Today's guest post comes to you from Emily Ehlers, a Holistic Lifestyle Coach, blogger, wellness junkie and barefoot bandit. She is the fair-haired maiden behind Olive on Blonde. You can find out more about Emily in my interview with her here.

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As you may or may not know, I am on a serious detox mission. I am going through my life with a red pen and crossing out all the things I don’t like and rewriting my essay. I will update on this over the next few weeks but so far I am slowly moving through the sections of my life; career, location and exercise. Next up ‘toxic people’: people in my life that don’t enrich, support and inspire. But then it got me thinking… there was one little friend that I was neglecting. My poor liver! In the past I have been a bad friend and I almost wondered if our relationship was irreparable but then I read this quote and felt so much better;Every 35 days, your skin replaces itself. Your liver about a month. Your body makes new cells from the food you eat.Your new food literally becomes you. You have a choice in what you are made of.Wow! Our bodies are amazing… and so forgiving. It was time to show that ugly little organ some love!

5 Foods that Cleanse your Liver

1. Citrus in general, but especially Grapefruit, Lemon and Lime – Full of Vitamin C and antioxidants

2. Leafy Greens - All the chlorophyll in these babies suck up all the nasty toxins in your blood stream. They also neutralize heavy metals and pesticides.

3. Apples - The pectins in apples helps your body to cleanse and your digestive tract to release toxins. This lightens the load on your liver.

4. Beetroot - Chockablock full of plant-flavonoids which are vital for getting that liver into gear. Same goes for carrots!

5. Maca powder - Our liver break down excess hormones, so if it is not functioning to tip top condition it can actually create hormone imbalances. Maca is famous for correcting hormone imbalances. A match made in heaven!Condition: if you have any liver or kidney disease speak to your naturopath or doctor before consuming.

Note…

If you are wanting to detox your liver then try as hard as you can to source organic produce! Otherwise you are detoxing yourself with food full of residual chemicals which can be a little nonconstructive.

Recipe

These ingredients (using a cold-press juicer) made 2 big juices. You could easily get 3 out of it or 4 ‘shots on the go’ style juices. 

• 4 stalks kale

• Quarter of a bunch of parsley (I used flat leaf)

• 1 large beetroot

• 1 lemon

• 2 stalks celery

• 1/2 green capsicum

• 2 apples

• small knob of ginger

• 2 teaspoons raw maca powder

• 2 teaspoons bee pollen

Method

Place all ingredients except the maca and bee pollen in your juicer.Any juice you are consuming then and there add maca powder and stir.Garnish with 2 teaspoons of bee pollen.Drink within 10 minutes.Do a little jig to celebrate how nice you are being to your liver!

Juicing for Later?

I make juices to take out and about with me or for my husband to take to work. Fruit starts to lose it’s goodness after being juiced so it is important to immediately transfer it to an airtight container and keep in a dark place (fridge, esky, handbag). Old jam jars work a treat! You must consume the juice within 48 hours though.Do not add the maca and pollen in advance as your juice will go gluggy.

What is your can’t-live-without juice ingredient? Would love to hear in the comments.