Supporting the Liver with Vegetable Juice

Feeling in need of some liver support! Juice time, baby!

I ate a heavy dinner late last night (right before bed), and guess what happened? I woke up at 2:30 in the morning - hot and anxious. No surprise here!

This is what happens when the liver is stressed. This happens to me when I have a few too many glasses of wine as well. Can you relate?

It is a sign that the liver is having a hard time processing something that has been taken in to the body - food, drink, environmental toxins...

According to Chinese Medicine, each organ or organ meridian is active during a specific two hour period of each 24 hour cycle. The liver meridian is most active between 1AM and 3AM. If this meridian is excessively active (working hard to digest a heavy late night meal or too many glasses of wine) it will manifest as symptoms during this period of time - hence waking up at 2:30, sweating and anxious.

It is also a good reminder to eat no more than 3 hours before hitting the hay. Snooze time is when our body detoxifies and repairs tissues. If we eat shortly before bedtime, our body has to contend with digesting a meal as opposed to detoxifying and regenerating.

Liver Loving Juice

So, in this morning's juice I will be sure to include lots of liver supporting veggies - my favorite being THE BEET!

• BEETS support phase 2 liver detoxification - super important for processing the toxins that we take in from our food, drink, and the environment - if this pathway is working well you will produce sufficient bile - helps the processing of cholesterol and fats! Plus they are so pretty and in season!
• Cabbage is great for stomach issues - like ulcers - and is great for soothing the digestive system. 
• Spinach, parsley, and Swiss chard are rich sources of chlorophyll, minerals and antioxidants
• Lime is alkalizing, high in Vitamin C, aids in digestion by stimulating digestive juices, bile and acids (and makes everything yummy)
• Celery is anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants

I love my body because it talks to me and tells me what it needs! Warm water with lemon between meals for the rest of the day. Let's see if I sleep better tonight. XO