Let’s Talk Liver Health…

Liver health has been a topic I have discussed numerous times on my blog in regards to detoxification and cleansing, but what if there was a way for you to keep your liver cleansed and healthy without doing radical juice cleanse??

I’m here to fill you in on a little liver health secret…milk thistle.

Milk Thistle, also called Silymarin, is used to help with liver health and function. This herb has been found to help regenerate liver tissue, and actually protect the healthy cells of your liver from damage. Milk thistle helps to remove toxins from your liver, and is essential in any liver detox. The liver is one of our major detoxers in our body, and so it is so important to keep it healthy and functioning at it’s prime.

Milk thistle has been shown to have a lot of healing effects, and is said to be anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-Parkinson, and anti-Alzheimer. There is new research about how milk thistle may help to slow the disease progression of multiple sclerosis, this is very exciting and I can not wait to see this research develop. Milk thistle is popularly known to help heal the liver of alcoholics, and in fact anyone who drinks alcohol should consider taking milk thistle. This powerful herb is also popular among those under chemotherapy treatments, and is often used in combination with chemotherapy.

Milk thistle is antioxidant, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory. This herb is high in calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper. The estimated Therapeutic Range for milk thistle is 250-1000 mg per day, and the therapeutic Dosing 750-1000 mg per day (take half in am, and half before bed). You can take milk thistle in power form, or in a powder filled capsule, and my favorite tincture form! When making milk thistle it is important to use the whole plant: leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds.

It is important to note that milk thistle can cause severe allergic reaction to those who have allergies to Asteracae plants like ragweed and marigolds. Fortunately it does have very low drug interactions. However, it is not advised that you use Milk thistle if you have diabetes, as it may interact with diabetes medications. Milk thistle may also interact with: Raloxifene, Simeprevir and Sirolimus medications. Milk thistle is not recommended for children.

With so many healing benefits it’s no wonder milk thistle has become a popular almost “trendy” supplement over the past few years. It has incredible healing and detoxing potential, and is an essential part of detoxing the liver and keeping it healthy.

* I am not a doctor, I am simply educating you on health and wellness. Always consult your doctor before begging a new supplement routine.

Urinary tract infections (UTI’s) have become way too common in recent years. Many Doctor’s are quick to prescribe a potent antibiotic drug to wipe out the bacteria; while this may do some good initially the antibiotic is also wiping out all the good bacteria in your gut. So while they may have treated your UTI, now you have opened yourself up to a ton of other issues. What if I told you there was a “new” way…a different way. What if you could take something that your body already makes naturally, and it would kill the bacteria without harming your gut. Ready to hear more??

D.mannose is being used to naturally treat UTI’s, primary in women…and specifically women with recurrent history of UTI’s. D-mannose is a simple sugar (monosaccharide) that is naturally found in our body, but can also be found in foods like cranberries, apples, oranges, peaches, broccoli and green beans. D.mannose may help stop UTI’s by preventing the bacteria (typically E.coli) from attaching itself to the urinary tract.

Multiple research studies have been completed on the effectiveness of D-Mannose and UTI’s and all show that D-mannose was as effective or more effective than the previously prescribed antibiotic -and it also helped to prevent future infections. D-Mannose can help to prevent recurrent UTI’s as well. Several studies have been conducted, specifically on women, and it has been shown to decrease the recurrence of the type of infections. Which in turn will decrease the amount of antibiotics these women will need to take - leading to better gut health. Urologists are now recommending D-Mannose to their patients for urinary tract health and prevention.

So how does it work? D-mannose is a simple sugar (monosaccharide) that is released from the body and is filtered out through the kidneys and urinary tract. While in the urinary tract it will adhere to any bacteria there (specifically E.coli), preventing the bacteria from establishing colonies. It will stick to the bacteria, so the bacteria can no longer stick to each other or the urinary tract wall. The bacteria, and the D-mannose attached to the bacteria, will then make it’s way out of the body.

From my research it appears that D-Mannose is very effective at improving Urinary Tract Infections. D-mannose appears to not only treat the current infection and remove the bacteria from the urinary tract, but it also helps to prevent future infections. If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile you know that I love a good natural and holistic remedy, and am not a fan of antibiotics (unless absolutely necessary) so this is very exciting research for me!