November 2001
Essential Vitamins to enhance “Liver Care au Natural”

Some of the most important things we can do to ensure that our liver is healthy is to have overall good health. So, you ask…what is the best way to do that? Getting enough sleep is the single most important thing we can do. Back to those mantra lessons our moms taught us, "6-8 hours a Night.” We should also try to eat several (4-5) well-balanced meals rather than one or two large portioned meals. This will keep a ready source of energy in our bodies and we won’t be near as apt to hoard the energy that we need when your body knows that resources are coming soon.. It also helps to eat on a consistent eating schedule. Your body will learn quickly to depend on the regular additions of food and will use more energy efficiently by storing less fat.

Here are some general do’s and don’ts to take care of our livers in a Natural way:

TRY TO AVOID: We need to avoid the things that harm the liver cells directly and hurt its ability to do its job (over 500 functions). There are the usual things we all try to moderate in our diets, like reducing the amount of alcohol, smoking and caffeine products. It is also good to try to limit the amount of sugar in your diet. Sorry gals, the chemicals of sugar substitutes can be hard on your liver too. All these things in excess can cause liver cell damage, risk of cancer and make the liver work overtime, which stresses it out.

TRY TO: We can help our livers to stay healthy and repair itself by eating the right foods that are good for it. Root vegetables like beets, yams and carrots all contain the vitamins and minerals that are excellent for the liver. Green tea (only 1-2 cups per day) and the spice "curry" cleans out or detoxifies the liver. Other vegetables that are helpful to the liver are the dark green leafy variety vegetables, like spinach, broccoli, mustard greens, kale and artichokes.

A way to remember the essential vitamins that are especially good for the liver is to remember the acronym, "ACES" to win. Vitamin A helps the liver with detoxification. It is a building block for cells that repair and strengthen the liver and immune system. Vitamin C helps prevent the formation of tumors and also helps the liver detoxify things that are passed through the body. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. It helps to stabilize all cellular membranes and promotes cellular healing and reproduction. Finally, S stands for Selenium. This works together with Vitamin E to maintain the bodies chemicals at a level it needs to detoxify the liver so it can continue to do its important work.

Eating whole grains is also excellent for the liver. They contain natural vitamin E and vitamin B. These vitamins help prevent cancer in the digestive tract and assist the liver in its work. Vitamin B6 and B12 are very helpful for the liver by helping it to replace damaged cells. Vitamin B6 transports proteins, which are the building blocks of the cells, and helps in the formation of antibodies. Vitamin B12 also helps in maintaining healthy cells throughout the body and helps us feel better all over. All of the above mentioned vitamins can be found in our daily diet.

Milk Thistle is another form of liver protection that comes in supplement form. Milk Thistle may help to protect the liver from antiviral drug usage. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist, or member of your health care team to figure out which vitamin supplements may work for you. You may be referred to a naturopathic doctor who knows about more about herbs. Whatever you do, be as informed as possible before you begin taking supplements and don’t always rely solely on the advice of individuals who work in your health stores or vitamin shop. They may not know all of the information of your personal history or your concerns as an HIV positive woman.

Milk Thistle has been found to help reduce gastrointestinal side effects caused by medications in some people. Although, you will not want to take Milk Thistle if you have Hepatitis C, this will stress your liver out even more. Remember, anytime you want to add any kind of supplement or herbs to your diet, you need to consult your health care provider. Many herbs can help but others can cause problems by overtaxing a hard working liver. Some can even cause bad reactions when mixed with medications that you may be on.

Good luck keeping your liver healthy, the natural way!

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