Happy Wednesday Y'all!

It's the first day of Spring and even though it's still winter here on the East Coast, all things spring are lurking around the corner, I promise...you just have to tune in to your body.

With spring peaking through, you body SHOULD begin to innately crave more cleansing foods which help cleanse the liver, which may have taken an beating this winter.

Liver Loving Foods To Add In This Spring

1. Dandelion greens and root: Dandelion is a rich source of minerals and a variety of phytonutrients and super antioxidants, which support cleansing of the digestive tract and offer great liver support. It increases the production of bile from the liver and gall bladder, which aids digestion and keeps detox systems in balance. It also helps carry toxins out of the liver. For best results, regularly add dandelion leaves to your salad or sip dandelion tea throughout the day.

2. Milk thistle: The active compounds in milk thistle, silymarin, appear to help the liver regenerate cells after damage has occurred. This is one of the best liver-strengthening herbs, but it is also strong, and can sometimes create a rash. Start with small doses and build up over time.

3. Broccoli sprouts: Broccoli sprouts have 20-50 times MORE liver enzyme-stimulating activity than regular broccoli, which is already extremely healthy. A 2012 study found that eating broccoli sprouts may enhance detoxification of airborne pollutants and reduce their negative effects on the body (published in Carcinogenesis, Jan 2012). This follows a 2005 study published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention that found that broccoli sprouts may help detoxify carcinogens and reduce the risk of liver cancer.

4. Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds ensure that toxins are eliminated properly. They are a great source of fiber, which binds to toxins and flushes them from the intestinal tract. They are also a great source of omega 3 oils. For best results, consume 2 Tbsp of ground flaxseeds in water every morning.

5. Lemons: Lemons stimulate the release of enzymes and helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that can be easily excreted from the body. Drink warm lemon water (add ground flaxseeds for enhanced toxin removal) first thing in the morning, which is alkaline-forming and helps balance an overly acidic American diet.

6. Garlic: No detox plan is complete without garlic. This powerful antiviral, antiseptic and antibiotic healer rids your body of these pathogenic microbes and can reduce endogenous (produced in the body) toxins. Garlic’s sulphuric compounds make it an essential detoxifier.

7. Artichokes: Artichokes aren’t just tasty, they also stimulate bile production, which is essential to properly digest fats, and purify and protect the liver. Artichoke has a mild diuretic effect on the kidneys, ensuring proper removal of toxins once the liver breaks them down.

8. Turmeric: This highly anti-inflammatory spice helps with liver and digestive disorders; it protects the liver from toxic substances and has been shown to promote bile secretion.

9. Cruciferous veggies: Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are a rich source of sulphur compounds, which enhance the liver’s detoxification pathways and help it break down and eliminate fat through the bile ducts.

10. Allium veggies: This class of vegetables include onions, garlic, chives. These foods contain compounds that help the liver produce enzymes needed for toxin breakdown and elimination. They also provide antioxidants that quench free radicals produced during the detox process.

11. Sesame seeds: These wonder seeds are not only rich in calcium and iron, they are also a liver-protective.

12. Beetroot: The humble beet contains a wealth of nutrients, including vitamins B3, Bl and C, beta carotene, iron, magnesium, zinc, and calcium—which are all necessary for optimal detoxification and elimination and great for gallbladder and liver health.

13. Apples: While ideal for a fall cleanse, apples are beneficial all year-round. The quercetin in the skin of red apples is also helpful for spring allergies due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

14. Sea vegetables: Seaweeds contain powerful antioxidants that help alkalize the blood and strengthen digestion. The algin in seaweeds absorbs toxins from the digestive tract just as a water softener removes hardness from tap water. Sea veggies also offer the broadest range of minerals of any food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean and that are needed in the human body.

15. Chlorophyll-containing foods: These bind with toxins and remove them from the body. The foods highest in chlorophyll include spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass and sea vegetables, but any naturally green food contains some amount of chlorophyll.

Our bodies love to mimic nature and when we can naturally sync our natural body rhythm with nature, you'll become more balanced mentally.physiologically, even spiritually.

Here are some ways I add in these foods into my daily mix:

• Milk Thistle Tea & a teaspoon raw local honey (about 2-3 c day)
• Roasted beets (tossed in avocado oil), arugula, dandelion greens, sesame seeds, fresh lemon juice and sea salt
• Raw Brussels Sprouts pulsed in food processor, tossed in lemon juice, sea salt & EVOO
• Roasted Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts tossed in turmeric, garlic, sea salt and tossed into mixed greens with lemon and EVOO + Hemp seeds
• Apples with cinnamon
• Celery juice and ginger (my favorite juice)

Here are just a few ideas to start cleaning the liver naturally. What are you favorite liver cleansing foods?

Happy Spring,

Christine xo

adapted from yogauonline.com