Holiday Preparation: Liver Detox

Around the holidays, your liver -- the organ responsible for detoxifying your entire body -- often gets kicked into overdrive. "It has to work harder to process all that rich food and alcohol under conditions of too much stress and too little sleep. This leaves you feeling sluggish," says Susan Blum, M.D., founder of the Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, New York. Give it some extra help with these purifying strategies.

Start Fresh
Wake up to a simple tonic of hot water with just-squeezed lemon juice.

Why It Works
Lemon juice delivers antioxidants such as vitamin C that help boost liver function, according to Rachel Meltzer Warren, M.S., R.D.

Go for Protein
Aim for about 60 grams of high-quality protein per day. Smart options include organic poultry, omega-3-rich fatty fish (including sardines and wild Alaskan salmon), and vegetarian sources like beans, nuts, and seeds.

Why It Works
The amino acids found in protein are crucial for the liver to be able to remove toxins most efficiently.

Fill Up on Fiber
Try to get a steady supply all day long from cruciferous veggies like brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage; dark leafy greens; and gluten-free whole grains, including brown rice and millet (these are easier for the liver to process, and eliminating wheat, a common allergen, may help your liver work more efficiently).

Why It Works
Fiber helps keep your gut -- the seat of the immune system--strong and healthy. Taking in enough of the nutrient ensures regular bowel movements, which excrete the toxins collected in the liver.

Get Enough B Vitamins
Reach for nuts like almonds and pecans, and legumes such as lentils. Finish off smoothies, brown rice, and cereal with a sprinkle of wheat germ.

Why It Works
B vitamins, such as thiamine, may improve the body's ability to withstand holiday-induced stress, which puts strain on your system.

Fast One Day Each Week
A weekly green juice or smoothie detox will give your liver a rest and supercharge your system with antioxidants that repair cell damage.

Why It Works
"Vegetables like kale and Swiss chard move the liver to an 'on' switch so it can start flushing out toxins," Blum says. What's more, according to preliminary research from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute, regular fasts may boost heart health, possibly by prompting the body to burn fat for fuel.