Milk thistle is an excellent herb and milk thistle liver detox has been one of the most widely used methods to aid liver detoxification.
What is milk thistle?
This herb (also called Silybum Marinanum or Carduus Marianus) is actually part of the daisy family (the same family as echinacea, dandelion, chamomile, and artichoke).
It is the queen of all liver herbs and therefore has an enormous detoxifying effect. Our livers today are really overloaded with a poor diet, pesticides, herbicides, chemicals in the water we drink and in our homes, so milk thistle liver detox is great to help with that. It is also very effective in stimulating bile production.
It works to protect the liver by altering the structure of the outer membrane of liver cells, preventing poisons from entering those cells, and stimulating the regeneration of damaged cells. It also promotes the release of SOD (superoxide dismutase), a powerful antioxidant that appears to be specifically effective in scavenging free radicals caused by alcohol in the liver. THIS MEANS IT IS ANTI-AGING TOO!
Its medicinal uses are well documented and can be used to treat jaundice, help a sluggish liver, cleanse the blood, remove excess hormones from the body, lower ‘bad’ cholesterol, increase your metabolism (so good for weight loss! ), Rid the body of toxic metals, helps to lighten the skin and helps skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema.
Milk thistle is absorbed through the intestines and the cycle it goes through ensures that it is primarily concentrated in the liver. It is excellent for helping reverse the damage caused by alcohol and is a fantastic antioxidant. It also helps cleanse the kidneys and can also help shrink an enlarged liver!
It acts as a mild laxative which is why many people report weight loss as often during a liver cleanse people notice an increase in bile production through more bowel movements etc.
This detox is great for those looking to conceive so frequently, excessive toxicity in the body can affect fertility.
Its energy uses are fantastic and milk thistle is often used as a herb for anger, jealousy and envy as these emotions in natropathy are related to the liver / gallbladder. A detoxified body that feels purer and lighter will refresh the mind and give you more strength and enthusiasm! The spirit of this detox is optimism, recovery, and “life enhancement.”
Applications
You can use the seeds to make a tincture, powdered herb, or decoction.
Important note: Milk Thistle will speed up the liver detox, so any medication or medication will pass through the body faster, so keep in mind that if you take antibiotics or prescription drugs etc, this will not be helpful. Milk Thistle however is fine with the contraceptive pill
For more information on a great milk thistle liver detox and lots of detox tips visit http://www.total-body-detox.com, hope to see you there!