liver function comes from eating real food and avoiding environmen-
tal toxins as much as possible.
Of the many nutrients required for liver detox, how do we know
which are needed most? The answer is they’re all important — with
many more valuable nutrients in foods yet to be discovered. So a diet
full of a variety of organic, unprocessed foods — fresh vegetables and
fruits, whole nuts and seeds, and high-quality protein (including
whole eggs) — should contain adequate amounts to support liver
detox. Organic foods have more of these important nutrients and
fewer toxins such as pesticides (an additional burden for the liver).
The signs and symptoms of poor liver detox may be very subtle.
So how do you know if your liver function needs more support? Ask
yourself the following questions:
! Are you sensitive to caffeine (can consume only small
amounts or none at all)?
! Are you sensitive to perfumes, paints and other chemical
smells?
! Are you sensitive to certain drugs: benzodiazepines
(Valium, Ativan, Xanax), antihistimines (Benadryl,
Claritin), certain antibiotics (Bactrim, Erythromycin) and
antifungals (Lotrimin)?
! Are you sensitive to certain foods: grapefruit, turmeric,
curry, chili (capsaicin) or cloves?
! Do you eat less than two servings a day of animal protein
(meat, fish, whole eggs)?
! Are you taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(Advil, Aleve)?
! Are you taking more than one dose of Tylenol or aspirin
per week?
! Are you sensitive (even to the smell) to high sulfur-con-
taining foods such as egg yolks, onions, garlic, broccoli or
cabbage?
! Do you consume more than two alcoholic drinks per day?266 • IN FITNESS AND IN HEALTH