Your liver is the largest vital organ of your body and it is responsible for many essential bodily functions. It detoxifies the body, helps in digestion, and keeps you healthy and fit. You need to take care of this organ and make sure that it does not suffer from poor lifestyle choices and unhealthy habits. Any problems with the liver, like fatty liver disease, jaundice, and hepatitis, can lead to complications that you can do without. Gut acting up? Try these Ayurvedic herbs to calm your stomach.
But other than leading a healthy lifestyle, there are other ways of ensuring that this organ remains healthy. You can also use the secrets of Ayurveda, the ancient healing therapy from India, to ensure the optimum health of this organ.
There are many herbs and formulations in Ayurveda that can help you do so. So, take a pledge to keep your liver healthy and make sure that every day is ailment free for you.
Ayurveda and Liver Health
According to Ayurveda, your liver has an association with pitta dosha, raktha dhathu or blood, and agni or digestive fire. The health of your liver can influence all three and the imbalance in the three can also influence the health of this organ. Pitta dosha can lead to an enlarged liver and shrunken liver, jaundice, fatty liver, and liver cirrhosis.
But since the liver metabolizes the food that you consume, the right foods can keep this organ healthy. Bitter tasting herbs, fruits, and veggies like apples, carrots, beetroot, and leafy greens are good too. Here are a few Ayurvedic herbs and foods that can boost liver health.
Papaya
This is one fruit that comes with many health benefits. But to boost liver health, you need to have the seeds of the fruit and the leaves of the papaya tree. It will help you keep liver diseases like jaundice and liver cirrhosis at bay. You can dry the seeds in the sun, grind them to a powder, and have a teaspoon of this every day mixed in a glass of warm water. Add some lemon juice to make this drink more potent. As for the leaves, you can take some, grind them, and then extract the juice. Drink this every day. But a word of caution here. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, avoid having this.
Triphala
This is an Ayurvedic formulation that contains three potent herbs, haritaki, bibhitaki, and amla. A pinch of this powder every day before bedtime will boost your metabolism and improve bowel movements. It will also clean your blood and detoxify your body.
Garlic
Garlic keeps your liver healthy and also significantly brings down your risk of many diseases related to the liver. It prevents fat accumulation in the liver and helps in cleansing this organ of all toxins. Have this daily in the form of tea in the morning for the best benefits.
Giloy
One of the most treasured herbs in Ayurveda, Giloy is acknowledged for its detoxifying and blood cleansing properties. Ayurvedic herbal medicines concocted for liver issues contain Giloy. The herb also helps in healing hepatitis, jaundice, and fatty liver. But Giloy should be taken under the guidance of an Ayurvedic doctor.
Amla or the Indian Gooseberry
This sour fruit is loaded with vitamin C, which is good for liver health. It prevents the accumulation of fat in the organ and prevents fatty liver disease. You can have it raw, in juice form, or in powder form. If you have it in juice form, have it on an empty stomach for best results. If you have the raw fruit and find it too sour for your taste, just drink a glass of water immediately after having the fruit. You will be left with a sweet aftertaste.