According to Dr. Sandra Cabot’s book, The Liver Cleansing Diet, a healthy liver is required in order to metabolize food properly, and cleanse your body of toxins, bacteria and chemicals. As if that weren’t enough work, it is the main fat burning organ of the body!
Dr. Cabot lists some of the symptoms of liver dysfunction, as: poor digestion, abdominal bloating, weight gain, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, depression and mental haze, heightened allergic reactions, skin conditions and hives, headaches, exacerbates auto-immune diseases, high blood pressure, fluid retention, unstable blood sugar levels, gallbladder disease and gallstones, chronic fatigue syndrome, excessive body heat, and emotional stress.
She explains the physiology and functions of the liver, as well as giving an in-depth analysis of the causes of liver dysfunction. Liver dysfunction is associated with the diet of industrialized nations, i.e., one loaded with chemicals, preservatives, refined sugars and indigestible fats.
Her background information comes from medical research supporting her findings, case histories from hundreds of her patients, as well as testimonials about the efficacy of her Liver Cleansing Diet (LCD).
More than half of this two hundred page book is dedicated to the 8 week Liver Cleansing Diet, listing menus, recipes and herbal remedies used for liver cleansing.
The basic idea is to give your liver a rest from the over exhaustion of breaking down a lifetime of eating processed food, ingesting pesticides sprayed on our food, petrochemicals that are in the water used to grow our food, and the preservatives and chemicals used in pre-packaged foods.
Here are some main points of the diet, from The Liver Cleansing Diet by Dr. Sandra Cabot:
The 12 vital principles to improve your liver function
1. Don’t eat if you are not really hungry. In other words don’t eat because it is certain time of day. She also suggests that every three or four hours, have a small glass of fruit juice, or a piece of fruit and a glass of water. This will help hydrate your body, provide healthy roughage for digestion, and gives you a sweet snack without refined sugars.
2. Drink eight to twelve 8 oz glasses of filtered water a day, this cleanses your liver and kidneys, aids in digestion and rinses toxins out of your body.
3. Avoid refined sugars, they are converted directly into fats such as cholesterol which builds up inside your body, causing degeneration of your liver, heart, muscles, kidneys and arteries. Instead, use honey or molasses as a sweetener.
4. Don’t measure calories, or weigh in to gauge your success. The purpose of the LCD is to cleanse your liver, rejuvenate your metabolism, and rid your body of toxins. After the eight weeks on the diet, you have naturally lost weight because your liver is metabolizing fats correctly.
5 . Avoid foods you may be allergic to, dairy and wheat products being among the most prevalent. You can be tested for allergies by your doctor.
6. The liver is an organ that must destroy bacteria, viruses and toxins in your body, however by avoiding; fast food, take-out food, undercooked food (such as eggs and meat), packaged and processed foods you can lighten the work load on your liver.
7. Don’t eat if you feel stressed or anxious, at these times the digestive system has effectively shut down and the food will not be digested properly.
8. Eat organic, fresh fruits and vegetables, and hormone free meat.
9. Eat diverse sources of protein including whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Complete proteins can be attained on a vegetarian diet, if you combine three out of the four vegetable protein groups listed above in a single meal.
10. Buy breads free of artificial chemicals and preservatives, and avoid margarine and/or butter as spreads on the bread. Alternative spreads include fresh avocado, hummus, tahini, and olive oil.
11. Eat plenty of raw fruits and vegetables and drink your water daily, to avoid digestive complaints.
12 . Avoid saturated or damaged fats. In the book Dr. Cabot dedicates an entire section to understanding dietary fats.
One of the great features of the LCD is that you don’t have to go to a specialty health food store to buy the food. It is suggested that you buy organic fruits and vegetables, and hormone free meats. These foods can cost a little more, but are economical compared to the doctor bills you will pay trying to cure diseases caused by liver dysfunction.
A simple way to remember healthy food shopping habits: mainly food shop on the outside aisles of the store. Stick with fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh meat and whole bread sections, avoiding the inner aisles of the store housing the pre-packaged foods, canned foods and frozen foods.
Dr. Cabot has written several best-selling books on health, including: Women’s Health, Don’t Let Your Hormones Ruin Your Life, the Body Shaping Diet, Menopause-HRT and Its Natural Alternatives and Boost Your Energy.
To find out more about Dr. Cabot, go to www.liverdoctor.com or www.doctorcabot.com.
