Water – adequate water is needed to support the digestive system and to stabilise appetite. Sip water regularly throughout the day and add some fresh cucumber, mint and strawberries to make it more palatable.
Take a break from alcohol and replace with healthy alternatives such as kombucha or sparkling water with fresh fruit and herbs.
Include a source of fibre at each meal: healthy bowels are critical for clearing wastes, you don’t want to undo any hard work of the liver:
- Try oats at breakfast, sweet potato at lunch, rice at dinner
- Snack on fresh fruit, hemp seeds and vegetables with hummus dip
- Toss chickpeas, lentils, beans into salads or through steamed vegetables
Bulk out the diet with foods rich in natural compounds supportive of liver health including bitter greens (dandelion, radicchio, watercress, rocket) brassica vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts), beetroot and turmeric.
- Beetroot can be juiced, roasted and tossed into salads or made into a dip
- Try stir-frying your favourite brassica as a healthy side
- Make bitter greens the base of salads or toss through a stir-fry right at the end to wilt
- Use turmeric in smoothies, salad dressings, dips and sauces
Eat a source of lean protein at each meal: the liver runs on amino acids, we need to consume protein regularly to fuel the liver to do its job:
- Common sources of protein include meat, eggs, dairy, nuts/seeds including hemp tofu, and legumes
