By Cat, July 19, 2019; minor update 5/28/22 (image, right, is from Wikimedia Commons).

I’m moving “Liver Detox Smoothies” and more to its own page. When complete, delete that section below (look for red text)

I first discovered the health benefits of lemon water when I was making a batch of homemade lemonade using stevia extract powder as the sweetener. I took a small sip after mixing in the juice of a small lemon into a quart of cold water (before adding the stevia). It was so good, I drank a whole glass and I felt so incredibly good afterwards. Now I drink lemon water every day at the beginning of each meal. But after reading Livvi’s recipe, I may try adding ACV instead of taking powdered ACV in capsules every day.

I have been adding raw, local honey to my morning smoothie as an experiment, but now I’m going to try her “Super Syrup” recipe, which includes raw, local honey, instead.

The first 2 recipes are by Livvi Hess (1): Super Syrup, and Lemon Water & ACV Tonic; I learned about them from a Dr. Pompa newsletter. They are simple to make, but you must use high-quality ingredients as specified in the recipes; anything of lower quality will introduce new toxins.

A Jonathan Bailor newsletter led me to the 3rd recipe, curated by Jillian Levy (4): Lemon Water & Sea Salt.

• Includes: 1. Super Syrup; 2. Health-Aide: Lemon Water & ACV Tonic; 3. 
   Healing Morning Tonic: Lemon Water & Sea Salt; 4. Liver Detox Smoothie
  
• See also: 1. Beverages Menu; 2. Liver Detox Smoothies/Beverages; 3. Curing, Culturing, Fermentation and Tonics Menu

Getting the most benefit of these health-promoting beverages

Livvi states, “These health tonics work best if you keep at it — make sure you drink them as directed for at least a week to begin experiencing the myriad of health benefits they offer.” Her recommendation is also true of the third recipe: lemon and sea salt water.

Note: Liivi is very specific about the quality of the ingredients, as am I. If you can’t afford the best quality, you may as well not bother, because you will be disappointed with the results.

Super Syrup

Photo, right, from Global Healing Center (3).

This recipe is by Livvi Hess (1). “This can relieve constipation, reduce inflammation, support kidney function, promote heart health, prevent or fight urinary tract infections, protect against bacterial, fungal or viral attack and keep the common cold at bay.”

Recipe and Storage

1. Combine the following in a Mason jar:
   • 2 cups raw, Organic apple cider vinegar; must contain the “mother” [I use Braggs brand; see photo, above right]
   • 1 cup raw, local honey (preferably Organic)* and
   • 2 tsp Organic cinnamon [not sure whether true cinnamon or cassia is meant; perhaps use 1 tsp of each, as each has its own benefits]
2. Keep in a “cool dry area, keeping in mind that placing it in the fridge will cause the honey to harden and settle to the bottom.”

*NOTE from Livvi: “Raw means that the honey has not been pasteurized, a process to increase its shelf life but can render it biologically inactive by killing off the active enzymes in the honey — the reason it’s such a potent ingredient.”

How to take

Cat’s notes:

• Aug ’22: I’ve not yet tried this. It’s getting harder and harder to find quality raw, local honey where I live (because GMO canola is raised in all parts of our valley; if the bees feed on canola blooms, their honey gets contaminated with the GMO canola).
• July ’19: In the summer, I would make a half-recipe because it is just me taking this tonic, and it is hard to find a “cool dry area” in my house – I use a dark lower cupboard, but in the summer it is at least 70°F there.

“A couple of sips in the morning, and again at night are enough to ensure you enjoy all of the nurturing benefits of this tonic.” (1)

Health-aid: Lemon water and ACV tonic

(Image, right, from Amazon, by HIC (ASIN B004780HX6))

This recipe is also by Livvi Hess (1). Aug ’22: I’ve not yet tried this version with the ACV, mainly because I like the “just lemon water” version so much. However, I should try it, because I have insulin resistance.

If you don’t already know this, lemon water (juice of 1 large or 2 small lemons in a quart of water is one of the best things to take when you are dehydrated, or to prevent dehydration). I drink an 8-oz glass at the beginning of each meal. Liivi’s version adds apple cider vinegar (ACV). Note that ACV is also beneficial for those with insulin resistance or Type-2 diabetes.

Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, as the bottled form has been pasteurized and has lost most of its benefits. Keep your juice-squeezing tool handy.

Drinking this mix each morning, as soon as you wake up and before you put anything else in your stomach, is an excellent way to start your day. It:

• stimulates digestion (2),
• expels toxins from the liver, and
• supports your digestive enzymes for a busy day ahead.

Recipe for one serving:

1. Combine in an 8 – 10 oz glass:
   • Half a glass of warm, filtered water (the best is from a clean, cool stream that tumbles over rocks)
   • Juice of ½ Organic lemon [be sure to wash off the peel with a vinegar-water spray]
   • 1 rough teaspoon of raw, Organic apple cider vinegar; must contain the “mother” [I use Braggs brand – see photo, above right]

How to make and take

Each morning, fill an 8 – 10 oz glass half-full with warm water, squeeze in lemon juice, and stir in the ACV. Add more warm, filtered water to fill the glass. Sip it slowly and let it work its magic!

Cat’s note: After squeezing the juice, I like to cut part of the peel and pulp into thin strips and add to the water/juice mix, as the peel and pulp have many good nutrients. The remaining peel/pulp I chop into cubes and add to a jar of my fermented citrus.

Healing Morning Tonic: Lemon Water and Sea Salt

Image, right, of Himalayan sea salt (aka “Pink salt” from Wikimedia Commons). See also my article Salt (About) for more about this salt.

This recipe by by Jillian Levy (4) is a “quick morning drink … boosts your energy, detoxifies your liver, improves your digestion, and even helps some women over 40 burn fat for the whole day?” It is best to drink first thing in the morning, for maximum benefits, which are (4):

1. Aiding weight loss. As a rich source of polyphenols, lemons may help you gain less weight, and even lose some (based on a study using mice on a high-fat diet).
2. Preventing disease.Lemons and sea salt are both loaded with minerals and trace elements (including antioxidants) that keeps disease away; some compounds in lemons even kill cancer cells.
3. Fighting inflammation. Lemons remove uric acid in joints, a major cause of inflammation and arthritis; and also help lower uric acid in blood.
4. Improving immune function.As a rich source of vitamin C, lemons boost immunity.
5. Balancing the body’s PH Levels. Lemon provides alkalinity and sea salt helps balance PH.

Recipe

This from an article in Jonathan Bailor’s newsletter, curated by Jillian Levy (4):

“Stir ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt and the juice of 1 lemon into an 8-10-ounce glass of warm [filtered] water. Drink up and enjoy the healing power of Himalayan salt and lemon water!”

I’ve made this many times – whenever I can find Himalayan salt – and I do find it healthful.

I also make a more diluted form (juice of 1 – 2 lemon slices and pinch of sea salt per 12 – 16 oz filtered water) in my stainless steel thermos next to my bed, to drink during night as I get thirsty.

Liver Detox Smoothies

I’m moving this to its own webpage: “Liver Detox Smoothies, Fruits & Veggies, & Beverages,” and updating format for recipes beginning with Green Smoothie”

Liver Detox Fruit Smoothie

The following is from “Best Liver Cleansing Drinks” from Fatty Liver Docu-Class, by Jonathan Landsman. [I’ve saved a copy of his ebook: Health-Nutrition / Podcasts-Articles / Ebooks > FattyLiver-BestLiverCleansingDrinks.pdf]

This deluxe smoothie recipe combines specially selected ingredients to lavish your liver with love. (5) It makes 1 beverage.

Ingredients:

• • Apples are high in pectin – a beneficial fiber which helps the liver detoxify the body – while spinach contains liver-cleansing chlorophyll.
  • Bananas contribute potassium – essential for liver health – and are also prebiotic, supplying fuel to beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome.
  • Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a disease-fighting plant pigment, while parsley contains the antioxidants luteolin and apigenin.
  • Walnuts contain glutathione, and also contribute anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Turmeric provides curcumin, one of the most powerful (and well-studied) antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents on the planet,
  • Lemon juice is high in antioxidant vitamin C.
  • Hemp seeds
• Optional Ingredients:
  • Cinnamon
  • Fresh, local honey
  • ¾ of a cup of almond milk (especially if you make it yourself
• Equipment
  • bowl(s) for washing the fruits and veggies
  • blender

Method:

1. Prep:
   1. Peel the banana,
   2. Wash and peel half of a green apple (cored and chopped)
   3. Wash and peel and chop a carrot
   4. Wash a handful of baby spinach
   5. Peel turmeric root, then cut a ¼″ slice
   6. Wash and chop fresh parsley
   7. Shell 3 walnuts (if needed), then cut each in half
   8. Squeeze juice of half a lemon
2. Place banana, apple, carrot and spinach in blender.
3. Add the turmeric root slice, parsley, walnut halves, 2 Tbsp hemp seeds, and lemon juice.
4. Blend all ingredients together until smooth, then season with cinnamon and honey (if desired)

From the same article is the following list of other fruits/veggies that are great for liver health; you can use them in beverages or eat them:

1. Grapefruit
2. Blueberries, raspberries and cranberries
3. Grapes
4. Cup of green tea or black tea
5. Beet juice

And the following that you can eat or take as a supplement:

1. Walnuts
2. Cruciferous veggies (cabbage family)
3. Milk Thistle (I take this as tincture)
4. NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) supplement
5. SAM-e, short for S-adenosylmethionine

Liver Detox Green Smoothie

IVER DETOX GREEN SMOOTHIE”
This dairy-free smoothie features tropical accents
(courtesy of banana and pineapple), while fresh
avocado lends a creamy, satisfying consistency.19
Combine a cup of almond milk, 2 tablespoons of
hemp seeds, one half of a frozen peeled banana,
a third of a cup of frozen pineapple, a quarter of a
ripe peeled avocado, 2 handfuls of baby spinach,
10 springs of fresh cilantro (stems removed) and
a half teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
Blend on “high” for 30 seconds and serve
immediately. You may need to add a half cup
of filtered water to make the mixture more of a
liquid. And, if you add a scoop or two of protein
powder, this nourishing smoothie becomes a
nourishing (liquid) meal.

Lemon-Ginger Green Juice

THE “LEMON-GINGER
GREEN JUICE”
It’s hard to improve on this classic recipe for a liver-nourishing juice. Lemon
provides antioxidant vitamin C, while ginger is both antioxidant and anti-
inflammatory.
Plus, the celery contains apigenin and luteolin, the same potent
antioxidants found in parsley. In truth, the rich jewel-green color of this
healthy concoction is visually pleasing, especially when it’s garnished with
slices of bright yellow lemon.20
Chop a large cucumber, eight stalks of celery, a ½-inch nub of peeled fresh
ginger, a green apple, and two lemons (from which the peel has been
removed) into small pieces. Feed the pieces through the tube of your juicer,
blend with a half cup of filtered water until smooth, then strain and enjoy

Detoxifying Beet Juice

PU Here w formatting the recipes:

Another visually spectacular drink, this beetroot-based recipe features a
beautiful crimson color, highlighted with accents of lavender and pink.21
Wash a pound of beets, snip off the greens, clip the ends and chop them
into small cubes or chunks. Wash, peel and chop a large cucumber and a
green apple, chop a bunch of flat-leaf parsley and remove the rind from one
lemon or lime (or both, if you prefer a tangier drink).
Wash and peel a 1-inch chunk of ginger. Combine with a third of a cup of
pure (clean) water and feed into blender, then blend on high until smooth.
Strain and serve.
This refreshing drink contains almost twice the RDI of vitamin A, along with
a third of the RDI of vitamin C.
SO SWEET: THE “GRAPE AND LEMON JUICE BLEND”
This sweet and spicy grape juice recipe
is designed to provide maximum liver-
supporting effects. Remember, grape
juice contains high levels of liver-
protective resveratrol.22
Blend a cup of unsweetened pure grape
juice with a cup of clean water, the juice
from 2 lemons, 2 chopped garlic cloves,
2 inches of grated ginger root and a
teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Blend
until smooth and enjoy!

“Carrot and Beet Soup”

If you’d like to support and nourish your liver with something warm, hearty
and soothing – rather than cold and refreshing – then this recipe is for you.
Liver-cleansing beets and carotenoid-rich carrots are the stars, but onions
and garlic contribute antioxidant effects while pumpkin seeds provide
additional support with high levels of immune system-boosting zinc.23

Boil three unpeeled medium beets for 30 minutes, drain and allow to cool.
Sautee a diced onion, a diced leek, 2 diced carrots and a clove of crushed
garlic in coconut oil for 10 minutes, then peel the beets and chop them.
Combine 2 cups of warm vegetable broth with the just-cooked vegetables,
add ½ teaspoon of sea salt and blend until the mixture is smooth. Serve
with a tablespoon of roasted pumpkin seeds on top. This is so delicious!

17Best Liver Cleansing Drinks
Boil three unpeeled medium beets for 30 minutes, drain and allow to cool.
Sautee a diced onion, a diced leek, 2 diced carrots and a clove of crushed
garlic in coconut oil for 10 minutes, then peel the beets and chop them.
Combine 2 cups of warm vegetable broth with the just-cooked vegetables,
add ½ teaspoon of sea salt and blend until the mixture is smooth. Serve
with a tablespoon of roasted pumpkin seeds on top. This is so delicious!

Chamomile, Lemon and Honey Tea

Dandelion Root Detox Recipe

This recipe, which features dandelion root, really shows your liver a “lot of
love.” Dandelion root is a traditional herbal remedy for liver problems. Not
only is it high in vitamin A, but it has a beneficial diuretic effect as well.
Combine an inch of thinly sliced, peeled fresh ginger root, 2 tablespoons
of dried dandelion root and 2 dried cloves. Steep for 10 minutes, strain
and cool.
Add lemon juice, if desired, and sweeten with raw honey or stevia.

Lemon, Ginger and Turmeric Tea

This drink utilizes two of the most
liver-nourishing roots known to herbal
medicine – ginger and turmeric. Both
are strongly antioxidant and anti-
inflammatory.
In fact, these two therapeutic roots
– both revered in Ayurvedic and
Traditional Chinese medicine – are
related.
Use one inch each of peeled, thinly-
sliced turmeric and ginger. Steep for 10 minutes, cool and serve with a
splash of lemon juice.

Peppermint, Ginger, Milk Thistle, Hibiscus and Lemon

This mixture breaks out some of the really “big guns” in liver health.
Peppermint promotes digestion and healthy liver function, while milk thistle
contains silymarin, the premier herbal remedy for liver ailments.
And hibiscus – which is having a well-deserved “moment” of publicity and
praise – has been shown in some studies to benefit the liver and kidneys.

References:

1. Liivi Hess article: thenutritionwatchdog.com/3-ingredient-tonics-for-the-best-health-ever/
2. truthaboutabs.com/perfect-digestion.html, an article by Mike Geary
3. globalhealingcenter.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/r/braggs_acv_1.jpg
4. sane.pages.ontraport.net/lemons
5. theroastedroot.net/liver-detox-smoothie/
6. cleaneatingkitchen.com/creamy-detox-smoothie/