World Liver Day 2022: The liver is a vital organ that detoxifies our system, fights infections, regulates blood sugar levels, as well as performs a variety of other functions in the body that are crucial to leading a healthy, disease-free life. . Unfortunately, we noticed liver function problems a little too late as there are almost no visible symptoms. (Also read: World Liver Day 2022: How to protect your liver when you have diabetes)
Chronic liver problems develop over the years as fat builds up in the internal organ, slowly damaging it, often due to our faulty lifestyle choices. Eating foods high in saturated fat, for example, causes inflammation that can lead to scarring of the liver. Consuming too much sugar can also cause liver problems as it is stored in the liver as fat and can lead to fatty liver disease.
It’s best not to wait for liver problems to get worse and take urgent steps to reduce inflammation and normalize liver function. Foods rich in antioxidants like grapes, blueberries, beets, cruciferous vegetables and nuts, among others, are known to improve liver function.
There are also herbs and spices that can naturally restore liver function and reverse damage. Dr. Archana Sukumaran, Ayurveda Doctor (BAMS) at Kerala Ayurveda Ltd suggests simple herbs and spices to boost liver health.
Kutki: Bitter-tasting Picrorhiza, also called ‘sarvaroga nivarini’ or the ultimate cure for all diseases, cleanses the liver and gallbladder.
Trifala: Triphala is a combination of three gut-friendly herbs – Blackcurrant or Amla, Chebulic Myrobalan or Haritaki, and Baheda or Bibhitaki. Mainly used for constipation relief, Triphala also helps in the proper functioning of the liver.
Ashwagandha: Ginseng or Ashwagandha helps to gain strength and balance in the liver. Despite its sweet metabolic end effect (Madhura Vipaka), it restores liver metabolism. It not only gives strength but also improves liver health.
While herbs are important, the simple spices we use daily also do the trick for liver health.
Turmeric: Golden kitchen spice is also great for the liver. It has hot potency (Ushna Virya) with penetrating action (Tikshna Guna) that removes the buildup of endotoxins from the liver.
Garlic: The white bulb that gives flavor to all our dishes is also a liver saver. It is rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant chemicals such as allicin, alliin, and ajoene, which improve liver function.
Red-haired: Ginger is a prominent spice and a renowned remedy for liver ailments. It has chemicals like gingerols and shogaols, which reduce inflammation and improve liver function.
“While these herbs are useful, each of us has a unique set of characteristics to consider, such as our constitution and current state of health, age, and so on. So pay attention to your body, heart, and mind. instincts. Keep a direct approach. Slow down,” says the Ayurveda expert.
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