Want to feel totally transformed in only 72 hours? “All you need to do is speed-clean your liver,” insists Columbia University -trained women's health guru Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D. “Your liver has over 500 different jobs, many essential to making a woman feel and look her best.”
When you're fatigued or putting on the weight, many times, it means the organ is struggling. “I use ingredients that have a classic liver detox to a different level. It quickly rejuvenates liver function, so energy levels explode, immunity is turbocharged, nagging pain and inflammation go away.” Another impressive benefit: “It helps your liver eliminate excess hormones that cause irritability, so even your mood lifts.” Bloat loss and fat loss also surge.
The liver functions like a mini processing plant for virtually everything that makes or goes out in our systems – including food, alcohol, medication, pollutants, old cells, “used” hormones, and much more. In the event that seems like a great deal, it is.
In today's world, there can be such an influx, the organ simply can't keep up. “This is particularly a problem for anybody who eats lots of sugar and starch,” says Cleveland Clinic functional medicine expert Mark Hyman, M.D., a fan of Gittleman's approach. “Both sugar and starch accelerate fat production within the liver, and when that fat can't be moved out quick enough, it gets trapped.” As these fats develop, the organ's function slows and metabolism tanks, toxins and viruses linger inside ourselves, blood sugar levels and cholesterol regulation falter, and vitamins and minerals go unabsorbed. “The impact usually leaves people too exhausted for any big life-style change,” notes Gittleman. “So I checked out the science and started experimenting with doable, real-world strategies that deliver big relief for that least effort.”
How it Works
The three-day plan Gittleman shares below is built around smoothies and juice, “because food in liquid form isn't just simple to prepare, it's easier for that liver to handle. So it gives your liver a pleasant rest,” she explains. “At the same time frame, these drinks are packed with compounds shown to enhance liver health insurance and function.” Take coconut oil, for instance. Studies have shown that, unlike other oils, it ignites while still within the liver, creating heat that helps melt fats and boost metabolism as much as 50 %. Meanwhile, tomato, lemon, and cranberry juices contain acids which help eat away at liver fat; as a slimming bonus, they're all rich in vitamin C, a nutrient proven to boost overall fat burning by 20 percent.
Then there's Gittleman's secret weapon: lecithin, a unique fat present in foods like eggs and soy. “We need lecithin to keep the structure of every cell in the body. It is important for healing head to toe,” she says. “Lecithin also acts like detergent, dissolving fat in the blood and fat clogging the liver.”
Gittleman says she first realized the power of this smoothie mix-in when she asked volunteers to check it. “Everyone was stunned,” she recalls. “They suddenly felt like a million bucks. And even lumpy cellulite, the hardest fat to lose, started disappearing.”
Research backs her up. In one university study, dieters given a lecithin-based supplement almost immediately doubled weight loss, leading scientists to conclude it may “rapidly reduce body mass without any side effects.” During a liquid detox, Gittleman says she sees best results from sunflower-based lecithin.
Bonus: You'll drink plenty of cranberry juice, a trick that energizes the lymph system. “As liver function improves and you begin eliminating more toxins, lymph carries them out of your body faster,” she says. “On a regular detox, the toxins are moving forward along stagnant pathways, and it makes you tired. Cranberry opens those pathways, so toxins are whisked away, and you feel invigorated!” To learn more, visit AnnLouise.com
3-Day Liver Detox Guide and Recipes
To speed-detox your liver, enjoy each of the drinks here twice daily for three days. Sip additional cran-water all day; nibble jicama, carrot or celery as desired. On day four, switch to three daily meals, each with eight ounces of cooked lean protein, 1 serving of seeds or healthy oil, unlimited veggies and a little fruit. Still drink cranwater often. Of course, get a doctor's okay to test a new plan.
Metabolizer Cocktail: Blitz 8 oz. low-sodium V8, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup spinach, 1/4 cup parsley, One teaspoon. garlic, 1/8 tsp. cayenne, 1/8 tsp. turmeric, 2 tsp. flax oil, 1 Tbs. chia and ice.
Skinny Smoothie: Blitz 1/2 cup kale, 1/2 cup berries, 1/4 cup protein powder, 1 Tbs. lecithin, 1 Tbs. chia, 1 Tbs. coconut oil, 1 oz. unsweetened cranberry juice, 1 cup water and ice.
