LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Liver Cleanse

Assalaam O Alaikum wa Rahmatullah.
I have been having some indigestion on a regular basis
coupled on occasions with nausea and bloating. I
wonder if perhaps my gaulbladder is the problem and I
am having starting symptoms. I wanted to ask you
about liver cleanses by Dr Hilda Clark with olive oil,
lemon juice and epsom salts. Would you advise this
kind of cleanse? My mother has also recommended me an
auyervedic powder mixture which is supposed to be
good. I am wondering which would be better for me to
do.What would you suggest? - T. in Illinois

Dear T,

The liver cleanse you mentioned is a wonderful way to clean out but I wonder if it might be too intense for you at this point. Usually one does a pre-cleanse before anything so intense and if you do this kind of liver cleanse you can expect to be in bed for a couple hours or on the toilet for a while! So I would recommend it - it is wonderful - but first make sure you are strong enough to handle it and that you have some extra time on your hands. I would say to ease into it by settling your digestive system first. The best and easiest way to do this is to add some aloe Vera juice to some water or juice (I prefer juice because it masks the odd taste) and drinking this 3 times a day (see bottle for dosages). After a week of doing this you should feel better and your body would be ready for the cleanse.

And make sure you drink PLENTY of water during the cleanse. You don't want to cleanse and just have the toxins stay in your body. Water is the element of the cleanse that FLUSHES the toxins once they are released.

I am not sure about the Ayurvedic powder. Do you know what is in it?

Blessings & Health,
Hakima Karima

The following information was added by Anisa Abeytiya:

(Please note that the liver and gallbladder are often cleansed together, so although Hilda Clark mentions this as a Liver Cleanse on the site, it is ALSO a Gallbladder cleanse. Note that Hilda Clark's therapies are often posted on various sites without the disclaimers that Anisa mentions below...so, as with all information, it is good to research)

Asalaam Alikum,

This is actually a gallstone cleanse and it is quite dangerous if someone has a stone because it could obstruct the duct and cause the gallbladder to rupture. I do not know anyone that recommends this because of the legal ramifications.

Our bodies detoxify 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So it is not something we need to force the body to do. Yet there are times when we do need to help the body along. If your detoxification pathways are not all working, particularly your bowel, you do not want to force detoxification (see my article on detox at www.womenshealingcircle.org) because your body will not be able to remove waste.

A simple glass of water with lemon juice is a wonderful, safe way to help cleans your liver. Green powders are cleansing as well as assist the body to eliminate waste. Drink 3 8oz glasses of water with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, not with food.

One should never embark on a detoxification program without the assistance of a health professional. Also, those who are pregnant, nursing or planning to become pregnant, those recovering from chronic or acute illness should not embark on a detoxification program.

A tea made with1 part marshmallow and 1 part chamomile are suitable to calm gut inflammation and sooth the stomach.

If you e mail me I can send you a questionnaire to asses Phase I and II of your liver.

Blessings,

Anisa