Herbal Supplements for Liver and Protect against Damage, Alcoholics

 Herbal Supplements for your Liver

Protect Against Damage From Alcohol Abuse

I have been an alcoholic since I was 15 years old. 23 years later I am still an alcoholic at 38. I have quit for short periods of time throughout my life, but have always fallen off of the wagon. So until I am able to finally get it right and quit drinking altogether I have did a lot of studying about what kinds of herbal supplements support and protect liver function in Alcoholics.

First of all cirrhosis of the liver cannot be reversed, and that has always terrified me. So after doing a lot of research the best form of defense practicing alcoholics can take (other than abstaining from alcohol entirely) is to buy herbal supplements that can protect the liver from alcohol induced liver damage.  Anytime I am going to be out drinking I always take a Milk Thistle capsule to help my liver filter the toxins more efficiently. I also take one after I get home (If I'm not too wasted and forget). I then also take one the first thing when I get up the next morning.

I am sure that I will get plenty of comments like "Why don't you just stop drinking"..  Well, it's an addiction that I haven't quite been able to conquer. If you ate too much fast food, I wouldn't berate you for exercising to try and offset the damage you were doing to your body! Get it? I just had to throw that out there because I have been writing about my alcoholism on this blog since 2008. I've come to know what kinds of posts will get a response from the teatotalers out there :)

So, What is Milk Thistle?

Milk Thistle is a plant that contains a powerfull flavonoid called silymarin.  This powerful flavenoid increases bile flow which helps the liver eliminate toxins more efficiently from the liver. It's also a powerful anti inflammatory and antioxidant.

Milk Thistle has been used for over 2000 years to treat liver related diseases.  In fact did you know that hospitals keep it on hand in case someone comes after eating the deadly "deathcap mushroom". They are immediately given Milk Thistle and this increases the patients chances of survival significantly and reduces the damage done by the mushroom.

So if I could take any herbal supplement to help my liver work more efficiently and to protect myself from liver damage, I would definitely take Milk Thistle. I take it every day, and so far so good! I have actually had my liver enzymes levels checked last year and they were in the normal range. After 23 years of drinking, the Milk Thistle must have given me some benefits. Since I am not a doctor, here are a few links if you want to read more about Milk Thistle and its benefits as a herbal supplement.

• Milk Thistle as a herbal supplement for liver protection from alcohol induced damage

 http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/milk-thistle-000266.htm

•   http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/silymarin/NS_patient-milkthistle

I have also found that taking dandilion herbal supplements also protect your liver against alcohol induced damage.  I have provided both products below if you would like to supplement your diet (and your drinking) with two great herbal supplements than can help prevent liver disease in people who battle with alcoholism everyday.

Milk Thistle Capsules - Protect your Liver against damages from alcohol!

Purchase Milk Thistle and Protect Your Liver! Herbal Supplements

Order Milk Thistle and Protect Your Liver! Herbal Supplements

Protect Your Liver From Alcohol? Milk Thistle, Dandelion Herbs

 How can you Protect Your Liver from Alcohol?

If you have battled alcoholism like I have for more than 20 years you are also probably worried about what you are doing to your liver. Just browse through my blog and you will get a good idea of how much of a mess I am at times. It is very easy to tell which blogs I am drunk out of my mind, and at which times I am coherant and sober.

I've always been intrigued about what benefits herbs have to offer the human body, and in this case the liver! There are several herbs that I have studied about and protect the liver from alcohol abuse, poor diet, and protection from prescription pills. This is what I have found to be the two most beneficial herbs to protect the liver from alcohol:

Milk Thistle

 Milk Thistle Extract

Milk thistle is a plant that contains powerful compounds that protect the liver against harmful toxins such as alcohol. Considering that I am not a doctor of any sort, here are a few helpful links if you would like to read about some studies about how Milk Thistle can help protect your liver from alcohol.

• How Milk Thistle Protects Your Liver From Alcohol 
• How Milk Thistle Works 

Order some Milk Thistle online and protect your liver. Especially if you are an alcoholic or take prescription medication!

Dandelion

Yes, apparently all of those pesky little yellow flowers are great at protecting your liver from alcohol. Who would of thought that, right?

 Dandelion / Milk Thistle Capsules - Protect Your Liver!

Just so you don't think that I'm shamelessly pumping herbal supplements here is a pic of the milk thistle that I take everyday! I'm an alcoholic and this is one of the few sensible things that I do for my health ;) The kitty in the background is my 14 year old cat "Moo Moo"

Read More about Herbal Supplements to help protect your liver from damage caused by alcohol.

Reversing Damage From Alcoholism

Well, the title of this blog can be a bit misleading. I really don't think that you can REVERSE all of the effects that years have drinking has done to an alcoholics body. However, there are many supplements, herbs, and precautions that can really minimize the damages of alcohol.

I have been an alcoholic for 20 years, and this may seem strange, but I have also been a HEALTH nut for nearly as long. The human body has always fascinated me, and I love to research alternative medicine and anti aging alternatives that often go unpublicized in western medicine. An alcoholic is committing a slow and depressive suicide by drinking in such large volumes, for long periods of time, over many years. Until you (or somebody you love) can find their way out of the darkness, I would like to share some protective herbs, foods, and supplements that can protect your body from alcohol.

After two decades of hard drinking, I am lucky to say that my body still feels rather healthy. That's not to say that I don't suffer from severe hangovers, I just make an effort to replenish my body with the nutrients that alcohol takes away. Since I don't have any health insurance, I have long ago decided to become my own health care provider. You would be amazed at how many alternative therapies are actually very effective at treating sickness and disease. I certainly don't have a large financial budget to afford all of the alternative medicine treatments that can be found on the internet. The monetary cost would be very substantial. I will just share some very effective natural treatments (that I use daily) that you can find at your grocery store, or local vitamin shop.

• Milk Thistle and Dandelion - Milk Thistle is probably the best herbal supplement that you can take to protect your liver from alcohol. Milk Thistle has actually been PROVEN to reverse some of the damages of alcohol, and can prevent further damage. Read some facts about Milk Thistle from a University of Maryland Study. Dandelion has also been proven to be very effective in detoxifying the liver from the harmful effects of alcohol. You can purchase treatments both in one supplement to help those suffering from alcoholism to protect themselves from the damages from alcohol. Ordering Milk Thistle Online is Cheap and Easy, and Your Liver Will Thank You!
  
• Beets - Personally, I can't stand the taste of beets, but after years of research on ways I can protect my body from the effects of alcoholism, I have found a way to tolerate them. Here are some facts about the benefits of regularly consuming beets.
• Lemon Juice - Lemon juice is very beneficial for the liver. It is most highly effective if you heat up some water to a near boil in a "coffee mug" and squeeze a lemon into the hot water. Most liver cleanses are done with the use of Olive oil and lemon juice. A simple search on Google will give you thousands of liver flush remedies. I have tried this liver flush with amazing results!! The flush works my friends! Until you are ready for the flush treatment, then hot lemon water is good therapy for your liver. Ginger tea is worth checking into as well!
  
• Cayenne Pepper Tea - Heavy drinking can cause heart damage, and if you want to keep your heart healthy, then heating up hot water in a coffee mug and mixing 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper is probably the best natural medicine that you can take for your heart (and it only costs a few dollars in any grocery store). Google "cayenne pepper heart" into any search engine to read all about the benefits that cayenne pepper tea immediately gives every organ in your body. Initially it is tough to swallow down, but you get used to it, and begin to like it. It gives you a boost of energy without the caffeine type stimulant jitters!
• Plenty of Fluids - Anybody who has ever gotten drunk before has probably suffered from dehydration. Anybody who sufferers from alcoholism suffers from this on a regular basis. Drinking "healthy" fluids while you are drinking can help remedy the "next day dehydration effect", and immediately drinking plenty of water or juices the next day will greatly shorten the hangover time-span. Dehydration also makes all of your organs work harder and less effectively. Give your organs a break! I personally prefer V8 upon waking up the next day. It gives me a lot of nutrition, and the sodium content helps the body to retain some water, which is beneficial to the dehydration problem that the over consumption of alcohol has caused.
• B Vitamin Complex and Multi Vitamin Supplement - Alcohol depletes the body of many water soluble vitamins. A B-complex and a multiple vitamin (without iron) helps give you a broad nutritional replenishment of the alcohol induced damages of the day before.
• Vegetables - However you prefer to indulge. The more the better! I enjoy going out to a nice salad bar (Ruby Tuesday's for me!), and load up on every vegetable available. Use spinach lettuce, rather than iceberg lettuce (its worthless). Your body can literally feel the benefits that it receives.
• Exercise - I know, its nearly impossible to exercise when you are hungover. The only way I can get around this is taking a day off from drinking. Do whatever you can to get through this day. Just taking one or two days off from drinking really rejuvinates the body and allows your mind to focus more clearly. You would be amazed at how differently you enjoy everyday life, commitments, and priorities if you just can give yourself a break from your addictions with alcohol. I love to exercise after a day or two off from "acting a fool" with my drinking addictions. I walk, run up and down my steps, and even lift a few weights. Anything that will break a sweat will do. Try replacing an "alcohol high" with a natural rush of an endorphin euphoria! The only drawback from this, is that I feel so good after the exercise, I have a strong urge to open a beer and "have some fun"! Ohhh, the life of an alcoholic.

These are just a few remedies that I do to offset some of the damages I have self induced onto myself from years of alcoholism. I would be much better off abstaining from alcohol entirely, but until I am ready to give the full commitment, I really feel that I have lessened the damages from alcohol. Nutrition, herbal supplements, and exercise really do provide benefits. I am almost 36 years old and still get carded for booze. These precautions / remedies must be doing something right! Just try to treat your body right, until your ready to make sobriety a part of your everyday life.

I am not condoning drinking, I just want myself, you, and us all to keep our health until we are ready to make the dedicated commitment. Nobody can preach somebody else into quitting their alcohol addiction. It's a decision that each individual must make on their own time. I have a strong feeling that alcohol will always win in the end if we never decide to quit. Until then, lets try to stay healthy, and keep our hearts open with the possibility that its possible to allow yourself to be happy AND sober. I know there's a way. I just haven't found it yet myself.

The following is a very good book (that I have personally read) that relates directly towards this article :