If you’ve been keeping up with The Love Vitamin, you’ll know that I just did a liver flush, and it turned out to be, by far, the most unpleasant thing I have ever done in the name of health!
As much as people SWEAR by the liver flush, it seems very strange to me that in order to be healthy, you are supposed to put your body through something so difficult.
Don’t we want to work with our body instead – lend it some tender loving care so that it can do its own detoxifying (which it is doing all the time anyway)? Instead of forcing it to with a giant mug of olive oil and some epsom salts which may result in you puking on yourself?
Today I’m going to discuss several ways that you can do just that – support the liver…. gently!! So that you don’t have to go through what I did with my liver flush experience and also get your skin looking fabulous at the same time.
1. Eat and Live a Low Toxins Lifestyle
As I mentioned in a previous article, the liver does SO many jobs in the body. Its an extremely important organ. It:
- Detoxifies chemicals such as drugs, alcohol, and heavy metals
- Produces bile that aids in the digestion of fat
- Produces blood proteins and other cofactors needed to produce red blood cells
- Stores glycogen which is used to produce energy
- Stores Vitamins A, D, and B12
- Neutralizes free radicals
And as I said, for those with acne, a significant role it plays is to deactivate used hormones so that they can’t continue to float around in your body and cause hormone imbalances that may lead to skin problems.
The thing is that the more toxins that we bring into our bodies through our diets, stress, and other means, the more time the liver has to spend on its job of detoxification and it no longer has enough time to do its other jobs properly (like deactivating those pesky hormones). This is what leads to disease.
So in order to give your liver a fighting chance, the best thing you can possibly do is simply lower your toxic load. You can:
- Switch the majority of your diet away from processed foods that contain chemicals
- Switch all of your skin care products to natural products, and eliminate those that aren’t necessary
- Watch the environmental toxins in your home – switch to more natural cleaning products, consider safer cookware, and get house plants that filter the stuffy indoor air
- Minimize use of caffeine, alcohol, and cigarrettes
- Keep your stress levels in check, as emotional toxins can also lead to an inefficient liver
2. Get the Specific Nutrients for Phase I and II Liver Detoxification
Your liver is detoxifying all day, every day through something called “detoxification pathways”, and it performs this in two distinct phases.
In Phase I, called “oxidation”, the liver uses oxygen and enzymes to change the toxins into a more water soluble form so that they can easily be excreted by the kidneys or bile. In Phase II, called “conjugation”, oxidized chemicals are combined with sulfur, specific amino acids, or organic acids, and then excreted.
It’s important that both of these pathways are working properly. Sometimes in Phase I, the converted toxins are actually more harmful than their original state, and if the body cannot excrete them in Phase I, you’re in trouble.
In order to have both pathways tip top, you need the right nutrients to keep them up and running.
- Get enough zinc. Zinc deficiency can alter Phase I detoxification toward a direction that encourages cancer promoting chemicals. Zinc is found in abundance in animal products and certain foods like pumpkin seeds, but you can also take a zinc supplement. Zinc is great for treating acne as well.
- Get your protein. Many amino acids are used in Phase II – two of the most important ones being cysteine and methionine. Get these through protein sources such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products or vegetarian sources such as nuts, seeds and beans.
- Increase glutathione levels. Glutathione is your body’s master antioxidant, but cannot be absorbed orally in supplement form because the molecules are too big. It’s manufactured in the liver from raw amino acid building blocks. One way to increase glutathione production is take an N-acetylcysteine supplement, which is a precursor to glutathione synthesis.
- Eat a variety of healthy foods. This is so that a variety of liver friendly bioflavanoids (specific food compounds) are consumed, Vitamins C and E, and also stock up on B vitamins, as they are particularly important for liver detox.
- Eat foods containing sulfur compounds. These are vital in Phase II. These include onions, garlic, egg yolks, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale.
3. Take Herbs that Help Assist Liver Detox
Taking specific herbs can help to gently support the liver in its detoxification pursuits (without any agony!). These work by providing the liver with specific bioflavanoids that it needs.
The most famous liver herb is milk thistle, which contains the the active bioflavanoid family called silymarin. It increases glutathione levels, resulting in improvement of the clearing of unwanted toxins in the blood. Milk thistle also helps in the regeneration of liver tissue and decreases inflammation.
Other herbs that can assist in liver function include artichoke leaf, turmeric, dandelion, oregon grape, bitter fennel, licorice, yellow dock, burdock, and gentian.
Personally I think it’s a great idea to take an all around liver supplement that includes a mix of some of these things. Two brands that I’ve used in the past and were recommended to me by my naturopath are Hepacaps and Thorne SAT Liver Support.
4. Make Sure Your Digestion is Running Smoothly
The primary way that toxins come to your liver is via the digestive system.
After your intestines break down your food into individual amino acids, vitamins, minerals and the accompanying toxins, the liver absorbs this in the form of nutrient rich blood via the hepatic portal vein.
If your digestion is inefficient, fewer nutrients get to your liver, and more toxins do. Therefore, one of the best things you can do is make sure your digestion runs smoothly.
- Take probiotics and live fermented foods to ensure you have a healthy garden of good bacteria. The more bad bacteria in your gut, the more toxins they create.
- Take HCL betaine if you suspect you have low stomach acid.
- Take an expandable soluble fibre to help with constipation and to absorb and bind toxins on their way out. I like psyllium husk, but others prefer ground flax seed or chia seeds.
- If you suspect you have a leaky gut (which is when the intestine is irritated and lets in larger molecules and more toxins to the blood stream than it should), consider taking the amino acid L-glutamine.
- Chew your food thoroughly and eat mindfully. Don’t eat while stressed.
Watch This Article in Video Form
Yes, I’m wearing a silly hat but it was quite hot out that day!
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y93i0tv7_o
91 Responses
Hi Tracy!
I love this post. I had a bit of a revelation this week in which I realized that I believe my liver’s poor state is what is contributing to my all around poor health (acne included). I’m currently doing a parasite cleanse, and then I’m going to finish it with a liver flush. I agree with you that the liver flush seems to be a bit unnaturally violent to do on a regular basis… but I wonder for people like me who most likely have a congested liver (and have been doing gentle forms of liver detox and support for almost two years with no great effect) if maybe flushing until you’re clear and then just keeping up with natural, gentle liver support is key. I’ve only been health conscious for the past four years, and before that I pretty much drowned myself in processed, unnatural poisons of all sorts – food and skin products alike!
Just my two cents. I’ll report back once I finish my first flush! 🙂
xx
Hi Desi!
Well, if you want to, give it a try! It probably wont hurt to try it once (although I admit I personally kind of regret it as I seem to be almost worse off now..) Let us know how it goes. I hope you have a better experience. The comment down below from “C” seems to demonstrate that not everyone has a terrible time with it.
Desi, what’s your magnesium intake like?
Hi Sampson!
I eat SO many nuts and seeds that I would say my magnesium intake is pretty darn good. Why do you ask? 🙂
Hi Desi! My acne greatly improved after I lowered my nut intake. I do take 2 Life Extension Neuro-Mag capsules before bed to keep my magnesium levels up.
Wow, I’m sorry the liver flush went so horribly for you. That totally didn’t sound like fun. I am wondering if maybe the intense nausea you experienced was because of the parasites you were expelling? I hope you elaborate more on the little critters you think you saw.
I want people to know that I did Hulda Clark’s liver flush once before and didn’t experience anything bad, other than the unpleasantness of “peeing out of my butt” (thanks Epsom salts). I decided to do the flush because I’d been told by more than a few natural health practioners that my liver was congested and unable to process extra hormones. I’d also been having some digestive issues (gas and bloating after Anything I’d eat) that I wanted to nip in the bud, as well as a bit of persistent acne. After the flush my digestion felt awesome(no more gas or bloating for the next few months), my skin got clearer, I felt like eating more wholesome foods, had less cravings, and I felt increased energy. I liked the results of the flush and I’ve always intended to do another flush again soon, just the whole idea of taking my whole precious day off to stay at home by the commode is hard for me to plan. I didn’t do a parasite cleanse first last time, but intend to do one before my next liver flush.
It sounds like the flush is necessary if you do the parasite cleanse, to expel the little wormies. I don’t know that any of the aforementioned liver treatments would be able to have that effect-? How else can you make sure your body expels any parasites?
Hi C – that’s great that you didn’t have such a bad experience. If you don’t find it hard on the body and it has clear benefits, then go for it I guess! Personally I’m kind of jealous as it seems like it made both my digestion and my skin worse 🙁
As for it being necessary after a parasite cleanse… yes, that’s why I did it, in case it was truly necessary. I didn’t want to leave those guys in there. I’m not really sure on this one though. I asked around in the Humaworm forum and it sounds like not everyone does the liver flush after the parasite cleanse and they’re alright.
Hi Tracy,
This might be a bit off topic but can you please recommend me anything to eat that would help me gain weight and at the same time it is good for acne? There’s just too much info on the net and it’s really confusing.
Hi there – this article might help you, as it’s written from real experience – a skinny girl who desperately wanted to gain weight and finally did: http://butterbeliever.com/2012/08/07/what-do-you-do-when-you-cant-gain-weight/
you mention zinc…just wondering, can too much cause cystic acne? I think I may have found that to be the case… My first day starting zinc 50mg tablets, the next day I had a painful deep-under-the-skin pimple. Then I ate pumpkin seeds last week and got same kind of pimples under my nose. It COULD be other things (period, possible other foods, stress) but is it possible to be the zinc? I’ve temporarily stopped taking it but don’t want to stop if it’s not even the cause. Thoughts anyone?
You know, I don’t know… a quick google search came up with this: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php/topic/76578-zinc-cause-acne/
So you may not be alone in this problem, but I don’t know why zinc would cause acne. Usually it sounds like it helps it greatly. What are you taking zinc for? Is it for acne? You say you don’t want to stop it, but why? are there other things you want to take it for?
Also, just a thought but maybe it’s the type of zinc you are taking and another form would be better. I usually recommend zinc picolinate
Sorry for the delay. Yeah, I started to take it for acne but then realized it might be causing the cystic acne. I was taking zinc gluconate 50 mg. I haven’t gotten any since I stopped taking it. Hmm maybe zinc and I just don’t get along…
Dude, I hear you on the liver flush! I did one a few years ago and it SUCKED. I felt awful during and after, with no benefit (that I could see) to my poor skin. I wont be traipsing off to glug cups of olive oil again any time soon!
yep, my digestion has been worse ever since and I’m still regretting it!
Can you take the Liv-Tox while on birth control?
Yes, there should be no problem taking it while on birth control
Hi, I was just wondering if anyone had had adverse affects from taking the Milk Thistle? I’ve been on a wholefood diet for 3 weeks; I started taking milk thistle about 3 days ago (capsule form – just one a day) and it seems to have completely blocked me up when I’ve been totally and shockingly regular since I started eating this way for my skin. I know it’s really meant to help the liver and therefore to help clear my skin, but I worry that if it’s blocking up my digestion that that might create more toxins than an unhelped liver would anyway. And it’s quite uncomfortable. I’ve totally lost my appetite cause I feel like I can’t possibly fit anything else in. Can anyone help??
Hey Hannah – have you checked out the other ingredients in your milk thistle capsule? I’ve had problems in the past with fillers in cheap supplements. In my opinion/experience, it’s best to spend more for something hypoallergenic and as clean as possible. Check the allergen information on your supplement – maybe go to the manufacturer’s website? I know spending more money sucks, but trying another version of milk thistle might help you determine if you have a problem with this brand or the herb itself (which would surprise, but is always possible).
This is really interesting. I was considering a liver flush, but now I really don’t want to. I’m almost done with my gut-healing period, but I can’t bring myself to risk doing something so violent to my body after babying my digestive tract for so long. It just seems wrong…
I’ve decided to tackle my remaining mild acne with a liver support approach. I’ve been on Accutane three times, just got off birth control pills, can’t tolerate ANY caffeine, and get drunk off so little alcohol that it’s positively ridiculous- I’m talking moderately drunk after a single glass of good wine. Pathetic. I’ve never been a heavyweight, but it’s gotten much worse lately. And I do have small breakouts the morning after I’ve accidentally gotten tipsy.
So all this leads me to believe that my liver is just not processing things right. I guess we’ll see, but this does seem like a really logical approach. I’ve just started on a bottle of milk thistle capsules.
Do you happen to know anything about how much milk thistle is advisable to take in a day?
Hi Kit, I’m not sure off the top of my head how much milk thistle is okay for one day, I would just take it as directed on the bottle
I just found out that I have the MTHFR genetic mutation. If I were you, I’d ask my doctor for a blood test bc these are all of the same symptoms that I was presenting with. Now, I have to avoid folic acid (the inactive form of B vitamin) and take supplements for methylation and detox. Hope this helps. xo
Hi Tracy
i just stumbled upon this thread while searching desperately for help with my acne. It started right after I got off birth control. I laways had great skin and now, it’s completely out of control.
Do you recommend taking Zinc, Milk Thistle and Psyllium all together?…I do have a constipation problem and I do notice that any time I have a zip of alcohol, I break out even worse.
I am so confused and desperate.
thanks in advance
Hi Monica,
Yes you can take them all, but make sure you don’t take the psyllium at the same time as other supplements because it can reduce effectiveness due to it’s absorption power. Also, if you have acne due to coming off birth control pills, look into the herb Vitex. Usually people have low progesterone afterwards, and vitex helps you naturally raise your progesterone.
Thank you Tracy. I started with the psyllium first and I will continue with it alone for about 2 more weeks just to make sure I don’t have any allergic reaction to everything all at once. I am def going to look into the herb Vitex. Someone also recommended I take LiverCare to start detoxing my liver little by little. I just don’t want to overwhelm my body with a bunch of different things…what do you think?
Hi Monica,
Yes it is a wise decision to start supplements one by one… if you are patient enough!
How frequent do to/you use psyllium husk?
Hi Tracy,
I have been started to take milk thistle-liver supplement a week ago as I’m suffering with acne problem. But, after I started to take that supplement, my acne has gotten worse. Do you think this is the process of detoxing? Or I should switch to another supplement?
Hi Rainie,
Yes, milk thistle can definitely cause detox reactions as it starts detoxifying the liver! I’d wait it out… if it doesn’t go away after a while or continually gets worse, then stop it
Thanks for the suggestion, Tracy! Have a nice day 🙂
Hi Tracy. I started milk thistle and a few days later began breaking out on my cheeks (an area that was never really too bad). I started freaking out, so I stopped it. Was this just a way of releasing the toxins? Should I try the liv-tox instead? I want something that doesn’t make it go crazy. I am on birth control pills and I am starting to believe that is contributing to my liver being congested. Help please! I would greatly appreciate your advice. Btw I LOVE all of your videos and advice. You are so inspiring! Thanks 🙂
Hi Savanna,
I think it’s quite common to get a breakout from anything that helps your liver to release toxins.. so if you can withstand it, I’d say try to keep going with it. If you don’t want to be on the birth control pill anymore, check out this whole thing: https://thelovevitamin.com/769/can-you-wean-off-the-birth-control-pill/
Can I take liv tox and milk thistle at the same time? I started taking regular estro block and milk thistle/ burdock root and it was working but then it stopped, am going to order the extra strength estro block next time , I get cyst on my jaw and cheeks
Hi Carla… hmm.. maybe. Liv-tox contains milk thistle though. Maybe look up the maximum dose of milk thistle you should take per day and see if taking liv-tox plus an extra milk thistle supplement would be too much
Thanks ill do that
Tracy, do you have any idea how long it takes hormones to balance after stopping birth control? I quit mine about 2 months ago and have been getting cystic acne on my chi. And jawline….I never had that post BC! I am taking vitex..do you think that will help any?? And is this painful stuff on my jawline something that will never go away?
Hi Savanna, it will go away, but it can take time for your hormones to balance out. Here is some advice from the ladies over in the wean off the birth control thread (https://thelovevitamin.com/769/can-you-wean-off-the-birth-control-pill/) on what to do to help:
“Lately I’ve done a bunch of reading up online as to how to get rid of (or at least tone down) that post-Diane breakout, and several things seem to be recurrent:
– Liver-friendly supplements (burdock root, turmeric, artichoke, black radish, wild pansy, beetroot, etc.) to help flush out the excess synthetic hormones and toxins accumulated in the body.
– Probiotics, to counteract candida (often present if you’ve been on the BCP for a while) and help digestion.
– A sugar-free diet, because the post-Diane breakout is linked to a surge in testosterone, and sugar causes the body to produce more testosterone, so basically the least sugar you consume, the better. Plus, sugar fuels candida, so if you do have a latent yeast infection, you’re killing 2 birds with 1 stone. Also, mint/Spearmint (in capsule form/herbal tea) helps reduce testosterone”
You can also try the things mentioned here in this article – DIM and/or Vitex
Hi Tracy!
For how long is recommended to take this supplement?
I’m thinking one month or one year?
Hi Julia, which one are you referring to?
Oh sorry! I meant Liv-tox! I’m thinking, since it’s like a detox (?) should I take it for like 1 month or do you take this on regular basis? 🙂
Oh yeah the name is misleading! You can take it for ongoing liver support. At least that’s what I do… I’ve been taking one a day for about a year so far
Ok thanks! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Hi, Tracy!
Thank you for your work and for giving me hope to get rid of my adult acne (40yo!).
I will appreciate if you can answer my questions.
1 week ago I started on Estroblock Pro with two pills (I know, stupid), got detox symptoms, started reading your articles again and now third day I’m on one pill and already feeling good. For about 2 months I’m taking Gaia Liver cleanse and Gaia Deep Liver Support. Wondering if they can be taken instead of Liv-Tox. Ingredients differ a lot but since I already have pills… Shall I order Liv-tox or finish Gaia pills? Do you know anything about how important Schisandra fruit, Picrorhiza root and Niruri herb that Gaia pills do not have?
I will get all the rest to help with liver detox (N-acethyl Cysteine, Calcium D-Glucarate, selenium and taurine). I think my diet is good: organic as much as possible, no processed foods, no GMO, no dairy except plain yogurt (gotta have my dips), no sugars, breads or other flour products, no chemicals (at least trying), etc. Basically all I eat is veggies, green smoothies, quinoa and backwheat (for grains), eggs, meat, fish. I also take lots of supplements, probiotics and vitamins which I know are good quality and what I need (none of them interfere with my acne, checked).
And since I’m at it, do you have anywhere on your blog recommendations for face skin care? I seems to produce a lot of certain fat that clogs pores. I’m not using anything on my face except very mild natural scrub in the shower. Pores on my nose are pretty good size and once I clean them it takes about 2 days to fill them up. I suspect hormonal imbalance has something to do with it but it is so strange how they fill up so quickly.
Well, anyway, sorry for a long detailed post, poor Eniglish and lots of questions.
And thanks again!
Hi Tracy!
So, I’ve embarked on this healing and cleansing journey and truthfully, it’s only been about a week, but I feel better already.
One of the supplements I opted to try for my liver was Milk Thistle – wow, you were right when you said don’t take this if you have allergies to ragweed. My eyes and throat were so irritated, I had to stop immediately. So, I thought I would give Liv-Tox a try – I went to Amazon and tried to order it, but for whatever reason, they won’t ship to my area, which is odd. I’ve ordered a lot of stuff from Amazon….I live in Cambrige, Ontario which isn’t off the map or anything!! Anyway, long story, short: where do you buy your Liv-Tox from, and do you know if they will ship across Canada?!
Hi Trish, I wouldn’t recommend Liv-tox for you as it also contains milk thistle! I think the only liver support supplement I know of that doesn’t contain milk thistle is called Liv 52 by Himalaya Herbals
All of your articles are blowing my mind today as I just randomly stumbled upon this site. :::brain matter exploding all around::: I’m excited to try something new! Should I just try livtox first or estroblock? Or both? Thanks!
Hi Brandy, they work really well together! Also glad to hear you’re enjoying the site 🙂
Hi. Great info! I’m currently taking Liv-tone from genuine health for a liver detox. But do you know if I’m suppose to do a parasite cleanse first?
Hi May,
no, I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure you can take the supplement straight away.
Hello,
It looks like they discontinued LivTox – does anyone have any replacement brands that work well besides LivTox?
Well, prior to Liv-tox, my naturopath recommended a supplement called Hepacaps, but then they couldn’t easily get it in Canada anymore so she switched to using Liv-tox. So see if you can find Wise Woman Hepacaps, that is what I would recommend. I still need to find a good replacement I can get easily in Canada
Tracy!
My liv-tox is almost finished and I wonder of the Thorne SAT as you now recommend (instead of liv-tox) is just as good? I see that you recommend it instead of liv-tox on “things I like”, is it because liv-tox isn’t available for all counties at amazon anymore (have had hard time to find it lately) or is it because of something else?
And is Thorne SAT as natural as liv-tox according to its components?
Thanks!
Hi Julia,
Basically, they discontinued Liv-tox, I still don’t know why. And then I got overloaded with emails asking about what to take now… so I spent quite a while trying to decide on a supplement which was made of similar herbs and was of similar quality. Thorne was what I decided on, at least for now. I actually haven’t tried it yet, so I indeed hope it works as well as Liv-tox. I know Thorne is a supplement brand that naturopaths use and the product has great reviews on Amazon. So…. yep. I’ll be trying it as soon as my Liv-tox runs out! x
I’m about to order Thirne now, but just one question:
What’s the difference between Thorne S.A.T. och Thorne Liver cleanse? Because when I read about them it sounds like Thorne Liver cleanse is more optimal to take when you eat Estroblock? What’s your thoughts on that? It’s just a feeling I have, I’m not educated in the subject at all 🙂
Hi Julia, they have different herbs in them. Thorne is a replacement supplement for the one I used to take and love and recommend (Liv-tox), but it was discontinued, so this is one with similar herbs and of similar quality. Liv-tox worked great with Estroblock so this one should too! 🙂
Okey thanks, then I’ll try it! 🙂
Hi Tracy, sorry to bother you again.. Just wonder if you know anything about the supplement “HealthForce Nutritionals, Liver Rescue 4+”? You get a lot for almost the same price as Thorne. Why I’ve hard time to decide which supplement I’ll by now since Liv-tox isn’t available anymore, is because I’m a poor student..
Thanks for helping with your knowledge!
Hey Julia, one of the reason’s I’m recommending Thorne is because I know it’s a good quality supplement that naturopaths use in their practice, I don’t know if that is true about Healthforce, so I don’t know if it’s the same. I can’t research it right now – I’m in Nepal and the internet here is painfully bad! It might be just fine but I don’t know.
Okey thank you! Haha, I understand.. Hope you guys have a great time over there!
Hi!! I have been following your site for quite some time now. Thank you for all the incredible information; you have really helped me get through my battle with adult hormonal acne. I’m still in the midst of working through my problems, but my skin is doing a lot better right now… thanks to a liver supplement, eating healthy, and Omega3.
I had a question about the liver supplement though, and I hope its not too late to reply to this post…
Should I be taking the liver supplement for long term? I started with Just taking milk thistle. I just finished a 2 week course of taking 3 a day. Today I am starting on a different supplement that supports both phases… could I take one a day for long term use?
Hi Nicole, well from what I found when researching it, it didn’t sound to me like there was any defined limit on how long you could take milk thistle for. I’ve been taking a liver supplement for at least a couple of years now.
Thank you so much for your quick reply (:
Hi Tracy!
Biggest relief to find this article. I’ve been diagnosed with pcos, have come off the pill and have recently started taking vitex for my terrible, terrible acne. I started on vitex 1-2 weeks ago. At the same time I started taking milk thistle (3x per day), and only succeeded in breaking out even more.
Around this time I started peeing very yellow (sorry!); unusual as I am a plant based vegan, super healthy, and I drink 4L of water per day. I also take iron tablets.
Do you think the worsening of my skin and the yellow may be detox symptoms? I’ve decided to stop using milk thistle in any case! A shame because I really did want to clean up my liver.
Through your articles you recommend taking estro-block alongside vitex. Do you think both need to be taken for clearer skin, or just the one?
Thank you so, so much! xx Ruthy
Hi Ruthy, it can definitely produce a healing crisis in some people and can include weirdly coloured urine for a while. I say start again at one pill a day and work up slowly instead of jumping into a high dose. But anyway – milk thistle and estroblock do different things, I highly recommend Estroblock for clear skin and milk thistle to enhance its effects. (again start off really slow with Estroblock and work your way up to avoid healing crises and more breakouts)
Tracy just came off the pill. Would like to know if it is a good start, to start one estroblock, one burdock pill and one probiotic per day.
Tracy i have candida too. So i would like to know how can i start , i have candida pills.do you suggest to first take candida pills for for example a week, and the. Start with estroblock? Please. If you can inform.
Hey Tracy, im currently started taking Vitamin A, C,D,E, Zinc, evening primose burdock root and multivitamin about a week ago to help with my acne and oily skin. How long should it take before i start seeing results and do you recommend i take any other supplements?
Hi Tracy!
I got your eBook in Nov. Its a huge help.. I wish I could heal faster though. I’m tired of hiding from my friends. I just bought Thorne SAT.. How many should I take a day? Any recommendations?
Thanks!!
Hey Kelly, I take only one but you can take up to two if you want. Start with one though and increase to two after a week or two
OK. Thank you!!
Hi Tracy!
I love all that you do – such an inspiring female to look up to.
I have weaned myself off of birth control this past summer (took 6 months) and have been taking vitex, evening primrose oil, chinese herb Dong Quai, multivitamin, krill oil and estroblock during the entire weaning process. Now, I am officially off BC for 3 months and have had 2 periods and started getting cystic acne. I boosted my estroblock to 4 pills a day and have been drinking detox tea. I drink lots of water (I feel like a fish!) lol I also took milk thistle for a few weeks but experienced even worse acne. What should I do from here? I feel like my testosterone levels are sky high right now so mild acne throughout all cycle and then cystic 2 weeks at the end of each cycle now.
I’d love your advice!
-Thanks, Megan
Hi Megan, I’m super sorry to hear you’re still experiencing the post pill blues. I just finished reading a book that I think would be SUPER helpful to you right now… it’s called Period Repair Manual…. check it out on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GuOWyQ
I have been taking glutathione pills twice a day for almost two month now and since I started taking them I have been breaking out with acne only on my face.do you think this is temporary and would later stop?
Hi Tracy,
I have been suffering from what I thought was a hormonal imbalance for a few years now, I have cystic acne around my chin constantly. I have figured out I’m insulin resistant so I am treating that with a healthy diet, trying to have protein with every meal to stop insulin spikes. I have also cut diary as I have heard that is bad for acne. and I’m following liver cleansing principles in my diet to help my liver as I know this also helps with acne and overall hormonal health.
I stopped having a period 6 months ago, however, it returned this month – which coincided with my diet changes, which means I’m doing something right – yay… where I’m coming unstuck is its quite hard doing liver cleansing, no dairy and protein with every meal. Too much protein goes against the liver cleanse principles I have read. I’m frustrated as although my period has returned and my weight is coming down my skin is still bad. I feel like giving up, it just all seems so complicated. Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated. What are your thoughts on dairy? I refuse to go back on the birth control pill as I feel like that’s what started all these problems in the first place. thanks heaps
Hi Tracy, I just ordered estoblock and liv-d-tox. I also purchased Blue Ice royal green pastures, vitex berry, and bio-kult from my health food store. I’m confused. … is liv-d-tox and blue ice royal from green pasture do the same thing? Do I need to take Both? Also, do I really need both vitex berry and bio-kult? I am just coming of BC after many years and i have many symptoms and hormonal acne. I appriciate all the info., but there is so many different products in all the posts and information, I’m getting confused. One more question when do you take what products each day? Thanks for taking time to answer all these questions.
Hi Tracy,
Crazy that we’re all still posting questions to your article years later! I just read this on WebMD:
“Since milk thistle may mimic the effects of estrogen, some women should avoid this herb. This includes women who have fibroid tumors or endometriosis. Additionally, women with breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers should not take milk thistle.”
This seems counter to the idea of blocking estrogen? I’m new to your site and to herbal medicine in general, and I admit that I’m very skeptical. I don’t want to jump into any kind of regimen without trying to figure out potential side effects and efficacy of any supplement. What do you think? Does the Estoblock somehow counteract this so that just the liver detox functions happen? Seems a little far fetched to me, but you have years of experience and knowledge that I lack so I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say! 🙂
Hi Tracy!
I was taking estroblock for about a year (combined with Milk Thistle and Vitex), and it seemed to really help clear my cheek/chin/jawline acne. About six months ago I was feeling confident and stopped taking the supplements. My skin stayed clear for a while but slowly began to digress. (I exercise, eat well- cut out gluten because it seems to impact, limit dairy to plain yogurt, cheese) Now my neck and jawline are covered in angry, red, painful bumps, especially over the lymph nodes in my throat. Most of the time they won’t ever come to a head but they will last for weeks and the scars even longer. I also have acne popping up on my back and shoulders, which I’ve never had before. Two months ago I started taking 160mg/day Saw Palmetto, (I’ve never had any tests done to confirm that I have an androgen imbalance but I thought I’d give it a try), and three weeks ago I started the Estroblock triple strength again. Is it okay to combine Estroblock with Saw Palmetto?
I’m also taking tumeric and one teaspoon of MSM powder orally and topically (mixed with aloe). With all of this, is one 150mg dose of Milk Thistle enough daily liver support or should I add something there? I’m living in a remote part of Asia right now, so the LivTox formula isn’t available to me, but I may be able to find some other common herbs. Could the back and lymph node acne be a result of detox? I’m considering doing a liver cleanse- epsom salt water + olive oil….
Many Thanks in advance for your insight.
Hi Tracy!
How do you think- is it will be OK to take Zinc supplement together with Estroblock & Liv D-Tox to treat acne?
Thank you!
Hello Tracy,
Absolutely love your blog! I was taking estroblock regular strength for about a month. At first it cleared up the skin on my face really quickly and then my issues started to come back. So, I ordered the triple strength and Thorne S.A.T. I started taking that about a week ago and have noticed that my skin on my neck, chin and upper arms is getting worse. Is this most likely a detox reaction?
I also eat very clean and stick mainly to an anti-candida diet. On top of that I exercise regularly so I’m not sure what’s going on. Starting to feel a little desperate. Should I just wait it out?
Best,
Lexie :]
I’m sorry you had a tough go on your first liver flush, but that’s not uncommon. My first two weren’t successful either, but after that I can tell you they have been so successful and life-changing for the positive I can’t imagine living that old way ever again. After having done around 30 flushes in total now I’m happy to share with you how to make them highly successful:
1) Andreas Moritz method is the best method and you need to follow his instructions to the letter (I tried several methods before his). I highly recommend his book, but here are the bullet points.
2) If you suspect your liver is highly congested or you just want to be safe and careful- take the Chinese bitters herbs he recommends first before even starting. I kid you not- I started with literally one drop and because my liver was so congested I had a horrendous headache that lasted over three hours. After a few days they completely subsided and I was safe to proceed after several weeks. I found the best source was the liver/gallbladder flush 4 pack at Sensible Health in Canada. http://www.sensiblehealth.com/
3) Important- you must do a thorough enema or colonic before and after the liver flush. It’s in his book and I cannot emphasize it enough. If you don’t do it prior you’re not opening up the pathways for your body to dump the toxins- this can cause you to feel extremely ill and even vomit (I believe Tracy mentioned she did). It’s also just as important after (within 3 days) because toxins and even intrahepetic stones can get stuck or lodged causing your body to reabsorb them and potentially making you feel worse than you started- Tracy also mentioned this. Depending how loaded with stones you are (in total I passed several thousand)- the first two or even three flushes may not yield a lot of stones because they may be so packed in they need the first few flushes to give themselves some wiggle room. However, if you follow these directions to the letter it’s not uncommon to pass a boatload on the very first flush.
4) Instead of drinking apple juice definitely use malic acid in the six days leading up to the flush. This softens the stones (it’s in his book). Not only is it more effective and contains no sugar, but it’s less expensive. You can buy a pound of food grade malic acid (wine making supply) for around $10 or less on Amazon.
5) Follow Andreas Moritz recipe and his timing to the letter because with the fasting, drinking the Epsom salts, and later the mixture of the olive oil and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice you can cause kidney damage. If you follow the instructions properly this is not any issue whatsoever.
6) Once you start- don’t stop. After a successful flush you will feel amazing! It’s like rolling back the clock to your youth, but if you’re loaded with stones this feeling generally subsides after two to four days. The reason for this is because is gravity and the nature of your body causes the remaining stones to fall and re-clog up the biliary ducts and liver pathways. I found it’s best to wait one and half months for this process to take place properly before your next flush. If you do your next flush too soon you won’t get a good yield. Definitely do not wait more than three months between flushes. Once you start this cascading effect- get them all out because otherwise it can cause further complications.
7) The average person tends to need 8 to 14 flushes before getting nearly all the stones. After it’s clear you’ve accomplished this- do a maintenance flush every six months so your liver, gallbladder, and biliary ducts don’t get stuffed again.
I cannot stress enough how amazing and important this protocol was for me. This made me feel so much better- it was like someone took a giant load off my back. Peace and love everyone.
Andrew Days
You can do a liver flush without having to do a parasite cleanse- there’s no need. I find the best way to knock out parasites though is to just take 1 tablespoon of food grade Diatomaceous Earth twice daily.
For candida I find the easiest way to knock it out is to just drink baking soda along with breathing techniques. pH Kills Cancer is a bit of a hoaky website, but the message is spot- not only can sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) kill some forms of cancer, but it wiped out my candida so fast. It was gone within two days. Just make sure to buy pH strips-I find measuring urine is superior to saliva. http://phkillscancer.com/
Andrew Days
*spot on
Hey Andrew! You have inspired me. I did my first liver flush(Hulda Clark’s method) 3 to 4 months ago and it was amazing!!! I got some dark green matter on my first liver flush itself. But for some reason, i was scared to do it further as whether it would get rid of my acne forever or not. I’m again planning to do more of it and hope that my acne gets away from me forever.
So did you get rid of your acne forever now?Are you able to eat any kinds of food without any digestion problems or bloating and also without the fear of acne?I’m so thrilled to know about it. Awaiting your reply.
Hi Tracy,
Does black radish have any potentially harmful side effects. I’ve read that it can cause cancer and goiter. Have you ever come across that in your research?
Thanks
Holly
Hey y’all. I’ve been birth control clean since May. I’ve been on birth control since 2006. I was 14 years old. Since quitting BC I’ve had an awful time with hormone imbalance. My hair is oily beyond belief, I’m losing lots of hair, and the cystic acne is unbearable. On my jawline, forehead, back, chest, and buttox. I’ve gained weight. My periods are out of wack. It’s been a rough road. So rough i considered going back on nuva ring, but I thought, I’ve made it this far that I shouldn’t turn back. I want kids so I’ll have to come off again eventually so I didn’t turn back. But I got to thinking, I’ve been on synthetic hormones for 10 years. Not to mention I started taking them, like many other teen, at a pivotal point in puberty. My body has never had to do it on its own. So I need to heal my body. Get it right. I’ve came across your page via Googleing “cystic acne after discontinuing birth control”. I am going to start EstroBlock regular and Vitex. My question is, I have an allergy to ragweed. Is there any liver support supplements that do not contain milk thistle?
Hey Tracy,
What do you think of half lemon with a glass of water half an hour before your daily breakfast to detox your liver? My husband is doing it and he seems to love it, I am still traying to decide because I tried it for 2 days quite a while ago and it made feel very sick the whole day so I stoped it but I wonder if maybe I stick to it eventhough may the symptoms go away?
Have a great day 🙂
Yes lemon is supposed to be great for this, I like doing it too. But I don’t know why it would have caused you to feel sick – but if it makes you sick, then don’t bother
Hey Tracy, I’ve been taking all the suplements that you recomend us together with the lemon and its been working great for me.. also, the msm mix is wonderful I live it! Thank you very much for your help really!!!
Hi Tracy,
How long do you go on Phase 1 for before moving on to Phase 2?
Thanks
Hi Tracy! I’m suffering from acne ever since i got my first periods(menstrual cycle)! I’m 19 years old now and couldn’t afford costly acne treatments so i browsed on the internet and somehow found about acne diet and gave it a try.From the past year i was on the elimination diet(gluten free,diary free,sugar and carbs free and I’m a vegetarian who doesn’t eat eggs too!)and at first it didn’t go well, my acne got worse whenever i ate sugar or junk foods,i even used to get a large cyst kinda bumps on my neck but was clear the whole time(also my hormonal acne improved due to elimination diet) until i ate something out of the line.
I took probiotics, b complex vitamins and zinc for 2 months and it went well,i was clear but there was always the problem whenever i ate junkies(I have constipation issues,gas and i also suspect a low digestion).
Then one day i decided to do my first liver flush recently(Hulda Clark’s method) and i got good results. My digestion and appetite improved for the first time(no more gas or bloating for few months) and my skin was clear and i also ate a complete pizza after that and i didn’t breakout, but after a few months my acne appeared whenever i ate junkies and was back to poor digestion. I liked the results moreover but that was really a horrible procedure and i was scared to do it further because i have seen in forums like curezone and acne.org that some people were benefited with the first 2 liver flushes or so but got side effects badly from their 3rd one or so.
I’m very depressed and frustrated on my acne as i also couldn’t find time for it as i’m studying in college now, it’s a busy schedule! I found your blog on taking liver supplements instead of liver flush and also you mentioned that how we could eat junkies without breaking out by taking digestion supplements like psyllum husk and HCL betaine and i was so happy to hear about this and my hope came over again. Thanks for sharing your story. But i also saw an another blog of you telling that liver supplements made you breakout after you gave a break to them at some point
I wanted to try liver supplements but not sure if they help me long lastingly. After many trials on my acne, i suspect that my poor digestion and being constipated were the culprits. So please give me an overview on liver supplements and also a short insight on how can my acne be got ridden based on my condition as i mentioned above(my acne is due to poor digestion and the culprit foods).
And i also truly wanted to buy your course for which i’m saving money. Please consider me as sister and help me out!
Hi,
I have followed you for years now. I started taking Thorn SAT about 6 weeks ago. I’m super impressed. My lasting little bit of acne completely disappeared. I take 1-2 pills per day. I’m 37. Did this affect your cycle any? It seems that it has extended my cycle some. My body temp is up and I’m confused as to why this might have occurred? Obviously, there could be a million reasons for this but just curious if anyone else has had this same situation occur.
Hi R! Great 🙂 Has it only been one cycle? Our cycles can be late for lots of reasons, wait and see if it becomes a pattern