Have You Ever Done a Liver Cleanse?

L.,

Please don't go out and buy some special product to "cleanse".

You are right. Our liver is our filter, just like our kidneys. You want to boost your immunity? It's a lifestyle change...not just a cleanse every 3 months.

Don't drink alcohol.
Drink LOTS of water during the day - 64 ounces - put lemon slices or orange slices in it.
Don't eat a lot of processed foods.
Cut soda out of your diet.
Stop using oil (corn, canola) and use Olive Oil.

You can purchase a JUICER and start "juicing" - vegetables, fruits add yogurt and viola! Your system will start thanking you!!!

The best way to cleanse your liver is to go easy on the alcohol, and the fatty greasy foods, and salt.
What products?
Water
dandelion root tea - (it's bitter but you get use to it)
Lemon juice - in water, in tea and you can make a lemon juice/olive oil salad dressing with some herbs in it)
Olive oil - use to saute with or on bread instead of butter.
That's really all there is to it.

As far as catching a lot of colds goes - try to get outside for a bit every day.
Some sunshine helps your skin make adequate vitamin D.
Walking gets your blood and lymph system to circulate and that helps your liver and immune system.

I think all those various "cleanses" are a crock. A clogged liver isn't going to give you an upper respiratory infection. You probably have more colds this year because there are more viruses out there to catch.

i do the master cleanse every now and then. like, every few years, because it's hard as hell. basically it's juicing organic lemons, grade B maple syrup and cayenne pepper for 10 days. if you can make it, you feel absolutely fantastic at the end. by day 3 you're about ready to rip anyone who comes near you limb from limb, though.
:) khairete
S.

Your liver has nothing to do with your 4 chest colds. Colds are caused by viruses.

If you want to increase your immunity, take vitamin D3 (minimum 2000IU, derived from cholecalciferol...check the label), calcium (from citrate, not carbonate), and Vitamin C (minimum 1000mg). Every day all winter long.

Also, exercise and drink plenty of water. Lay off the alcohol and tobacco products.

Those simple changes will greatly improve your immune system.

Nope, never have. I wouldn't actually know how...

But, my neighbor has some liver problems. Her doctor told her that she needs to juice every single day, and she does. She uses big raw beets (I forget the name of them) and other vegetables. The woman gets up at 5:30 every morning to do it, oh my heavens!

One of these days I'm going to get her to show me how (not at 5:30 am). This isn't an annual thing you're talking about, but it might actually be more healthy.

A cleanse is very stressful on the body, and of questionable value. Anything that is a one-shot deal is not going to build your immune system. That's something you do every day.

You sound like you have tried a number of things, but you've not been successful because you're doing a piecemeal approach. A few herbs and a single vitamin and some oils don't have enough power - our bodies need over 70 ingredients in combination (vitamins, minerals, trace elements, herbs, amino acids, phytonutrients, etc.) - they each require the other to function fully and completely and to be absorbed. If you do this one and that one, but not the whole array, they are not absorbable and usable, and are eliminated from the body.

It's also very possible to overdose even on "natural" products - you can overload the system and cause huge problems.

I used to have colds all the time - in fact, they usually went down into my chest and I had bronchitis. It was chronic - 3-4 cases per year, for at least 3 weeks at a time. It was awful. I never caught up on sleep, and it just snowballed into a cycle of feeling lousy, being weak, and then picking up the next germ that came along. I haven't been sick in 6 years, don't even need the flu shot, and my lab work is so improved that my doctor is thrilled.

The science of epigenetics is very clear about sustained and boosted immunity over time - there is a natural peptide discovered about 16 years ago that is key to the immune system. It can be taken by itself (good), or in combination with comprehensive supplementation (better). There has been extensive research from multiple academic institutions, and the benefits are remarkable in everything from cholesterol to heart health to inflammation reduction and now (probably) cancer since it helps to repair faulty genes.

I would advise you NOT to do a cleanse of any type, and to learn more about how nutrients work. Let me know if you have questions about what I've said here.