With over 500 functions, the liver is one of the most important and vital organ in the human body. This is why it’s super important to keep our liver happy and healthy and in tiptop shape. Everything that you eat and drink passes through your liver. However, we often burden our liver with daily toxins that over time stresses and overworks the liver, which inhibits the liver to perform optimally for digestion, metabolism, immunity, and the storage of nutrients within the body. A toxic overload results in common symptoms of chronic toxicity, such as fatigue, constipation, low energy, bad breath, muscle aches and pain, heartburn, bloating and skin reactions. In fact, even many diseases are related to toxins and waste build up in the body. This is why detoxification is so essential for good health.

But with an overwhelming amount of detox teas on the market, which do you choose from? Many detox teas promise weight loss, increased energy, reduce bloating, boosts metabolism and a “healthier” you! But are these teas really promoting healthy liver function? Unfortunately not even close. Many detox teas sold online, and even in health food stores contain one herbal ingredient that causes havoc to your body, including your liver. Senna leaf, a popular herbal laxative used for constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and hemorrhoids. Although senna leaf is an herbal plant, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe for long-term use. Senna leaf is essentially a laxative for short-term use, to help empty the entire contents of your intestines in preparation before a colonoscopy.

However, these kinds of stimulated bowel movements from senna leaf isn’t just ridding waste in the toilet, you’re also ridding your body of electrolytes and many nutrient deficiencies. Furthermore, senna leaf will cause the bowels to stop functioning normally making your body dependant and reliant on it. Can you imagine solely being dependent on senna leaf tea to have a bowel movement? Ultimately, you risk damaging your liver with these kinds of stimulated bowel movements.

So how can you start detoxifying your body safely, without having to use senna leaf?

Turmeric(Curcumin) is a great place to start for detoxifying your body, as it is a natural liver detoxifier! It helps by supporting the body’s detox pathways and eliminating all the toxins we continuously consume through our foods and water, and even the air we breathe. Turmeric enhances the body’s capacity to detoxify and gets rid of unwanted wastes and toxins stores in the body. Spring can be the perfect time of the year to detox and reset your system to help clear out toxins that accumulated over the past few winter months, but essentially any time of the year is a great time to detox. But even so, Turmeric Teas is gentle enough to use daily. Make it a morning ritual and brew yourself any one of Turmeric Teas signature tea blends to help enhance detoxification, in addition to cutting out processed foods, sugar and sodium. Turmeric Teas has a wonderful line of organic loose-leaf teas that contain many beneficial healing properties other than detoxifying, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Drinking Turmeric Tea is one of the easiest and simplest ways to start detoxifying and applying healthy changes to your daily lifestyle.

Blog post by Alexandra Daugherty, Holistic Nutritionist