Liver Cleanse- How to Easily Cleanse the Liver at Home

A liver cleanse is used to maintain and optimize the functions of the liver, and is helpful to removing gallstones. Some natural health practitioners argue that liver cleanses are crucial to long-term health, and that a "congested liver" is the reason behind many ailments such as yeast infection and acne. A stopped up liver is caused by toxin overload, which circulate into the bloodstream, and burdening the kidneys. It is important to note that there is no scientific study that validates these claims.

The liver is the largest solid organ and the largest gland in the body.  The liver is so unique because it not only performs various organ functions, but it also secretes bile that breaks down the fats in the body.  Some of the other functions of the liver include the production of urea (substance of urea), conversion of glucose to glycogen, creation of amino acids, storage of vitamins A,D,K, and B12 and minerals, maintaining the proper blood sugar level, and filter harmful substances from the blood (such as alcohol, medications, and pollutants).

As you can imagine, the liver works hard day to day.  Liver cleansing helps your liver work more effectively, in essence giving it a break.  Think of your liver as a filter that needs to be cleaned out from time to time.

Gallstones form when the bile hardens, changing into hard stones that can block the bile ducts.  Gallstones include cholesterol stones, which is the result of the bile making excessive cholesterol or bilrubin and not enough balancing bile salts.  Pigment stones are developed by people who have liver disease and infections of the bile tract; this results from too much bilirubin in the blood.

Gallstones become a problem when they irritate the lining of the gallbladder and get stuck in the bile duct.  This can lead to severe pain that can last up to 3 hours.

Liver cleansing is a natural way to remove gallstones and improve digestion.  Liver cleanses are also purported to alleviate allergies, boost energy level, and alleviate upper back and shoulder pain.  Symptoms of gallstones besides pain include a feeling of sickness, vomiting, excessive sweating, and jaundice.

Removing gall stones is a process over several steps. This includes drinking apple juice, epsom salt and grapefruit juice, and olive oil and grapefruit juice. You may want to consult with a natural health care practitioner for guidance and proper precautions. The following is the most popular and widely known method used to cleanse the liver.

The first thing you want to do before a liver cleanse is prepare. For three days prior to the cleanse, eat small meals consisting of raw vegetables and/or fruit. Drink fresh apple juice throughout the day for the three days. The pectin in the apple juice helps to flatten and soften the gallstones, allowing for passage through the bile ducts.

Next, you will want to gather the ingredients necessary for the liver cleanse. You will need:

1 cup of olive oil

Fresh grapefruit

Three cups of fresh grapefruit juice

Four Tablespoons of Epsom salt

Choose a day that you are completely free of time and you are feeling well. This could be any weekend day or any day off from work. Avoid taking medications that day, and eat a light breakfast of fresh fruit. Stop eating four hours before the liver cleanse. The process generally takes thirteen hours, so choose a time to start the cleanse. It is best to start in the afternoon or evening.

Beginning the cleanse, mix the epsom salt with the grapefruit juice, making a total of four servings. Immediately drink your first serving, and drink the second serving in two hours. The grapefruit juice produces more bile in the liver and decreases the appetite. The epsom salt opens the bile ducts, allowing the stones to pass freely.

Two hours after drinking the mixture, squeeze the fresh grapefruit into a glass, making a half cup. Remove the pulp, add the olive oil, and shake the mixture until it has a watery consistency. Drink the mixture and immediately lie die and go to sleep. Lying down helps the oil penetrate the gall bladder and liver. The oil will temporarily and harmlessly overload the organs, causing the reaction that will later expel the stones.

When you awaken in the morning immediately drink the third serving of the grapefruit/epsom salt mix. After two hours drink the final serving of the mixture. After the next two hours, you can resume eating fresh fruit and vegetables.

Shortly thereafter, the gallstones should pass, and it is probable that you will experience diarrhea. Later in the evening, your liver should be clear of gallstones.

Of course there are a variety of products on the market designed for liver cleanses.  Typically, the herbs in the ingredients include:

• Milk Thistle extract- helps to block toxins from entering the liver,  remove toxins from liver cells and regenerate liver cells.
  
• Schizandra berry- dried berries of a Chinese plant is used to support and maintain the liver in general.
• Abuta- used for cleansing the blood and liver.
• Angelica (Don Quai)- good for cleansing the liver, blood and spleen.
• Kudzu Root- helps liver damage due to alcohol consumption.
  

• Kidney Cleanse--How To Get Rid of Kidney Stones Naturally
• How To Detox Your Body
• Ionic Foot Bath--Hoax or the Real Deal?
• The Colon Cleansing Diet