There are times to build the body and there are times to cleanse it.
When it comes time for “cleansing”, veggies and fruits are my favorite foods. Our bodies actually appreciate a thorough "spring cleaning" and so do our organs!
How will you know it's time to cleanse your liver?
Below are some symptoms that it’s time for a cleanse:
Achy and uncomfortable feeling under the right rib cage
Gallstones
Stiff joints upon waking
Seasonal allergies
Pain in the right shoulder blade and under the scapula
Inability to digest food (or becoming allergic to everything)
Feeling sluggish after a fatty meal
Trouble getting out of bed in the morning
Easily irritated and angered
Whole foods have all the right ingredients to promote the body’s natural detoxification processes.
One of my absolute favorite salads to gently cleanse the liver and support the proper functioning of the digestive system.
Check out these whole food ingredients and how our can bodies benefit from their unique properties.
Beets – a traditional blood-building food that contains betaine. This amino acid is a methyl donor that improves liver function and detoxification. Beets have proven studies that they improve the circulatory system.
Apples – specifically green (Granny Smith) or unripe apples, contain high concentrations of malic acid. It gives the apple its notoriously sour flavor. Malic acid can dissolve both kidneys and gallstones.
Lemons – contain d-limonene. “Being a solvent of cholesterol, d-limonene has been used clinically to dissolve cholesterol-containing gallstones. Because of its gastric acid-neutralizing effect and its support of normal peristalsis, it has also been used for the relief of heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux.
Fennel – this highly aromatic vegetable has been used for centuries to ease digestive distress. Fennel binds lipid (fat) substances in the intestines so that the body absorbs fewer triglycerides. It improves cellular metabolism and is a natural diuretic, and detoxifier.
If you have a food processor with a shredding disc this salad is really easy to prepare and totally delish.
If you do NOT have a food processor, you may use an old-fashioned box grater.
Happy cleansing!
For more insight on “liver cleansing” and how long to do it, read here: Do you know how to cleanse your liver?
Food is medicine!
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 whole raw beet, peeled
1 green apple, cored
½ fennel bulb
Juice of 1 lemon plus ¼ tsp. lemon zest
An equal amount of olive oil as lemon juice
Two pinches of sea salt
Instructions
Cut the beet, apple, and fennel into sizes that fit into the feed tube on the food processor.
Use the "shredding disc" or "grating disc" in a food processor
Shred the beet, apple, and fennel
Place into a mixing bowl
With a zester, peel ¼ tsp of zest before you squeeze the lemon for juice
Juice the lemon and add an equal amount of olive oil to the lemon juice
Add a couple of pinches of sea salt and whisk the olive oil and lemon
Toss the dressing into the salad
Enjoy!!
Coaching individuals to better health one step at a time for over a decade!
[1] https://legionathletics.com/betaine/
[2] https://articles.mercola.com/gallstones.aspx
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18072821