Yes, you read it right! Milk Thistle can help you detoxify and protect your liver. It is known to be used as a natural remedy to treat some health conditions.
What is Milk Thistle?
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Milk thistle is a flowering plant that comes from the same family of daisy. It grows in Mediterranean countries and is often used to make natural remedies.
Milk thistle is sometimes used as a natural treatment for liver problems such as cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis, and gallbladder disorders.
Does Milk Thistle Work?
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Silymarin is the main active ingredient in milk thistle, it is a mixture of flavonolignans (Silybum marianum Gaertneri) and has a history as a medical plant for almost two millennia.
How Does the Body Use Silymarin?
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When a healthy person consumes silymarin, the body converts it rapidly to other chemical by-products that do not have biological activity. Its peak activity occurs one to two hours after consumption.
However, in patients with liver dysfunction, silymarin, and the flavonolignans it contains stay in the blood longer and at concentrations for three to five times higher than a healthy patient.
How Milk Thistle Provides Liver Support
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Milk thistle helps to detoxify and support liver health. It can:
- Boosts glutathione levels
- Protects against toxic substances
- Promote weight loss
- Protects against harmful organisms
- Reduces iron overload in thalassemia patients
- Promotes normal liver function
Milk Thistle & Liver Detox
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If you want to detoxify your liver, it is advisable to add milk thistle to your medical treatment. You can choose between taking a supplement or drinking a milk thistle tea.
You can even try a full 5-day Liver Cleanse that includes eating a diet free of processed food and toxins and taking a supplement that includes milk thistle.
Milk Thistle Tea Recipe
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The seeds of milk thistle are usually used to make tea. You can buy milk thistle seeds in bulk online or at many larger health food stores. You can also buy it in tea bags, already prepared.
To make milk thistle tea yourself follow these instructions:
Equipment:
Tea Infuser
Ingredients:
Milk thistle seeds Distilled water Pick a natural sweetener: Organic raw honey, agave, or stevia
Directions:
Crush one tablespoon of the seeds and place in a tea infuser with three cups of boiling water.
Steep for about 10 minutes.
Add raw honey, agave, stevia, or another natural sweetener, if desired.
