October 2009

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The liver is our body's most important organ after the heart, performing many
important functions including metabolism, detoxification, and formation of
important compounds including blood clotting factors. It also filters, regulates, and stores blood. Stress, poor diet, and over-medication are common problems in our
"civilized" lifestyle. These may lead to stress and functional damage to the liver.

As a result, "sluggish" liver has become a common ailment. It may affect memory, sleep, thyroid, body weight, and other body functions (namely tendon and joint elasticity).

Both estrogen and androgen stimulate cell division. Elevated levels of these hormones may lead to abnormal cell growth such as womens' uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, breast cysts, and breast cancer or mens' prostate enlargement and prostate cancer. Since the liver is the principal organ which removes these hormones, its failure to remove them efficiently often leads to their accumulation in the body and is a major cause of the above diseases.

It has been known for thousands of years in China that liver problems are the source of many ailments. However, hormonal imbalances are still little understood in Chinese medicine. As a result, most womens' problems are treated for blood and energy stagnation. "Blood moving" herbs such as Don Quei, licorice, and ginseng are frequently used for reducing stagnation and stimulating circulation without realizing their effect on estrogen levels. These herbs may initially help improve circulation, but the elevated estrogen levels can eventually make the problem worse.

Liver functions

The liver is the most important organ after the heart. It performs hundreds of functions including:

1. Circulation: transfer of blood from portal to systemic circulation, activity of the liver's reticulo-endothelial system (kupffer cells) in the immune system. The liver stores and regulates the blood and is responsible for nourishing every cell in our body. Every part of the body depends on blood from the liver for nourishment and sustenance.

2. Excretion: formation and secretion of bile for digestion and cleansing of blood; removal of ammonia from blood; excretion of substances filtered from the blood by the liver such as heavy metals or dyes.

3. Metabolism: carbohydrate, protein, lipid (fat), mineral and vitamin metabolism; manufacturing and storage of many nutrients such as glucose and vitamins; production of heat through metabolism.

4. Protection and detoxification: removal of foreign bodies from the blood (phagocytosis); detoxification by conjugation, methylation, oxidation and reduction.

5. Production; formation of urea, serum albumin, glycogen and blood coagulating proteins such as prothrombin, fibrinogen and heparin; erythrocyte (red blood cells) destruction.

6. Regulation of hormones: inactivation and elimination of hormones through the bile or urine. Since estrogen and androgen are both growth hormones which stimulate cell division, elevation of their levels in the blood due to the liver's failure to remove them efficiently can cause their accumulation in tissue. This in turn may lead to abnormal growths such as uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, breast cysts and breast cancer, prostate enlargement or prostate cancer. Excessive estrogen is also the most common cause of painful menstruations.

The liver also regulates body functions which affect emotional and mental activities. In a diseased condition, the liver's blood storage and regulatory functions are affected, and bleeding or clots can result. When liver blood is deficient, nourishment to tendons and blood vessels is curtailed, the joints become stiff, and muscles become spasmodic and numb. Blood deficiency in the liver may even lead to stroke, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, deafness, fainting or convulsion. When the liver blood is so deficient that it cannot nourish the eyes, night blindness or blurring may result. If the liver is affected by stress or unhappy feelings, its vitality may be repressed and the sides hurt, and hiccups or hernia may develop. The bowels may become constipated and sleep may be disturbed causing nightmare or insomnia.

The liver is the most emotion sensitive organ and its weakness is often connected to emotional sensitivity. Individuals who are emotionally sensitive are more prone to weak liver even if they do not have a poor diet or are not taking medication regularly.

Liver causes heart attacks

The structural position of the liver as a bridge between the returning blood from the digestive system and the lower part of the body to the heart makes the liver an important organ for the health of the heart. A weakened and swollen or congested liver can obstruct the venous blood flow to the heart causing heart palpitations or even heart attacks. In other words a healthy liver is essential for maintaining an adequate amount of blood flow to the heart and the heart can only pump the blood it receives.

Age-related vision and memory loss: the importance of the liver

According to the Chinese, the liver and kidneys are the organs that "age" us. That is why almost all longevity herbs used in Chinese medicine are liver and kidney tonics. Without a clean, efficient liver and healthy kidneys, blood is not filtered clean. "Dirty" blood, loaded with toxins or waste products, is heavier and more sluggish. This causes poor circulation and reduced capacity to carry oxygen and nutrients. As a result, tissue and organ cells are undernourished. If this condition persists the cells will deteriorate and inevitably age. The eye and brain cells are especially affected because the blood has to flow against gravity to reach them.
In an article on Alzheimer disease in the January 1988 issue of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, malfunction of the liver and kidneys was mentioned as one of the causes leading to Alzheimer disease. Brain tumour, which physically blocks blood flow to the brain, was also cited as one of the causes.

The brain is only 2% of our body weight, yet it needs 20% of our oxygen supply. If the toxin-loaded blood from a weak liver has limited capacity to carry oxygen, the brain cells are affected most.

*I was born with a photographic memory, but I lost it at the age of 17. Up to the age of 16, I could remember every single word in textbooks that I glanced through just once. I was surprised to learn that I could not do that any more before I finished my high school. Looking back, my very stressful childhood must have congested my liver and my inadequately filtered blood had difficulty flowing up to my brain to nourish my cells. The fact that I fainted in school at the age of 11 indicated that my blood flow to my brain was already sluggish even at an early age. As the years went by with stressful life, my memory kept going down hill and reached the bottom at age 47, the year that I was diagnosed with badly congested liver. When I cleansed out my liver and gallbladder, changed my diet and started doing daily morning exercise, my memory improved. I don't think I will get my photographic memory back, but I did gain back some of my memory power and stopped its deterioration.

Constant Fatigue

When blood is loaded with toxins due to a weak and inefficient liver, there is limited capacity for the blood to carry oxygen and nutrients which are necessary for energy production. The result is constant fatigue. A clean and efficient liver which produces cleaner blood would help energy production because clean blood can carry more oxygen and nutrients.

Liver problems: liver congestion and stagnation

Liver congestion and stagnation are common liver problems. Yet conventional medicine does not understand them and has no test to detect them. In hepatitis or liver inflammation, liver enzyme levels in the blood are elevated because of the ruptured liver cells which contain high contents of liver enzymes. However, in liver congestion or stagnation, liver cells are still intact and liver enzyme levels in blood are normal. Therefore normal clinical tests which rely on liver enzyme levels as a measure of liver condition cannot detect liver congestion or stagnation.

I had blood tests performed a few months before I was diagnosed with badly congested liver by a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. These tests showed no abnormal liver condition because they simply could not detect liver congestion. I never knew I had liver problems until the Chinese doctor correctly diagnosed my congested liver condition. This was the turning point for my health problems. When my liver became healthy again through a lengthy jouney of self-healing (see Liver cleansing section below), most of my chronic health problems disappeared.

According to Traditional Chinese medicine, all internal organs work as a team in the body; the liver is considered the "General" or "Chief of Staff:". Unfortunately, many of our modern prescription drugs are damaging to the liver or kidneys. Over the counter drugs such as painkillers can also cause liver toxicity. Therefore it is not surprising that many people over the age of 50 develop liver weakness or toxicity. Even among healthy people who are not dependent on drugs, the liver has been filtering blood day and night throughout life without being "cleansed". Over the years, circulating blood has deteriorated in quality which goes unnoticed. The end result is often a feeling of sluggishness and heaviness due to poor circulation. Studies linking liver damage to excessive or long-term use of painkillers have been reported.

I come from a family with weak livers. My father died of a stroke at the age of 59. It was very likely related to liver problems as he had been diagnosed as having a weak liver. My uncle became quite sick at the age of 67. His extremities were dark in colour due to poor blood supply and he was very tired and weak. He went to see a western medical doctor and was told that he was beyond help and would not live much longer. He decided to seek a second opinion from a Traditional Chinese medical doctor who prescribed a liver cleansing herb (Chinese Gentian) which purges the liver. He is now over 80 and is still healthy.

Weakening of the liver and eventual toxicity are usually slow processes. In many cases the only sign of liver weakness is poor digestion and low energy level. Most people pass this off as something that happens with age. As a result they do little or nothing about it until it is too late. Fortunately, nature has endowed our liver with excellent regenerative powers. If we are able to understand the early signs of degeneration, we have an excellent chance of restoring it to optimal functioning with proper care.

Liver cleansing

The liver is the most important organ for hormone regulation. Because of my weak liver, I had severe hormone imbalance resulting in many "women's problems". Although the Chinese medicine practitioner correctly diagnosed my congested liver condition, his treatment actually made my problems worse! He prescribed several herbs including Dong Quei, licorice and ginseng which contain plant estrogens. Although these had beneficial effects initially because they improved my blood circulation, the plant estrogens eventually aggrevated my hormone imbalance problems. I realized Chinese medicine does not understand hormones and conventional medicine also offers no help for my chronic liver congestion problems. I therefore decided to treat myself, using my combined knowledge of clinical chemistry and Chinese herbs.

At first I tried several commonly used liver cleansing herbs such as dandelion, chrysanthemum and Swedish Bitters. Dandelion and chrysanthemum were too weak. Swedish Bitters helped for about 3 weeks but my condition became actually worse because there are 3 herbs in it which contain plant estrogens. I searched Chinese herbal medicine literature (including some ancient Chinese texts) on liver remedies. Several herbs are mentioned as beneficial to the liver including Coptis, Gentian, Self-Heal and Scutellaria. Chinese Gentian (Lung-tan Tsao) has been known for thousands of years to be useful in the treatment of fever, rheumatism and general debility. It is also said to benefit the liver, aid digestion, strengthen the memory and give lightness and elasticity to the body. It is primarily used in the treatment of acute hepatitis, acute conjunctivitis, acute tonsillitis, jaundice and most liver disorders (Ref. 2, 5 ). It is also helpful in alleviating "sluggish liver" which can be caused by hormone therapy, medications or other problems such as stress or poor diets.

I recalled my uncle's very positive experience with the herb Chinese Gentian and decided to try it. From my research, I knew that the Chinese herb Bupleurum increases "energy flow" in the liver. I decided to use a combination of Chinese Gentian and Bupleurum prepared in an alcoholic tincture. I reasoned that alcohol is a better carrier than water for the herbs through the liver because the liver detoxifies water-insoluble toxins for which alcohol is a better solvent. Within a few months of using this mixture in conjunction with daily morning exercise and diet control, I experienced significant improvement as judged by reduction in menstrual pain from endometriosis, arthritic pain, stiffness and improved quality of sleep. This improvement was gradual but steady.

I then came across information on apple juice (or malic acid tables) fasting and olive oil/grapefruit juice liver and gallbladder cleansing. I decided to give it a try. The result was dramatic. After just the first cleanse, my pains, alergies and arthritis all disappeared. Apparently, malic acid in apple juice is excellent in dissolving the stagnant bile accumulated in the liver. I was really amazed by the amount of stagnant bile driven out by the apple juice.

Details of the apple juice fasting and olive oil/grapefruit juice cleansing procedures are given in gallbladder flushing.

I find that more olive oil is needed to get results the first time. After 6 days of drinking one glass of apple cider per hour from 8 am to 8 pm (or alternatively 3 capsules of malic acid divided in three parts each day); then the late afternoon of the following day take one tbsp of epsom salts diluted in a glass of purified water, then another tbsp of epsom salts 2 h later and finally 1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil mixed with 1/2 of grapefruit juice. The first thing in the morning take 1 tbsp of epsom salts and finish the whole cleanse with another tbsp of epsom salts 2 h later. Many of the gallstones will be released in the morning after taking the last 2 tbsp of epsom salts, and they will tend to float and will tend to be green, white and black.

However several cleanses are required to completely remove the gallstones and should be carried out once a month. Some people will require anything between 5 to 15 cleanses others up to 30. It will all depend on how your health history related to this organ: poor diet, excessive alcohol use or abuse, use of various chemical substances including medical prescriptions and stress.

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After my experience, a friend of mine who had gallstones for years decided to try this liver and gallbladder cleansing procedure. She did not get any result the first time. There was one difference between her procedure and mine. She did not use the Chinese Gentian and Bupleurum tincture before the cleansing, like I did. I reasoned she probably had a congested liver (many people with gallstones are likely to have congested livers) which made it difficult for the apple juice to penetrate. She took my advice and used the Chinese Gentian and Bupleurum tincture for about one month before her second cleansing. This time it was successful.

The Chinese Gentian and Bupleurum tincture is found in commercial form and called "Chinese Bitters". For certain conditions such as gallstone problems or absence of gallbladder (removal by surgery), it is best used in conjunction with another herbal tincture called Coptis which stimulates bile flow.

Restoring liver health

Nutritional deficiency is a common problem for individuals with liver disorders. Most nutrients pass through the body without being assimilated if the liver is weak. I was taking many vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements for years without any effect. My improvement came only after my liver was cleansed and strengthened. It was after my experience that I realized that supplements taken by individuals with weak livers may end up as waste products for the body to dispose because the supplements cannot be digested or assimilated.

As described above, I restored my liver to health in less than a year by cleansing it with Chinese Bitters, by liver and gallbladder flush and by eliminating all liver and kidney weakening foods such as white flour, white sugar, caffeine, chocolate, deep fried foods, all citrus fruits, tomato, banana, cold drinks and foods which chill the liver and kidneys. I took supplements or foods rich in Vitamin B's, C and minerals to nourish my organs and used the various Chinese herbs to increase "Chi" energy flow) in the liver. I also perform daily morning exercises which involve stretching and deep breathing, like Tai Chi.

Exercise stimulates blood circulation. When blood circulates better, all organs function better. Stretching and deep breathing kind of exercises early in the morning provide the most benefit for anyone with sluggish liver. According to Chinese medicine, the liver works hard to filter our blood between 1 to 3 am during our sleep. A fair amount of blood may be still retained in the liver when we wake up in the morning if the liver is congested. Early morning exercises help to bring the blood out of the liver into the circulating system. One of the symptoms for the excess blood retained in the liver is waking up in the morning with stiffness or numbness in the fingers or dizziness due to lack of blood circulation.

Because of my high estrogen levels, I also had to avoid foods or herbs that have estrogenic activities such as Don Quei, Licorice, Ginseng, Royal Jelly, fennel, anise, flaxseed oil, clover, red clover, evening primrose oil, etc. I avoided taking all pharmaceutical drugs because most of them are weakening or damaging to the liver or kidneys.

Stress congests the liver and constricts the blood vessels. It causes poor blood flow and the whole body becomes sluggish. Furthermore, it is believed in Chinese medicine that anger (especially suppressed anger) injures the liver, grief injures the lungs, fear or fright injures the kidneys and worry injures the spleen. As mentioned earlier, all these organs support each other and work together. Disharmonies in one of these organs tend to produce an imbalance in the corresponding emotions and vice versa.

According to Traditional Chinese medicine, cold and raw vegetables such as salads tend to weaken the spleen unless the individuals who consume them are robust and strong ("Yang" type person). This could be the reason why many vegetarians look pale because of their weak spleen although Vitamin B12 deficiency may also be responsible. Also, most vegetarians eat a lot of salad, even though cooked vegetables are better to eat. One of the common signs of weak spleen is dry lips or frequent thirst. Chronic diarrhea or loose bowel may be another sign of weak spleen. Since the spleen is an important organ for red cell production, weak spleen is a common cause of anemia, especially in cases that do not respond to iron supplements.
I suffered from heart palpitations since my early teenage years. I fainted for the first time in my life in school at the age of eleven. It was due to a hereditary weak heart according to the doctor who saw me. He warned me that I might faint easily throughout my life. He was right in that prediction until the health of my liver was restored in 1989. I never fainted again and my heart palpitations disappeared.

When my liver became healthier my vision also improved and is actually better than it was in 1989 when I was still suffering from liver congestion. I had never used eyeglasses at any time during my life and I still don't need them. The Chinese have a saying: "The liver opens into the eyes. When the liver is harmonized, the eyes can distinguish the five colors". Clean and nutrient-rich blood from a healthy, efficient liver can flow easily and nourish the eye tissues better. Stimulation of blood flow to the eyes by massaging also helps. I massage the pressure points for blood circulation to the eyes twice daily, morning and night when I lie flat in bed. In this position blood does not have to flow against gravity.

Five Dietary Habits to Avoid

1. Eating big or rich meals will make the energy more stuck. People with liver qi stagnation may suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Typical signs of Liver Qi Stagnation are mood swings and signs of Liver Invading
Spleen such as digestive pain and alternating constipation and diarrhea. A key
suggestion is to eat small meals since the worst pain will occur when the patient
would overeat. Filling the stomach only 1/2 full or 3/4 full would be a good idea.

2. Avoid hard to digest foods which may vary from individual to individual but in
general includes fried foods, excessive dairy and meat, rancid or hydrogenated
fats, and overly processed foods full of chemicals.

3. Complex meals can also increase stagnation. Make food-combining suggestions
that encourage easy digestion without being too rigid. The most basic idea is to
eat fruit separately. It is also less congesting to eat a protein-rich food with
vegetables rather than grains or potatoes. Separating dairy foods from meat also
leads to lighter meals.

4. Some people love the stimulation of hot, spicy foods. Since Liver Qi Stagnation
will often increase heat in the body and may even develop into Liver Fire Rising
those chilies and curries would only make the situation worse.

5. People with Liver Qi Stagnation gravitate to drink caffeine. On the short term the
Stagnation is relieved and their moods lighten; however, later in the day, the
caffeine wears off and the Stagnation returns with greater effect. Similarly a person
with this pattern may be drawn to sugar treats or smoking marijuana to find relief
but the returning symptoms are worse once the temporary lift has past.

References:

1. Harper, H.A., Review of Physiological Chemistry, 14th ed., Lange Medical Publications (1973).
2. A Barefoot Doctor's Manual, the American translation of the official Chinese Paramedical Manual, Running Press, Philadelphia (1990).
3. Neufeld, W.P., MD The Liver Causes Heart Attack, Morning Dawn Publishing Company, Surrey, B.C., Canada (1987).
4. Selkurt, E.E. (editor), Physiology, 2nd edition, Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1966).
5. Chinese Medicinal Herbs, compiled by Li Shih-Chen, translated by F. Porter Smith, M.D., and G.A. Stuart, M.D., Georgetown Press, San Francisco (1973).

Fast Track Liver Detox

Whether you're trying to drop unwanted pounds or flush out unwelcome toxins, you need a healthy liver to make it happen. Here's how to keep this overachieving organ in optimal shape.

After more than two decades working as a nutritionist specializing in weight loss and detoxification, I am still completely in awe of the liver. As far as I'm concerned, this amazing organ, nestled away in the right side of the abdomen, has more than earned its name, which derives from an Old English word for “life.”
Your liver is your largest internal organ, and it's responsible for an astonishing variety of life-sustaining and health-promoting tasks - including those that make healthy weight loss and weight management possible. Integral to countless metabolic processes, the liver supports the digestive system, controls blood sugar and regulates fat storage. It stores and mobilizes energy, and produces more proteins than any other organ in the body. It also regulates your blood flow and, if you're a woman, keeps your menstrual cycles running smoothly.

One of your liver's most important functions, though - and the one most crucial to your weight loss - is chemically breaking down everything that enters your body, from the healthiest bite of organic food to the poisonous pesticides that linger on your salad; from the purest filtered water to a glass of wine or a cup of coffee; from your daily vitamin and mineral supplements to your doctor-prescribed blood-pressure medication.

It's your liver's job to distinguish between the nutrients you need to absorb and the dangerous or unnecessary substances that must be filtered out of your bloodstream. But when the liver is clogged and overwhelmed with toxins, it can't do a very effective job of processing nutrients and fats. So if you're concerned with managing your weight, remember this important point: The more toxic your body becomes, the more difficulty you'll have losing weight and keeping it off.

Diet Difficulty

Ironically, many of the low-carb diets that people adopt to lose excess weight only make matters worse. By encouraging us to eat a lot of meat (much of which is laden with toxins), and discouraging us from eating enough fiber-rich, water-dense fruits and vegetables, such diets can slow elimination. By loading us up with so many proteins that our stomachs can't produce enough acid to digest them all, such diets can inhibit proper digestion, overloading our liver and intestines with a stream of nasty, internally produced poisons such as indican, ammonia, cadaverine and histide.

Fortunately, the liver, in its infinite wisdom, produces bile, a crucial substance for detoxifying our bodies. Bile lubricates our intestines and works with fiber to prevent constipation. Bile is also where the liver dumps all the drugs, heavy metals, xenoestrogens, excess sex hormones from the Pill and hormone replacement therapy, medications, pesticides, industrial chemicals, and other toxins, so they can eventually be eliminated from the body.

One of bile's other main duties is to help our bodies break down the fats we need and to assimilate fat-soluble vitamins. Without bile, we couldn't convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, nor could we use calcium. But when our bile becomes overly congested with the toxins it's trying to filter out, it simply can't function properly. It becomes thick, viscous and highly inefficient in breaking down fats. The result: You are more likely to gain weight and to have greater difficulty losing it.

Cleansing the liver helps it produce better, more efficient bile. That helps your body flush toxins and break down fat more effectively. It also makes more energy-giving nutrients available to your body and reduces strain on your digestive and immune systems. Your elimination improves, and your colon is relieved of unnecessary burdens. The net effect: You look and feel better, and it becomes far easier for you to achieve and maintain your ideal weight.

The Fast Track: A Three-Stage Process

Ready to give your liver a healthy boost - and give your entire system a thorough spring-cleaning? I developed a Fast Track Detox program for just that purpose. It is a proven, highly effective detox and weight-loss system that offers a simple, safe and effective way to drop excess pounds, to clear out toxic gunk and to improve your health and vitality.

Described in detail in the book, The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet (Morgan Road Books, 2005), this program is, in reality, less a diet than a multipart program for healthy living. It has been carefully tested in a clinical setting.

Although the fasting part of the detox plan is just a single day (making it very safe), the complete process calls for both a seven-day preparation and a three-day follow-up phase designed to properly prepare your system for the liver-cleansing juice fast and then help extend and compound your healthy results.

This three-part detox process can dramatically improve the state of your liver and colon and help clear tissue throughout your body - all while eliminating bloating, improving your energy and assisting you in dropping unwanted weight. It can also help you appreciate the advantages of improved nutrition and encourage you to adjust your normal diet for the better.

Best of all, unlike water fasting and long-term juice fasting, this program is safe and gentle enough for you to employ any time you are feeling loaded down, sluggish and needing more vitality. I personally do Fast Track Detox fasts three or four times a year, usually around the fall and spring equinoxes, and whenever I feel myself to be on overload - physically, mentally or spiritually.

The Fast Track Detox program is simple to work into your normal life. Here's how:

1. You spend a full week on the Seven-Day Prequel, eating the Liver-Loving Foods that your body's major detox organ so desperately needs.

2. You'll also load up on Colon-Caring Foods to help your colon purge the toxins and waste from your body.

3. Next, you'll spend one day following a special juice fast designed to flush impurities and stored wastes from your system.

4. Then, after the fast is over, you'll seal in the results with a Three-Day Sequel that includes additional liver and colon support along with special natural-food sources of probiotics - fermented foods that support the friendly bacteria your system needs to synthesize vitamins and promote immune function.

Many people experience significant and immediate weight loss on this program, but the net benefits for energy and long-term health are every bit as dramatic. So, whether you are looking to slim down or just lighten your toxic load, give the Fast Track Detox a try. You'll be amazed at what your liver can accomplish with just a little help.

Seven-Day Prequel

Before you begin the One-Day Detox, it's essential that you prepare your body by strengthening your liver and colon for the work ahead. If you don't do this, you might end up more bloated, constipated and “toxic” than you were before. You may also inadvertently put the brakes on desired weight loss.

Fasting releases toxins that were previously lodged in your fat cells and shuttles them into your bloodstream for filtration and transport through your body's elimination channels. But without prior liver and colon support to help these toxins clear your system, the poisons may simply get relocated within the body, settling into any number of sensitive organs and making you feel tired, anxious, headachy and more fatigued than when you started. So if you want to avoid feeling unnecessarily lousy, and if you want to maximize weight loss, follow this simple, six-step program for seven days before you embark on the one-day, liver-flushing juice fast:

1. Each day, for seven days, choose at least one serving from each group of the following Liver-Loving Foods:

· Crucifers, such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, broccoli sprouts.

· Green leafy vegetables and herbs, like parsley, kale, watercress, chard, cilantro, beet greens, escarole, dandelion greens and mustard greens.

· Citrus, like oranges, lemons and limes (avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice, which contain a compound called naringen that can interfere with the liver-cleansing process).

· Liver healers, such as artichoke, asparagus, beets, celery, dandelion-root tea, whey and nutritional yeast flakes.

2. Each day, choose at least two of the following Colon-Caring foods: powdered psyllium husks, milled or ground flaxseeds, carrots, apple, pear or berries.

3. Each day, drink half your body weight in ounces of filtered or purified water.

4. Each day, make sure you have at least two servings (the size of the palm of your hand) of protein in the form of lean beef, skinless chicken, turkey or fish (except trout as it is heat forming), or, if you're a vegan or vegetarian, at least 2 tablespoons a day of a high-quality blue-green algae or a spirulina source (available in natural-foods and health stores).

5. Each day, make sure you have 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the form of extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil or a "woman's oil" (a flaxseed oil & blackcurrant oil blend).

(For specific serving sizes and more detailed guidance on choosing Liver-Loving Foods, see The Fast Track Detox Diet.)

6. Avoid the following "detox detractors":

· Excess dietary fats, especially transfats.
· Any form of sugar, including honey and maple syrup.
· Artificial sweeteners.
· Refined carbohydrates, including white rice and products made from white flour
· Gluten, found in wheat, rye, barley and all their related products, such as packaged cereals, macaroni and cheese, pizza dough, pasta, tortillas, pancake/waffle mixes and cookies, as well as in many "low-carb" products, vegetable proteins, some soy sauces and distilled vinegars.
· Soy protein isolates, found in many protein energy bars and processed soy foods
· Alcohol, over-the-counter drugs and caffeine.

One-Day Detox Juice Fast

The One-Day Juice Fast portion of the Fast Track Detox is designed to flush impurities from your liver and other cellular tissues while supporting your general health and energy.

While I do not advocate water fasts, or even long-term juice fasts, decades of professional clinical experience and research have convinced me that healthy, short-term juice fasting - the kind supported by adequate nutritional preparation for the liver and sufficient fiber for the colon - is probably the best-kept secret around for good health, long-term weight loss and an overall feeling of well-being.

By reducing the amount of work your digestive system has to do, you free up a great deal of energy for healing and regeneration. And while you will be limiting your caloric intake for one day, it is not an extended enough period to suppress your metabolism or set off a starvation response. In fact, every ingredient of the One-Day Detox Diet has been specially chosen to stave off hunger; balance your blood sugar; rev up your metabolism; and keep you feeling fit, energized and trim throughout your fasting day.

Here's the basic protocol you should follow for your One-Day Juice Detox, and some idea of what you might experience during the detox process (keep in mind that the effects and results will vary from person to person).

Before you conduct your one-day fast, make sure you have completed the Seven-Day Prequel. Then, follow this four-step program:

Step I. Prepare the Miracle Juice (for complete recipe and preparation instructions, see The Fast Track Detox Diet):

· Cranberry Water - unsweetened cranberry juice or unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate diluted with filtered water (be sure to use 100 percent pure, unsweetened cranberry juice that has no sugar, corn syrup or other juices added).
· Cinnamon.
· Nutmeg.
· Freshly squeezed orange juice.
· Freshly squeezed lemon juice.
· Stevia (a sweet-tasting herb that is widely available at natural-food stores) to taste.

Directions:

1. Bring Cranberry Water to a light boil; reduce the heat to low.
2. Place cinnamon and nutmeg into a tea ball; add to the Cranberry Water. (For a tangier juice, add the spices directly to the liquid.)
3. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes; cool to room temperature.
4. Stir in the orange and lemon juices. Add stevia at this time, if desired.

Step II. Alternate drinking 1 cup (8 ounces) of filtered water and 1 cup (8 ounces) of Miracle Juice during the day. Drink at least 72 ounces of filtered water throughout the day, in addition to the Miracle Juice. Make sure you drink at least a cup of liquid - either the Miracle Juice or water - every hour. Begin the protocol when you wake up in the morning. You don't have to begin at a specific time, but be sure to have all eight glasses of Miracle Juice in addition to the 72 ounces of water by day's end.

Step III. Upon rising and at the end of the day, take one serving of a colon-caring supplement, chosen from among the following:
· Powdered psyllium husks (1 to 2 teaspoons mixed in 8 ounces of water or Miracle Juice).
· Ground or milled flaxseeds (2 to 3 tablespoons mixed in 10 to 12 ounces of water or 8 ounces Miracle Juice).

Step IV. Engage in only light exercise - either a 20-minute walk or 10 minutes on a rebounder or elliptical machine.

The Three-Day sequel

Following your One-Day Detox, it's essential that you follow this sequel program for three days straight. Otherwise, your reentry into normal eating may leave you feeling bloated, constipated and more toxic than before.

Fasting without follow-up support means that toxins released into your bloodstream during the fast may remain in your system, making you feel tired, anxious, headachy and fatigued. Skipping the Three-Day Sequel also sets you up to regain lost weight. So support your body's natural detox process and seal in the results of your One-Day Juice Fast by following these simple steps:

1. Each day, choose at least one of the following probiotic food sources to restore "friendly bacteria":

· Sauerkraut (1/2 cup). You can either make your own or buy an organic, raw variety. Most store-bought sauerkraut is processed with heat, which kills the naturally occurring enzymes and microflora, so check the label carefully.
· Yogurt. Nonfat, low-fat or whole-milk yogurt are all fine, but look for plain yogurt whose label reads "live, active cultures" and make sure it is goat and/or sheep yogurt as they are less dampening that the cow milk variety.

3. Follow steps 1 through 6 of the Seven-Day Prequel.

Where to Go From Here

Once you've completed the Fast Track Detox as outlined above, I suggest that you ease back into normal eating by choosing nutritious, low-fat cooked foods that are easy to digest.

In The Fast Track Detox Diet, I supply a variety of simple recipes for liver-loving, colon-caring and sequel-friendly foods. I also cover background and advice on detoxing, in-depth nutritional and health information, plus suggestions for taking the Fast Track Detox program to the next level.

Ultimately, you may decide to incorporate regular detoxes into your ongoing health and fitness regimen. But, particularly if you have never done a detox before, the important thing is to take stock of how you feel before, during and after this first detox experience.

Pay attention to the positive, dramatic impact that supporting your body's natural detoxification systems can have on your overall health and well-being. Follow these basic detox suggestions and I trust that you will feel lighter, happier and more excited about your body's healthy potential than you have in years.

Notes:

1. Do you Need to Detox?

Unfortunately, we live in a fairly toxic world, and even those of us who are committed to living clean and eating healthy are very likely to ingest, inhale, absorb or produce our own fair share of disruptive substances - substances that our body would be better off without and may need help in unloading. All of the following may be signs of a body in toxic distress (keep in mind that they may also be symptoms of other serious health and medical conditions, some of which could require professional care; when in doubt, or in the case of chronic conditions, consult your doctor or health professional).

- Acne, blemishes, hives.
- Discoloration in whites of eyes or red, swollen, teary eyes.
- Hormonal imbalances, PMS.
- Heat in the upper body, such as warm face or hot eyes.
- Difficulty perspiring.
- Bad breath or offensive body odor.
- Gas, bloating, belching and nausea.
- Constipation or loose stools.
- Colitis or diverticulitis.
- Hemorrhoids or varicose veins.
- Bruises or wounds that don't heal.
- Multiple food allergies, sensitivities to fragrances, odors and fumes.
- Weight gain, even when controlling food intake.
- Feelings of tiredness or sleeplessness after eating.
- Frequent coughs, stuffy or runny nose.

2. Fasting!

There are some times when you should not fast:

· If you are pregnant, nursing, recovering from an illness or injury, or are malnourished.
· If you have cardiac arrhythmia, type 1 diabetes, congestive heart failure, ulcers, or liver or kidney disease.
· If you are struggling with mental illness (including anxiety, clinical depression, bipolar disorder).
· If you are more than 10 pounds underweight or prone to eating disorders.

Also, consult your physician prior to fasting if you are diabetic, hypoglycemic, prone to migraines or are taking regular medications, including antidepressants, blood-pressure medications and birth control pills.

3. Fast Track Detox Shopping List:

3.1 Beverages:

#Filtered or purified water.
#Unsweetened cranberry juice.

3.2 Liver-loving foods: (your choices in each of the following categories):

#Crucifers: cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, broccoli sprouts.
#Green leafy vegetables: parsley, kale, watercress, chard, cilantro, beet greens, collards, escarole, dandelion greens and mustard greens.
#Citrus fruits: oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit.

3.3 Liver healers:

#Artichoke, asparagus, beets, celery, dandelion-root tea, whey and nutritional yeast flakes.

3.4 Herbs and spices:

#Dandelion root.
#Milk Thistle.
#Tea made of the following herb blend: Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root, Licorice Root, Fenugreek, Yellow Dock Root, Burdock Root, Oregon Grape Root, Turmeric (ground).
#Green tea.
#Ground cinnamon.
#Nutmeg.
#Stevia (powder or extract).

3.5. Supplements and nutritionals:

#Powdered psyllium husks and/or ground flaxseeds
#Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil or flaxseed oil

4. Detox Downsides

Detoxing is generally an extremely positive experience. But for some patients, particularly those who feel themselves to be dependent on caffeinated drinks, the initial experience can be somewhat uncomfortable. Although many participants in our trials reported increased energy, mental clarity and improved well-being, some did experience other symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, irritability, foggy thinking and mild depression.

The explanation is simple: As you burn stored body fat for fuel, the oil-soluble toxins you've stored in your fat are released, sometimes causing distress as they recirculate through the system. If you've been diligent about following the Seven-Day Prequel, you may not experience any symptoms. But if you do feel tired, grouchy or headachy, don't lose heart. Drink more water, give yourself some downtime and realize that these symptoms are an indication that both the fast and the detox process are working. As these toxins clear your system, you'll soon feel much better.

May health and the vital energy (chi) be with you!

Final Note:

This article was adapted from:

1. Gittleman, A. (2005) The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet, New York: Morgan Road Books.

2. Batliner, A. (2004) 'Liver Qi Stagnation and Diet', Nutrition Professionals Quarterly.
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