EAT, DRINK, AND MAKE MERRY
LET'S FACE it: even the
most austere of us tend to over-indulge during the festive season – and then
live to regret it, thanks to digestive and other problems.
However, there is a way
out, and as I do an occasional column on herbs that heal, this is the best time
for me to tell you about milk thistle, a herb that removes toxins from the
liver and hence sorts out all sorts of problems.
Milk thistle, so called
because it has leaves as white as milk, is found all over the world, and has
been used to cleanse the liver for at least 2,000 years. The liver is the seat
of health: its job is to extract vitamins and minerals from the food we eat,
and send them all over the body to help maintain and rejuvenate body functions
and tissues.
But milk thistle heals and detoxifies this vital organ.
Milk thistle’s active
compound is silymarin, which is available at chemist stores as tablets.
Though milk thistle is a
safe herb to consume, be sensible and consult your doctor before you start
taking the tablets.
These are the primary
benefits of milk thistle:
1. It lowers cholesterol
naturally.
2. Because it detoxifies
the liver, it boosts metabolism.
3. It helps ease water
retention in a natural and gentle way.
4. If you suffer from a
liver disease or disorder, it’s the best herb you could take.
5. It helps protect your
liver against damage caused by alcohol.
6. Since it purifies the
blood, it gives you clearer skin.
7. Milk thistle helps the
liver balance bile, which makes it good for patients with gall bladder stones.
8. It eases the effects
of long-term use of antibiotics or steroids, both of which have a negative
impact on the liver.
9. It works very well for
women who have hormonal imbalances. This is due to a liver function that breaks
down the end products of hormone production and cleans out the waste.
SHIKHA SHRMA
HTBR 30OCT16
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