Maintaining the health of your liver through a good diet and regular checkups with the doctor is important, but there is more you can do to keep your liver in good shape. In this article, we will explore the use of essential oils for liver to maintain a good health of this important organ. We will also discuss what the liver is and what it does, and what essential oils are.
Essential Oils are plant extracts that are often used to give your home or vehicle a pleasant aroma. We associate them with the subtle and relaxing scent of lavender or the fresh scent of lemon or other citrus, but one thing most people do not think of when they hear about essential oils is the liver.
The liver, which is the organ in your body responsible for filtering your blood, is vitally important to your overall health.
What are essential oils and how to use them?
As we mentioned earlier, essential oils are extracts that are drawn from plants by distillation or by mechanical means. The most common use of essential oils is for aromatherapy. The oils are dispersed into the air via various methods, then they are inhaled through the nose and mouth. The part of your brain that controls things like emotions, behavior, and long-term memory is called the limbic system, and it is especially motivated by your sense of smell.
Essential oils are more than just aromatherapy though. While the research is still being done and there are no conclusive results on this, there are many that believe that essential oils have physical health benefits as well. The reason for this is because the limbic system is also associated with some of your body’s unconscious functions as well, like breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate. While there is still a lot of research needed to confirm these benefits, there are many people that use essential oils regularly and swear by the results.
Essential oils can be used in other ways besides just aromatherapy. One other method of using essential oils is to rub it on the skin so that it can be absorbed. Some people claim that heating the oil, or applying a warm damp cloth after applying the oil helps to facilitate the absorption process. Like much of the science behind essential oils, studies are still being done to get definitive answers on the efficiency of the methods, and the scope of the actual benefits, but there does seem to be enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that the benefits are at least real and worth looking into. One important disclaimer to keep in mind is that essential oils have chemicals in them that are not meant to be ingested orally.
What is the liver?
You have probably heard of the internal organ called the liver plenty of times, but how often have you stopped to figure what it actually is, and what it does for your body?
The liver is an organ located in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen in a human. The liver is responsible for several important functions that keep your body healthy and working efficiently.
- For starters, the liver produces bile, which is needed in your intestines. Bile is produced by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and dispersed into the small intestine to aid with digestion after you eat.
- Besides the production of bile, the liver is also in charge of filtering toxins out of your blood. This is very important, because your blood is quite literally distributed all throughout your body, and those toxins could be quite harmful if they were not filtered out by the liver before they could be spread to other parts of the body.
- The liver also produces, stores, and releases glucose and proteins that are essential to your body’s proper maintenance and function.
- The liver also contributes to other bodily functions like the immune system, hormones, and it breaks down hydrogen peroxide, which is highly toxic if it is not taken care of by the liver first.
Liver damage effects
So what does an unhealthy liver do to your body? Look at it this way, what would happen if you were to open the hood of your car, and remove all of the air and fuel filters from your engine? Basically, it would not be long before all of the valves and hoses were so clogged up that it would break down completely.
Well, the liver is a lot like that. Without it, your blood vessels, heart, and organs would be constantly barraged with toxins that would slowly shut your body down. Your skin would become unhealthy and take on unnatural colors like yellow, and you would lose all of your energy, and in the worst-case scenario, a non-functioning liver could lead to death.
With all of this in mind, you can see why the liver is so vitally important to your health, and why it is important to find ways of caring for your liver so that it can stay strong and vibrant, which will improve your overall health and welfare. There are many that claim that essential oils can be very beneficial to the health of your liver. We will explore those claims next.
Essential oils and your liver
The idea behind essential oils is that the “essence” of the plant is extracted, then it is administered via absorption or aroma into your body, so that you can enjoy the most potent source of the health benefits provided by various plants.
While most of this is not proven in a lab, it is a very old remedy that seems to have proven results, at least anecdotally. There are several methods of application that people swear by, including mixing it with water and other ingredients before applying it to your abdomen, aromatherapy, and aromatic bath blends to soak in.
All of these have results that many people swear by, and they are wonderful for relaxing and just taking time to unwind.
Here are some of the favorite essential oils that are used to help reinforce the health and vigor of your liver
- Rosemary: This essential oil has been used to help the function of the liver since the time of Hippocrates. Back then, and for a long time after, rosemary oils were prescribed by doctors for help with many liver disorders. Rosemary helps to promote the production of bile, which helps with the metabolization of fat. There is plenty of research to show that rosemary is very useful in protecting against harmful toxins.
- Geranium: Geranium can aid in the dilation of biliary ducts in the liver detoxification process, which helps to keep the liver right on track and functioning at optimum levels. On top of that, geranium has a delightful scent.
- Citrus: Citrus is already a powerful detoxant, which is great for helping your liver do its job, but they are also powerful diuretics, so that makes them even better at assisting the liver in detoxing the body.
- Frankincense: Perhaps you have heard of this one in old Christmas stories, but have you ever asked yourself what it is or why it has been so popular for thousands of years. Frankincense is a great solution to all kinds of issues that you may have with your body, but one of the greatest things it does is soothes and invigorates your liver, helping it function at its optimal levels all the time. Frankincense has been used for this purpose, and many others, since some of the earliest recorded times.
- Turmeric: Turmeric is a fantastic way to stimulate and revitalize overtaxed organs that are struggling to keep up with the day-to-day bodily functions. Organs like the liver work all day, every day, to keep your body clean, healthy, and functioning properly. Turmeric can help to re-energize organs that are getting burned out by stimulating the glands that they need to function, and therefore enhance all of your natural processes, including that of your liver.
Final thoughts: Essential oils for liver regeneration
Essential oils can make your house, workspace, or car smell wonderful. They can help you to relax, and reinvigorate you to get you through the day; but they are actually so much more than even that. Essential oils have been used for a very long time to promote overall health and welfare of the body.
When combined with a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and a generally positive lifestyle, essential oils can do wonders to stimulate vital organs like the liver and keep your body running at peak performance every single day.
If you need a little extra boost to add to your health and fitness regiment, consider looking into essential oils and figure out which oils, and which administration methods, are best for your individual needs. Essential oils are sold in many health and fitness stores, or they can easily be found online.
Look into these miraculous extracts today, and you will find that there are hundreds of different varieties, and each one has separate benefits that may be exactly what you need to get back on track and start promoting a healthy functioning liver today.