Boost your liver health

Try these 5 ways to boost your liver health this year

Christmas is a time for celebrating, but the flurry of festivities can take its toll on liver health. On average, we drink 41 per cent more at Christmas, and bingeing on booze together with a diet that packs in festive treats can have have knock-on health effects on this important organ, whose job it is to both clear toxins from the bloodstream and aid digestion. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to help reverse the negative effects, and keep your health in tip-top condition for the year ahead.

Participate in Dry January

You may have welcomed in the new year with a glass of champers but if you want to cut down your alcohol consumption in 2017 and give your overburdened liver some much needed time out, participating in Dry January is a good place to start. The Dry January campaign is designed to change drinking habits with those joining in abstaining from alcohol for a month, and resetting a healthy attitude to drinking for the year ahead.

Eat your greens

Eating seasonal cruciferous vegetables such as Brussels sprouts could provide a protective mechanism for a liver that’s taken a festive beating. Cruciferous veggies increase the level of a compound called glucosinolates in our body, which helps to improve liver function, and these green goodies are also high in chlorophyll, which acts as a liver cleansing agent.

Fill up on curry

Turmeric, one of the main spices in curries, contains an active ingredient called curcumin, which is thought to help stimulate the production of bile that is needed for proper digestion and waste elimination.

Ditch coffee for lemon water

Swapping your morning caffeine hit for a mug of hot water with a juiced lemon is a must-do ritual for anyone looking to supercharge liver health. Lemon contains an antioxidant called d-limonene, which has been shown to activate enzymes in the liver, helping to improve detoxification.

Drink juice

Juicing is a great way to cram a high level of nutrients into your diet while giving your liver cells a chance to regenerate. Liquidising everything from spinach and Swiss chard to beetroot and cucumber over high-sugar fruits will keep blood-sugar levels balanced, giving your body a break from digesting solids.