Artichoke Standardized 300mg - 60 Caps

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle was used historically as a digestive aid, to promote the flow of digestive juices, and as a tonic for nursing mothers, to increase milk supply. Nowadays it's popularity stems from its ability to detoxify and protect a very important organ, the liver. Our liver is responsible for filtering out most everything that should not be in our body and processing it so that it doesn't cause damage to other cells.

It also metabolizes hormones and fats, and makes sure that the transportation system for fats (cholesterol) is working properly. The livers secretions, called bile, carry metabolized waste products out into the intestine where they can be excreted. The medicinal activity of milk thistle is in a molecule called silymarin. It causes liver cells, hepatocytes, to resist toxic compounds and regenerate themselves. It also increases glutathione in the liver.

glutathione is an antioxidant that the liver uses to catch damaging free radicals that are created when the liver changes toxins into harmless chemicals. Silymarin also blocks the toxic effects of drug overdoses and poisonings. Milk thistle is a bitter herb that causes the release of digestive juices and bile, thus helping with indigestion and intestinal cleansing. Natural health practitioners recommend milk thistle for liver toxicity, indigestion, poisonings, drug overdoses, hepatitis, jaundice, gallbladder dysfunction and high cholesterol.

Milk thistle can be purchased as encapsulated herb, dried herb, tincture or liquid extract. Milk thistle's active components are not soluble in water and therefore there is little medicinal value in drinking it as a tea. Concentrated extracts or capsules are the best forms to use. Milk thistle is found as a component of many cleansing formulas. In order to help with digestion, bitter herbs must be tasted, like when you take in a tincture or tea. Encapsulated herbs are swallowed, thus bypassing the taste buds, and will not stimulate digestion.

Milk thistle is a very safe herb but it does have detoxifying properties. Individuals with serious liver disease or high levels of toxic compounds in their body should use milk thistle under the guidance of a health professional.

Liver Health
Liver supportive foods include artichokes, black radish, beets, carrots, spinach, sauerkraut, tomatoes and watercress. Make sure that you are getting enough water-soluble fibre in your diet, as found in apples, oats and supplemental inulin.

They help to eliminate bile and toxins from the intestines. Avoid sugar, alcohol, red meat, trans-fatty acids and processed foods. They are difficult for the liver to process. Avoid high doses of niacin and vitamin A because they can raise liver enzymes.

Avoid excessive use of alcohol, medications and recreational drugs. Exercise promotes liver health by increasing circulation. It also stimulates the bowels to release processed toxins. Slow bowel transit time allows toxins to re-circulate in the body and forces the liver to repeat its detoxifying activity.

Traditional Asian medicine identifies emotions as a contributing agent in many disease processes. The liver is affected by anger. Anger reduction techniques, like biofeedback, or activities, such as yoga, can improve liver functioning.

Sometimes the liver's pathways are not working up to speed or become blocked. The back up of waste material makes it harder for the rest of the body to function normally and ultimately leads to disease. Since the environment in which we live makes it impossible for us to maintain a pristine lifestyle, regular liver cleansing is essential. Liver detoxification involves dietary, supplemental and physical interventions. For more information see the article on detoxification.