Milk thistle teaches your liver to fight illness

Do you have indigestion, burping, a roll of fat below your breast/pectorals and/or hot flashes? If so, you may be suffering from a fatty liver, which is a type of chronic liver disease.

You could die if your liver isn't functioning properly
Keeping your liver healthy should be as important as keeping your cardiac system in top condition, because your liver is the foundation of your immune system. Your blood is cleaned by your liver, removing toxins, microbes, cancer cells and a host of other damaging things that could make you very sick or even kill you.

Besides regular exercise and eating a healthful, balanced diet of raw vegetables and (low-sugar) fruits, unprocessed and organic grains, seeds and nuts, you should consider taking a liver-specific supplement to help your liver get fit.

Milk thistle is the ONLY herb safe for chronic liver disease
One of the most potent and safest liver herbs is milk thistle (Silybum marianum), a common weed that's been used for thousands of years. Because your fatty liver is already compromised, you have to be very careful to avoid herbs and drugs that could make it worse or cause toxicity. According to researchers at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, milk thistle is the ONLY herb that "can be used safely in patients who have chronic liver disease."

The herb also stimulates your liver's own immune system to make it work harder and better. Doctors found that milk thistle supplementation increased interferon gamma and interleukin IL-4 and IL-10 cytokines. These are your body's natural illness fighters. Milk thistle arms them so they perform better.

Once your liver is functioning better, you may not need to take milk thistle after obtaining optimum health. However, if you have repeated lapses or find that you're always sick or have a lot of allergies, taking the herb regularly may help you stay healthier. No significant drug interactions have been reported, and only occasional mild digestive problems appear to be a side effect.

It's so cheap, anyone can afford to take it!
Because it's so easy to cultivate, it's one of the cheaper herbs on the market. Even the finest-quality milk thistle is moderately priced when compared to other herbs.

You can avoid taking more pills by drinking milk thistle tea. Taking it as a tea means the liquid will quickly enter your bloodstream and get to your liver faster than capsules or tablets. The tea is delicious, and I drink it daily to maintain good health. If you like, you can add stevia or honey to your tea. I take mine plain because I like the taste.

Drink up!

Additional source:
Am Fam Physician. 2001 Nov 1;64(9):1555-60
Med Sci Monit. 2002 Nov;8(11):BR439-43
Am Fam Physician. 2005 Oct 1;72(7):1285-8

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I am not a doctor and have no medical training.
The information in this blog is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Statements made on this blog
have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Consult a healthcare professional before using any products,
treatments or exercises mentioned on this blog.