Milk Thistle

Are you allergic, hungover? Does your liver need more support?

November 16, 2023 By Sue

Tips to use to reduce the effects of alcohol.

If you’re one of those people that suffers a little after a drink or two, by following a few of these guidelines and supporting your liver you can reduce the effects of alcohol and make your recovery a lot quicker.

Avoiding alcohol is the obvious recommendation, however there are ways you can include preparation and prevention, especially when it's the holidays and the season for celebrating.

Maybe you're allergic, not hungover?

If you follow all these tips and your hangovers are still terrible then you might find that you’re allergic or sensitive to the yeast in beer, a certain type of grape or the sulphites in wine.

It’s a good idea to consciously choose which alcohol suits you better and avoid the pain or using a process of elimination!!

Alcohol can cause the stomach lining to feel inflamed, and you can find out more about inflammation, it’s effects and how to mange it.

Before and during the event: -

Avoid drinking on an empty stomach. Plan ahead!! Always eat a meal before drinking to reduce the risk of inflammation from alcohol.

You’ve probably heard this before …. water is essential, have a glass of water with each alcoholic drink it dilutes the alcohol, speeds up elimination and stops dehydration.

TOP TIP – take a teaspoon of glutamine in water before a night out to protect your gut it can really make a difference for some. Or you can try slippery elm powder, it’s a traditional herbal remedy that helps protect, soothe and heal inflamed mucous membranes, including those lining the throat, stomach and digestive tract. mix a teaspoon of slippery elm powder with yoghurt, or mash into a banana.

Don’t mix your drinks make it a wine night or a spirit night. In general, the less colourants and additives you add to your drinks the better try and keep it clear i.e. white wine, vodka or gin. It is of course an individual thing so get to know your body and which one has least effect on you.
Take the herb Milk thistle it protects and detoxifies the liver.
Take N-Acetyl-Cysteine NAC – is an amino acid that will increase glutathione (the master antioxidant) - helping your liver to break alcohol. It's found in poultry, oats, dairy, garlic, onions and brussels sprouts, although higher amounts may be needed to provide optimal support following alcohol consumption. Take 25 – 50mg daily throughout the festive season. You can also take NAC in higher amounts 30 minutes before you have a drink to help reduce the toxic effects of alcohol.
Magnesium - an essential mineral, is easily depleted by alcohol. It has anti-inflammatory effects thereby helping to reduce symptoms of a heartaches and hangovers. Supplement daily with 25 – 50mg magnesium to keep sufficient levels.
B Vitamins - Alcohol depletes B vitamins, at the same time they're essential to help clear it from the body. Supplement with a B complex.
When you get home: -
- With a large glass of water – take another milk thistle, Vitamin C, B Complex and either fish oils or evening primrose oil.
- Eat something to help replace nutrients like mixed fruit juice, smoothies, or a slice of toast with peanut butter.
- Take a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in a glass of water with some lemon juice. This helps to alkalise the acidity in your body caused by drinking, and fight symptoms of your hangover.

Next Day:-

Replace lost electrolytes. Keep coconut water handy, it rehydrates the body more effectively than water due to the electrolytes in it. Dehydration is one of the primary causes of headaches, especially hangover headaches.
Make your own Rehydration ‘morning after’ Drink - ½ lemon, pinch of salt, a teaspoon of honey to water helps replace the sodium and glycogen lost the night before. The likes of tea and coffee will just further dehydrate you. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon and add the salt and honey, with a splash of hot water from the kettle, and mix until the salt and honey are dissolved, top up with cold water and drink immediately.

Breakfast Cures

Avoid the traditional fry up – the cooked fats are difficult to digest and hard on the liver, your body does not need additional work whilst it’s trying to heal itself. Rather, opt for a breakfast which contains foods that will help repair the damage.
Poached eggs on wholegrain toast, with onions and beans help support liver pathways, breakdown toxins and elimination. Egg yolks contain large amounts of cysteine, which breaks down acetaldehyde, one of the culprits behind a hangover
Porridge with chopped banana is a good hangover food as both contain crucial B vitamins which help reduce the stress your body is under. The banana will also help restore lost potassium.
Fruit Smoothie made up from natural yogurt, banana and berries is a great hangover cure because dairy is another good source of cysteine and works well paired with high vitamin C fruit.
A freshly home-made juice containing apple, carrot and beet root with added ginger. Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables are a rich source of natural antioxidants, providing your body with a much-needed antioxidant hit.

Although exercise may be the last thing you want to do, however gentle exercise - like yoga or walking will help stimulate circulation, get your brain functioning and encourage the release of happy endorphins that tend to be low the morning after the night before, also known as the ‘alcohol blues’.

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Disclaimer: The advice in this blog is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from a qualified, licensed professional, please consult your medical doctor if you have persistent symptoms.

Milk thistle – the best liver loving herb!

November 9, 2023 By admin

Milk thistle is most often considered a weed, however it’s uses as a medicinal herb far exceed this.

Although the use of milk thistle goes back as far as Dioscorides who used it for snake bite (Mills and Bone, 2000 p. 554), the seeds have been used for centuries in mainland Europe in treating mostly liver disorders.

The Eclectics in the U.S. also used it for the spleen, liver and kidneys and liver diseases in Pakistan and Bulgaria (Morgan, 2005 p.1). The plant is edible and the stalk and young leaves were often eaten as a salad.

What is milk thistle good for?

Milk thistle is an excellent antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties and is commonly used to detoxify the liver.

The active ingredient, silybum marianum is a flavonoid that when used as an extract or in supplement form has cell regenerating benefits.

Milk thistle is a true liver tonic and is a powerful detoxifier, and it boosts protective antioxidant levels in your liver cells.

Milk thistle seeds are especially useful to detoxify and support your liver whenever you are exposed to chemicals in your drinking water or beauty products, alcohol, pesticides in your food, or prescription medications as it has been shown to decrease and even reverse damage to your liver.

The liver performs many essential functions in your body including:

– acting as a “blood purifier,” cleaning your blood continuously
– detoxifying and removing harmful substances
– it aids in hormone production
– releases glucose giving your body energy
– releases bile into your small intestine so fat can be absorbed from foods

How does milk thistle protect your liver?

It prevents tissue scarring and toxins from binding to the cells found in your liver membrane. It also stimulates protein synthesis in the liver, helping with the formation and growth of healthy new cells by inhibiting inflammatory chemicals in your liver (Thamsborg et al., 1996).

When your liver is overwhelmed it can create various symptoms like PMS, irritability, skin itching, heat sensations, digestive problems, bitter taste in the mouth, fatigue, headaches (hangovers) and the tendency to react negatively to some drugs or herbs.

So if your liver isn’t functioning properly you can see where all the problems can start!

In European hospitals it has been used when someone has taken the death cap toadstool (Amanita phalloides), due to it’s ability to reverse toxic liver damage and protect against toxic liver agents.

Milk thistle’s (Silymarin) also has numerous other benefits.

1. It’s been is associated with decreasing the risk for cancer by boosting the immune system, fighting DNA damage and reversing tumor growth.

2. Supports heart health and helps to lower cholesterol levels by reducing inflammation, cleaning your blood and preventing oxidative stress in the arteries.

3. It has been reported through clinical studies that the antioxidants, can help control symptoms of diabetes by decreasing blood sugar levels in insulin-resistant patients.

4. Helps to purify the body of metabolic waste, thereby regulating the function of the gallbladder, kidney and spleen.

5. Studies show that phytochemicals, like those found in silymarin of milk thistle, are effective at inhibiting UV stress on the skin.

6. The antioxidants help prevent free radical damage throughout the body and remove pollutants and waste from the blood and digestive tract, it can actually slow the aging process – on the surface of your skin and within your organs.

In Summary
Milk thistle is considered a true liver tonic as it is used for treating true liver conditions like hepatitis and cirrhosis.

The antioxidants in milk thistle are known to protect the liver from toxins, including the effects of chemicals and alcohol.

Not only has milk thistle (silybum marianum) been found to increase glutathione (a powerful antioxidant that is crucial for liver detoxification), it may reverse liver damage and help to regenerate liver cells by stimulating the growth of healthy new cells.

Clinical applications of milk thistle include:-

When clients need liver support I also like to combine milk thistle with other herbs like dandelion root, gotu kola or turmeric root to create a liver tonic which heals, repairs, detoxifies and gently stimulates the liver.

Serious skin conditions, hepatitis, fatty liver, cirrhosis, ischemic injury, radiation toxicity, and viral hepatitis.

Safety

Very safe, occasional digestive upset. Use cautiously (consult your physician) if taking specific drugs which require adequate blood levels, such as cardiac glycosides or cyclosporine.

DOSAGE:

• Concentrated standardized silymarin capsules (70-210 mg): one to two pills, two to three times per day

Something else to consider: Is your body trying to tell you something? Do you often look & feel tired, have dark circles under your eyes, or wake up feeling sluggish?

Because Toxins are unavoidable, maybe your body needs a cleanse. So every once in a while it’s a good idea remove them with the structure and support of a fresh food detox!

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Disclaimer: The advice in this blog is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from a qualified, licensed professional, please consult your medical doctor Consult a qualified herbalist if you have persistent symptoms.

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Oestrogen Dominance – 9 ways to reduce it

October 31, 2017 By admin

Are Your Oestrogen Levels In The Right Balance?

Hormones are the chemical messengers that control major body functions. Any imbalance can wreak havoc on your health. Some of the most important hormones for us to understand and keep in a healthy balance are our sex hormones.

Each hormone needs to be in the right balance for you. In 30’s your hormones will have different levels to when you’re 50.

As you enter perimenopause (usually after 40) through to the age of 50, there is an approximate 35% drop in oestrogen, and approx. 75% reduction in progesterone occurring simultaneously. This is considered normal, however because oestrogen and progesterone are so dependent on each other, the dramatic decrease in progesterone production leaves many women with symptoms of oestrogen dominance, even if oestrogen levels are lower than before.

Oestrogen is a fabulous hormone:
– it gives you hips, breasts, and thighs.
– It builds up the endometrial tissue in your uterus during your cycle ( important when having a baby).
– It protects your brain, heart, and bones

There’s more than one oestrogen, be sure to have the good one!

Oestrogen is not a single hormone but a group of hormones that are present in both men and women. They’re produced by adrenal glands, fat tissue, the ovaries and the testis.

The term “Oestrogen” is an umbrella term for three hormones – estradiol, estriol and estrone.

Estradiol is the most commonly measured type of oestrogen for non-pregnant women. Estradiol varies throughout the menstrual cycle. After menopause, estradiol production typically drops to a very low but constant level.

Estriol levels usually are only measured during pregnancy. And Estrone may be measured in women who have gone through menopause to determine their oestrogen levels.

Excess estradiol can be dangerous. Many diseases, including cancers and fibroids, are associated with too high estradiol levels.

To complicate matters, when oestrogen is broken down into metabolites in the liver, “good” or “bad” metabolites and they can either help or harm your health and wellbeing.

Oestrogen breaks down into 3 different type of metabolites. They are:

2-Hydroxyestrone (or 2-OH for short)
4-Hydroxyestrone (or 16-OH for short)
16-Hydroxyestrone (or 16-OH for short)

2-OH is beneficial. You need to make at least 70% of this.

4-OH is mostly not beneficial. You want to make 10% or less of this.

16-OH is mostly not beneficial. You want to make no more than 20% of this.

Women who metabolise a larger proportion of their oestrogen via the 16-OH pathway may be at a significantly elevated risk of breast cancer compared with women who metabolise proportionally more oestrogen via the 2-OH pathway.

The “good” metabolites are known to have high antioxidant activity, which provides protection for the brain and heart.

The “bad” metabolites have been tied to cancer and weight gain.

It would make sense that you would want to do what you can to increase the good metabolites and decrease the bad metabolites, increasing the 2-OHE:16-OHE ratio. It is believed that by doing so we decrease the risk for a number of oestrogen-responsive cancers.

So what happens if your body is producing too much or too little oestrogen?

When women experience insufficient oestrogen, they can experience symptoms – including trouble sleeping, headaches, decreased labido, irregular periods, mood swings and hot flashes.

You want oestrogen sticking around, but you also want it to stay in check. When it starts running the show and knocks other hormones like progesterone out of whack, oestrogen imbalance occurs.

Whether it’s extra inches (especially) around the middle, ongoing fatigue, skin issues, trouble sleeping, PMS, PCOS, fibroids or fertility issues you may have a hormone imbalance.

Hormones can effect your size and shape and may be the reason you’ve struggled with losing weight and keeping those extra inches off. Too much fat below the belly button, hips and buttocks may indicate you have a hormone imbalance, in particular oestrogen dominance.

As oestrogen levels rise, controlling your weight becomes really difficult, because fat cells also produce oestrogen. So the more fat cells, the more oestrogen is released into your body, and the more your fat cells grow.

The following symptoms are common among those with oestrogen dominance. What begins with mild symptoms in younger years often becomes moderate in the mid to late 30s, and severe by the time a person reaches their mid-40s.

If you are experiencing some of these symptoms, you may be experiencing some level of oestrogen dominance. You’ll be in a far better place if you address your hormone imbalances when they are still mild, it will also mean you’ll have an easier transition to the menopause.

MILD	MODERATE	SEVERE
Premenstrual breast tenderness	Irregular menstruation	Uterine fibroid tumors
Premenstrual mood swings	Weight gain	Endometriosis
Premenstrual fluid retention, weight gain	Hair loss	Fibrocystic breasts
Premenstrual headaches	Depression	Polycystic ovary syndrome
Menstrual cramps	Fatigue	Breast tumors
Thyroid dysfunction	Infertility
Adrenal gland fatigue	Thickened uterine lining
Headaches, migraines	Accelerated ageing
Severe menstrual cramps	Miscarriage
Heavy periods with clotting	Anxiety and panic attacks
Joint and muscle pain	Autoimmune disorders
Decreased libido	Impotency
Insomnia and restless sleep	Oestrogen related cancer
Dry eyes
Lowered libido
Prostate problems

What can cause oestrogen excess?

Oestrogen is a vital hormone for many functions in your body, but if it’s not in it’s natural form or at the right level for you then it will interfere with your hormonal activity.

According to the work of Dr. John Lee, the balance of your body’s natural hormones are disrupted because we are living in a ‘sea of oestrogens’ as a result of:-

Eating non-organic animal foods with high levels of hormones i.e meat, diary, chicken.

Increased synthetic oestrogens found in things like plastics (BPA), medications, synthetic hormones (the pill and HRT) and chemicals from beauty products and chemicals in your environment.
Pesticides that mimic oestrogen in your body and send messages to the hypothalamus that it needs to keep producing more and more oestrogens.

Dr. John R. Lee coined the term ‘oestrogen dominance’ to describe what occurs when a woman has deficient, normal, or excessive oestrogen but little or no progesterone to balance oestrogen’s effects.

Even low oestrogen levels can create oestrogen dominance symptoms if you’re also low in progesterone. In my practice, I’ve found that these factors can create oestrogen imbalance:

Being overweight or obese (fat cells produce excess oestrogen)
Being overly stressed (adrenal hormones are overly stimulated)
Poor diet choices
Autoimmune conditions
Gut conditions i.e. constipation and dysbiosis
Environmental toxins

Chemicals—called xenoestrogens— can set the stage for oestrogen dominance. One study found that mineral water with xenoestrogens leached from plastic packaging material could create oestrogenic activity, and sadly, these chemicals are all over the place in our modern world.

That being said, oestrogen dominance doesn’t occur in a vacuum. often when oestrogen gets out of balance, other hormones like insulin and cortisol can quickly follow.

9 ways to take charge of your oestrogen levels so that you can have your best life:

There are some simple changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle that may be just what the Doc ordered.

Get more fibre – Plenty of complex carbohydrates and fibre from beans, lentils, wholegrains, vegetables and fruit. Fibre helps your body eliminate excess oestrogens. That’s why the saying ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’, is still so relevant to you today.Eat moderate amounts of protein – legumes, fish, eggs & chicken. Good fats such as nuts, seeds, oily fish and cold pressed vegetable oils. Eating enough fats and protein are key to ensuring the correct hormone levels in our body.
Help your body detoxify daily by supporting your liver. Among its copious nutrients, studies show indole-3-carbinol (I3C)—prevalent in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables—prevents the development of oestrogen-enhanced breast, endometrial, cervical, and other cancers.Eat ‘a cup a day’ of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts and kale ) to help your liver produce enzymes and provide sulphur needed for the liver’s detoxification processes and help you liver remove the bad oestrogens and keep the good ones.Milk thistle is also an excellent herb for the liver as it not only supports detoxification but it also repairs liver cells.Liver-healing strategies include eating quality protein, garlic and onions, taking a B vitamin.
Heal your gut. Once the liver processes oestrogen for elimination, your gut moves it out. Gut issues mean oestrogen probably isn’t making its way out efficiently and instead could be recirculating in your body. As you can see, identifying and treating underlying causes of your digestive issues becomes crucial to balancing hormones.
Do some exercise. Moderate to high intensity exercise helps your body maintain normal levels of oestrogen – according to research. Do a mixture of exercise, including aerobic and try increasing your muscle mass by doing strength building exercise.
Avoid the following as best you can.
Alcohol – it impairs the optimum functioning of your liver by making it difficult to metabolise and remove excess hormones.
Pesticides – Wash if You Can or Go Organic. There are a variety of chemicals and pesticides found in your food or drink that exert oestrogen like activity when absorbed into the body. These are found on non-organic fruits and vegetables as well as animal products.
Plastics – these are also similar in structure to oestrogen and confuse the body’s hormone balance because they mimic the body’s own oestrogen. Use BPA-free plastic, glass or metal containers for water.
Reduce the following.
Body fat because it stores chemicals, if you carry excess fat around the middle you will tend to have higher oestrogen levels.Chronic stress – any form of stress (nutritional, physical, chemical, mental, environmental) can increase your cortisol levels and disrupt hormonal balance. Cortisol becomes the predominant hormone and starts to reduce other hormones like progesterone and thereby increasing oestrogen levels. If yoga or meditation aren’t your thing, even five minutes of deep breathing or laughing with your best friend can help lower cortisol and reset estrogen levels.
Supplement smartly. A functional practitioner can help you design an oestrogen-balancing supplement protocol.Optimal vitamin D is also crucial, as studies show sufficient vitamin D levels can inhi
bit breast cancer cell growth. Ask your doctor or health care practitioner for a 25(OH)D test.
Get tested. Lab testing can reveal whether and why you have oestrogen dominance. I like the DUTCH test which stands for “dried urine total complete hormones” and this has more benefits than other testing methods.
The biggest and brightest names in health are reccomending the DUTCH test….Dr Mercola and Chris Kresser are all loving this test. If you would like to own your hormones, it starts with knowledge and I can help you.
Sleep becomes mandatory to balance your hormones. If you have trouble drifting into eight hours of solid sleep nightly, try a relaxing tea, a warm bath.

The great news is that you CAN shift your hormones back into balance by following these steps, and reduce not only the inches but also the detrimental effect of excess oestrogen.

To find out more about how you can have optimum wellness as you enter your 40’s and feel radiant have vitality, and energy to do all that you want to have radiant skin, calm any digestive issues, cope better with stress, anxiety and have much higher long-lasting energy levels.

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5 Foods that will boost Your Energy Levels and Help You Lose Weight Naturally.

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You may be struggling with low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight, you might have tried a number of diets and strategies that haven’t worked for you.

I know how frustrating this can be, and how confusing it is to try to make sense of all the conflicting nutritional information out there.

I put this guide together so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. The information I’m sharing is not about the latest fad diet; it’s about adding in nutrient-dense foods that have been proven to both aid in weight loss and improve overall health at the same time.

While some of this may be new to you, with a little bit of practice you will find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis. In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods. How’s that for healthy eating on the go?

I’m excited to share this information with you, so let’s dig in!

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