and/or beet greens
• GAPS shakes. A fresh pressed juice with cultured cream and eggs added. Recipe can be found at the end of this post.
• Consume sufficient good quality fats at each meal as mentioned above, starting with a small amount and gradually increasing.  Use both animal fats and cold pressed oils.
• Castor oil rubs or castor oil packs. For information and instructions on doing Castor oil Packs, check out Louisa William of Radical Medicine.
• Cinchona officionalis (homeopathic remedy)
• Carduus marianus (homeopathic remedy)
• Milk thistle seed capsules or tea. For the tea coarsely grind the seed and seep to make a tea.
• Dandelion root granules or fresh dandelion tea. [Note. If using the granules, make sure your detox pathways are open so they don’t cause too strong of a healing reaction at once.]
• Other herbs such as chicory root, turmeric, peppermint, and greater celandine.
• Coffee enemas.  This procedure makes the liver cleanse itself and flush the toxins out through the bile, removing the stones at the same time.
• Acupuncture

Please feel free to reach out if you’d like support with any of these suggestions, you’d like to do a deeper cleanse or you’d like support with anything else.

Click here to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.

Enjoy the Spring, love your liver, and be well.

Peace and grace,
Karen

GAPS Shakes should be drunk on an empty stomach, such as first thing in the morning and mid afternoon.  Make a fresh juice from a mixture of fruit and vegetables.  Then whisk or blend in 2 raw eggs and 1-2 generous dollops of homemade sour cream/cultured cream.

The juice should be comprised of:

• 50% organic apple
• 45% organic greens
• 5% beets
• Optionally you can add herbs to your shake for greater support of the liver: fresh dandelion leaves, roots and flowers, burdock leaves and a little ginger root.

The GAPS shake provides a balanced mixture of juice with raw protein and fat, which stimulate bile production, cleanse the liver and allow it to flush the bile and gallstones out.  The malic acid in the apple assists in softening gallstones.

Sour cream can be replaced with coconut oil if you are dairy intolerant.

Start with a few tablespoons per day and gradually increase to 1-2 glasses per day.