Cleanse/flush for liver...experiences, advice?

[Tresa]

Want to do something targeted toward my liver, but would take any ideas for cleansing while pregnant. Or direction for my research?

[~Adorkable~]

I have heard many times that flushing or detox while preggo is not a good idea because it would let too much stuff go circulating around while it was getting out and that increases toxins the baby is exposed to.
I'm no expert about this but have heard it many times around here. I'm sure you will get more info from others.

Can i ask what is making you want or feel the need to do this right now?

[Tresa]

That's why I asked here, because I've heard you shouldn't cleanse either but figured there was something I could do.

I feel like...overwhelmed? I feel hungover a lot, for the first half+ of the day, and don't drink, so I have to think it's my liver, based on my symptoms. And its load is only going to increase, so I wondered if there's something I can do to help it do its thing so maybe *my* quality of life can be a little better.

[~Adorkable~]

I would work hard to increase both your water and your electrolyte intake, that will also naturally help your body flush. But feeling hungover is a strong sign of dehydration.

Remember that if you eat a low salt or other electroyte diet, your body can not take in and use water very well, it takes a balance of both.

[MaerynPearl]

is it, by chance, morning sickness?

I got it similar with my DD... it came on around 10 weeks and went away by 16.

[kl5]

I would work toward liver support, not "cleansing" or "flushing" (which I am dubious about even when not pregnant, but that's another thread...). Make sure you are getting adequate B vitamins (especially B6), consider a tincture of milk thistle a couple of times a day in your water, eat plenty of protein and, as others have said, stay hydrated! Nettles infusions and dandelion tea would also be great help. (Great articles here and here.)

[laurata]

Originally Posted by kl5

I would work toward liver support, not "cleansing" or "flushing" (which I am dubious about even when not pregnant, but that's another thread...). Make sure you are getting adequate B vitamins (especially B6), consider a tincture of milk thistle a couple of times a day in your water, eat plenty of protein and, as others have said, stay hydrated! Nettles infusions and dandelion tea would also be great help. (Great articles here and here.)

This. I found all these things to be helpful in dealing with severe morning sickness in my third and fourth pregnancies.

[Tresa]

It's very morning sickness-ey. But it comes and goes, and I don't want to do this my whole pregnancy like I did with my last two. I should feel grateful that it's this way, because my mom felt terrible all the way through all of her pregnancies (but she lives off of diet coke and doesn't eat that well). I know there's something I can do. I'm off to read, thanks!

[tanyalynn]

You can reduce stress on your liver several ways. Good nutrition, maybe more than the average person needs if your symptoms are different/more persistent than the average person, can help. Food intolerances can increase stress on our livers--cutting out gluten and dairy was really helpful to me--I felt miserable my last pregnancy and if I'd known that those foods were involved, I could've saved myself a lot of grief. that if/when I'm pregnant again, it goes a lot easier.

And go down to Health & Healing and read about cell salts, I've found them helpful for myself and my kids in absorbing and/or utilizing nutrients. They seem to do exactly what they're billed to do, they're fairly inexpensive and low risk. I now love them.