Vegetables

As we move forward into spring, the energy feels alive and fresh for detoxification.  By detox I mean:  in our lives clearing out blocked energy, in our homes clearing out dust and clutter and unneeded items, and in our bodies, clearing out sludge.  Nomatter how long we’ve been practicing macrobiotics, it feels good to spend some time intentionally detoxifying.  I’m not talking about a brown rice fast (although those are good) or a cabbage soup diet (that sounds gross)… but more of a wholistic approach to detoxification including intentional use of detoxing/alkalizing foods and meditation.

The more I read up on self-healing and healthy lifestyle, the more astonished I am by the power of our own bodies to heal themselves and maintain health if given the tools it needs to do so.  One of the most important components of this healing is meditation.  I find that an excellent time for meditation comes during shavasana, at the end of an invigorating yoga practice, when you can be extremely present with your body and your chi/life energy/prana.  But, this is for another post. 

Today I want to talk about your liver!  It’s the largest glandular organ present in your body — it breaks down the fats consumed in food, and produces certain amino acids for tissue generation.  The liver is also the organ that eliminates toxins from the blood - it’s like your blood going through a good car wash when it travels through your liver, as it squeezes out all the toxins and bad stuff that we ingest and inhale throughout our days (even when we try not to have many toxins in our daily life, they get in).  So — as you can imagine, your liver is mighty important.  It’s a pretty amazing organ - the majority of it is located under the lower part of your right ribs, and this guy (or gal) is much larger than one imagines!  This is also the only human organ capable of natural regeneration of lost tissue!

So, how can we love our liver and keep it healthy and ready to process out the toxins that we ingest/have stored in our bodies?  Bitter vegetables are said to be some of the best foods for a healthy liver.  Chicory and dandelion enhance bile flow (produced by the liver), and bile helps eliminate toxins from the body.  Other good liver foods include artichokes, garlic, turmeric, beetroot, and limejuice.  Some good veggies to stimulate the production of enzymes that will help the liver:  cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale and brussel sprouts (hmmm, i see a green theme here).  So give your liver some love today!