Shaped like a boomerang, our liver hunts nutrients for the body, acts as a gatekeeper, works hard to process whatever you eat, acts like a filter to cleanse whatever goes in, and assists with whatever goes out as a digestive organ.

After digestion, about 85-90pc of circulating blood goes straight to the liver which produces bile, that works as a detoxifier and metabolises proteins, carbs and fats from the food.

The liver stocks up essential vitamins and minerals, maintains hormonal balance, converts stored sugar to usable sugar, helps the immune system against infections by destroying old RBCs, removes bacteria, and carcinogens from our blood. So, it is obvious to care for and love your liver to keep things going.

Cleanse your liver before it cries out for help

Notice the warning signs

Being a multifunctional organ, the liver is very prone to diseases. The possible indicators of a burdened liver are abdominal bloating, discomfort over the liver, excessive abdominal fat, troubled indigestion, heartburn, acne, or itchy and blotchy skin, loss of appetite, unexplained weight gain, and inability to lose weight even with calorie restriction. However, the symptoms are not easy to pinpoint, but can, eventually, turn into fatty liver.

Other signs to watch for include hypertension, diabetes, fatigue, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, moodiness, feelings of despair, depression, sleep apnea, snoring, and occasional outbursts of anger.

Go for natural and fresh

For the sake of a healthy liver, super natural foods are affixed with a balanced diet that increases the vitality of liver, cure damage and let the liver rest.

Breakfast: Plan a diet high in fibre from breakfast to dinner, whole wheat breads, oats, rye and barley cereals increase feeling of fullness, act as a scrubber for digestive system by minimising the load on detox action.

Start the day with a glass of lemon water or fresh fruit juices; the fact is that all citrus fruits, berry family, kiwi fruit, persimmons or grapes are natural antibiotic and anti-cancer, ease the synthesis of toxins into substances that can be absorbed by water and flushed out.

Lunch and dinner: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower or lettuce are rich in glucosinolate and aid in getting rid of harmful toxins. They taste better if served as fresh, raw or steamed at lunch or dinner; with white meat, whole grain bread sandwiches, baked or steamed chicken or salmon or in clear soups.

Cooked beans, lentils, chickpeas or kidney beans are rich in fibre, and carry enough proteins to flush out toxins. Increase the intake of sulphur by using garlic, radishes, shallots, onions and eggs as it assists in breaking down fats and pump them out of the body.

Salads: Assemble salads with pigments and phyto-chemicals found as red colour in carrots, tomatoes and beets, purple cabbage, red, yellow and green capsicum, or leafy greens like alfalfa, cilantro, kale and spinach to give the liver a boost of chlorophyll, toss salads in balsamic vinegar or apple cider which acts as both a tonic and a cleanser.

Snacks: To have liver friendly snacks at hand like carrot sticks, fresh apple slices, good quality dark chocolate, salt-free walnuts and almonds which contain arginine, is an easy way to support cleansing action by throwing ammonia out and purify blood.

Desserts: Liver-friendly fruits that include cherries and berries of all types, can be incorporated in desserts, sugar-free jello or eaten with low-fat yoghurts and skimmed milk.

Oils and fats: Use cold compressed oils such as olive oil, flaxseed, coconut and sunflower oil in meal preparations; omega-3-fatty acids found in them provide the body with a liquid base to suck up harmful toxins which are then filtered by the liver. Add avocados and olives for healthy fatty acids in your diet.

Spices and herbs: Season the meals with a mild range of spices and herbs like jalapeño peppers, peppercorns, star anise, thyme, turmeric, paprika, nutmeg, oregano, cloves, dried fenugreek, cardamom, fennel, poppy, coriander, mustard, sesame and cumin seeds, cinnamon, saffron, rosemary and dried mint leaves, as they speed up the crashing of toxins inside the liver cells.

Drink plenty of water as it cleanses the body of toxins; since it makes you feel full, it is easier to diet. To increase liver efficiency, drink green tea in between meals, as it is full of antioxidant catechins.

Say ‘no’

Avoid alcohol, smoking, midnight meals, processed bakery products, fine flour breads and biscuits, high sodium foods, aged cheeses, instant coffee, red meat, frozen and canned foods, and carbonated drinks. Although they taste great, be aware that ice cream and soft cheeses are low in calcium and high in saturated fat. Avoid eating raw or smoked seafood and deep-fried fast food.

Do not take unprescribed painkillers with paracetamol, acetaminophen and ibuprofen base. Don’t use iron supplements more than required.

Be faithful with the dietary regime to see wonderful results. When you lose the proper amount of weight combined with exercise, you should notice the impact on overall health. Always consult the doctor while on this diet, and keep up with active lifestyles and healthy environs!

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, April 24th, 2016