By Naomi Mead
1) Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli,
cauliflower, cabbage and kale. These are
all rich in sulphur-containing compounds,
which help the liver to detoxify by boosting
the production of high levels of
detoxifying enzymes.
2) Garlic is rich in sulphur-containing
compounds, and in addition contains
selenium and allicin- two powerful
nutrients that help protect the liver from
toxic damage.
3) Green tea is loaded with catechins, a type
of antioxidant (compounds that help the body
get rid of harmful free radicals) that have
been shown in studies to promote liver
function, and prevent the accumulation of
dangerous fat in the liver nature.com/
ijo/journal/v26/n11/abs/
0802141a.html.
4) Turmeric, the key component is
curcumin, a potent antioxidant and antiinflammatory that prevents the liver from
damage and can help to regenerate new
liver cells. Turmeric also helps to stimulate
the production of bile, necessary for the
breakdown and processing of fats and
proteins from your food, and the removal
of waste and toxins.
5) Bitter greens, such as dandelion,
chicory and rocket. The bitterness of
these foods helps to stimulate bile flow.
They are also high in chlorophyll which
plays a role in cleansing the blood and
ridding the body of ingested toxins.
6) Beetroot is bursting with antioxidants and
folic acid for detoxification. It also contains
betaine, a compound which promotes the
regeneration of liver cells.
7) Avocados are rich in glutathione, the
ultimate liver-boosting antioxidant which
prevents damage to the liver and aids
detoxification.
It really cannot be emphasised enough; loving
your liver is one of the most important things
that you can do for your health this Spring. ∎
Men are twice as likely to have
Botox or dermal fillers
administered by an untrained
friend or acquaintance.
New research shows male beauty
treatment fans are twice as likely as
women to let an untrained friend carry out
procedures like Botox and dermal fillers
on them, and 17% would undergo Botox
from a practitioner who wasn't
qualified to carry out the treatment compared with only 10% of women.
The research, carried out by
Transform Cosmetic Surgery, the UK’s
leading provider of cosmetic surgery
and non-surgical treatments, lifts the lid
on men’s surprising attitudes to beauty
treatments, exposing them as far more risk
prone than women when it comes to
looking good.
A further one in 6 (15%) men
surveyed admit to having been
treated by a third party, such as a
hairdresser, and startlingly, had no
idea if they were appropriately
trained to perform the procedure –
stripping them of the chance to know if
the treatment was right for them.
A whopping 17% of guys would happily
have Botox (compared with just 10% of
women), dermal fillers (16% of guys and
11% of girls) and even non-invasive
body sculpting (19% of men and 9% of
women) from a practitioner who was
not appropriately qualified to perform
the treatment – putting themselves at
risk.
Dr Hilary Jones commented: “The nonsurgical treatments industry is growing fast
and it is vital that as it does so, the health
of those undergoing treatments isn’t
endangered. The ‘devil may care’
attitude some men are adopting to
these treatments is putting them at
risk – there are far too many places in
this country where they can be
injected with dermal fillers by
individuals with minimal or no
training in completely unsuitable
environments, with potentially dangerous
products. The Non-Surgical Charter will
set out to highlight and address issues
like this.”
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THEGAYUK FEB/MARCH
LOVE
YOUR
LIVER
DUCK
FACE
2014
HEALTH