I have committed to a cleansing diet for the next two weeks – and possibly much longer – so if you’d like to follow along, please do so and feel free to ask questions or make comments. Obviously, I’m interested in a full body cleanse but my main concern is a liver detox. And naturally, any regimen that will detox my liver will also help with all other organs, like my colon or kidneys.
To Begin: Why Do I Care About A Liver Detox?
Before jumping headfirst into anything, it’s critically important to line up our motivations. Without being very clear about the “why” we’re most likely to cave at the first test. In my case I ran across mention of a book titled The Liver Cleansing Diet by Dr. Sandra Cabot. She has a list of symptoms on the back of the book and this one really grabbed me because this is ME:
Excessive bodyheat! I am hot all the time! I have the air conditioning on and a fan blowing directly on me – yet much of the time I’m still hot and sweaty.
Nausea after eating: right now I ate a small lunch of very healthy food that I like, yet my tummy hurts.
Abdominal bloating: I think I could weigh 100 pounds (I’m 5′ 8”) and my stomach would still feel tight and bloated.
Being overweight and/or having trouble losing weight: I can’t even guess how many times I’ve heard, “Well, when you get older it’s harder to lose weight”. So? That’s a description, not an explanation. WHY is it harder?
Frequent fatigue: yes, yes, yes.
Sluggish metabolism: absolutely.
Sugar cravings: not regularly, but sometimes.
Circles under the eyes: both of my parents have this and I definitely do, too. Both of my parents drank a lot of alcohol – and I don’t drink booze at all.
Foggy brain: every afternoon.
Fuzzy vision: this isn’t in Dr. Cabot’s book but an Amazon reviewer mentioned this particular symptom and my vision is definitely fuzzier.
Poor digestion: I’m sure I have a mild (at least) version of acid reflux
Auto immune disease (overburdened immune system): I have Graves disease which is an autoimmune disease
High blood pressure: I had this until I started medication for Graves disease – and I HATE taking this medicine! I want off it!
The deal maker for me was a description of a clogged liver from TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine. They say that when a liver is exhausted it causes “fire to rise”. Graves disease is a hyper-active thyroid and when I think of it, I always think “fire”. This description absolutely applies to me.
Other Symptoms That I Don’t Have – But You Might?
There are symptoms that do NOT apply to me but you might have some of them?
- Headaches
- Unpleasant moods
- Bad breath (at least I don’t think so?)
- Coated tongue
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- High cholesterol
- Gall bladder disease
- Fatty liver
- Allergies
- Intolerance to alcohol
- Excess alcohol intake
- Constipation
- Sinus problems
- Hay fever
- Depression
- Hives
Do you recognize yourself anywhere in this short list – short, because there’s more.
Today I finished buying all the food and supplements I will need so will start tomorrow morning.
My Commitment To This Cleansing Diet
I am committing to two weeks. The Liver Cleansing Diet is actually an eight week program but I need to see what will happen before making that promise to myself.
And why am I blogging about this? For two reasons:
1. Hopefully, it will help some of you.
2. As pressure to keep myself accountable. If I’m out in public with this, it will be harder to quit. Hey, take motivation anywhere you can find it, right?
Stay tuned to the same bat time and same bat channel tomorrow as I recount my first day and exactly what I’m doing. All success to my liver detox and cleansing diet (she said hopefully).
M. Clynick says
Why does Dr Cabot, in her recipes show Wheatgerm, spinach, and omega-3 as being healthful for persons with liver problems when in fact, Wheatgerm contains lots of vitamin E., spinach contains salaciliate and also,omega-3, when all these are anti-coagulants, and persons with liver trouble have coagulant problems and often suffer from heavy nosebleeds?
BlissPlan says
I can’t answer your question because I don’t know much about the liver. I will certainly do some research, though, and sincerely appreciate your feedback.