My Food List for the Liver

💖 The easiest and most effective way to love your liver…

Is to eat nutrient-dense whole foods 🥗

That’s because there are 2 phases of liver detoxification, each of which depends upon a steady supply of nutrients to keep it going. Nutrients that are in foods like…

🥦 Cruciferous Vegetables (foods like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and collards support both phases of liver detoxification)

🧄 Garlic & Onions (these provide sulfur compounds, vitamin B6, and antioxidants)

🫐 Blueberries (contain polyphenols to support antioxidant status)

🥣 Turmeric (a powerful health-promoting spice!)

🍵 Green Tea (rich in EGCG & antioxidants)

Think of it this way:

Your liver is working around the clock to process chemicals and toxins for elimination. If it doesn’t have the nutrients it needs, detox will slow down and you’ll start to feel the effects on your health.

Save this post 📍 and commit to eating at least one of these foods every day!

Reference

Hodges RE, Minich DM. Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. J Nutr Metab. 2015. [link]

Did You Know Your Skin Could Do This?

👀 Did you know…

That your skin is the largest detoxification organ in your body!

Even though sweat is almost entirely water, studies have found that some toxins—including heavy metals and bisphenol A (BPA)—are excreted in sweat.

Here are 3 simple ways to support detoxification through the skin:

1️⃣ Sauna

2️⃣ Exercise

3️⃣ Dry Skin Brushing

The first 2 help you sweat, while the last unclogs pores and sloughs off dead skin cells.

Isn’t it fun how all the body systems actually work together?

References

Kuan WH, Chen YL, Liu CL. Excretion of Ni, Pb, Cu, As, and Hg in Sweat under Two Sweating Conditions. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(7):4323. [link]

Genuis SJ, Beesoon S, Birkholz D, Lobo RA. Human excretion of bisphenol A: blood, urine, and sweat (BUS) study. J Environ Public Health. 2012. [link]

Berries May Reduce Mortality (NEW Study!)

🫐🍓I’ve always loved berries, but this new research study cinches it!

Looking at a national sample of adults in the US, the research compared berry consumption with mortality rates over 8 years.

The results?

👉 People who were considered “berry consumers” had a 21% lower risk of all-cause mortality than “non-berry consumers.”

(PMID: 38184200)

Also, more specifically:

Cranberries supported ❤️ heart & metabolic health

Blueberries supported 🫁 respiratory health

Berries are a rich source of antioxidants and also contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals that support health.

Pro tip:

Frozen berries are equally nutritious and an excellent option when fresh berries aren’t in season!

Like this post ❤️and be sure to tap FOLLOW if you want to see more about natural and root-cause ways to optimize your health.

Reference

Zhang L, Muscat JE, Chinchilli VM, Kris-Etherton PM, Al-Shaar L, Richie JP. Consumption of Berries and Flavonoids in Relation to Mortality in NHANES, 1999-2014. J Nutr. Published online January 5, 2024. [link]

Foods to Combat Inflammation?

Ever heard of the “Anti-Inflammatory Diet”??

So many of the most common health issues we face today have been linked with the same thing:

🔥 Chronic inflammation.

So how do we fight it?

One way is with food 🥬🫒🍋🥑

🛑 Some foods have been shown to worsen inflammation:

Sugar

Refined carbohydrates

Fried foods

Trans fats (like margarine)

🟢 While some have been shown to combat it:

Fish (rich in omega-3s)

Nuts & seeds

Green leafy vegetables

Colorful berries

Want more natural and holistic ways to support your health?

Make sure to follow along for more posts like this one! 💙

📱 Schedule an appointment with Dr. Cantrell for one-on-one advice!

How to Move Past Food Sensitivities 💥

If you deal with food sensitivities ➡️READ THIS 👇👇

Just because you react to a food now does not mean you will never be able to eat that food again.

You read that 🧐 right.

Some people are able to optimize their gut & immune health and then happily eat foods that used to trigger them—without a problem 🥳

To be clear: I am talking about food sensitivities and NOT true food allergies here. You can see my recent posts that describe the difference.

Here are some ways to support your digestion & immune system to help calm reactivity:

✔️ Eat an “anti-inflammatory” diet, meaning whole foods that are rich in antioxidants

✔️ Support the gut microbiome with probiotic-rich foods

✔️ Chew your foods thoroughly and eat mindfully

This is only a tiny glimpse of all the things we can do to support people with food sensitivities because the solution is highly ✨individual✨

Curious about working on a root-cause approach to your health?

Schedule an initial visit and we can discuss food sensitivity protocols 💚