The Liver Cleansing Diet: Love Your Liver and Live Longer

by Sandra Cabot

Describes the function of the liver in health and illness, and includes a collection of recipes formulated to combat headaches, low metabolism, irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, and fatigue

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking, Cookbooks, Reference, Self Help

186 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Dr Sandra Cabot has written many popular books on health and she is very well known under this name. Dr Cabot’s famous Liver Cleansing Diet book was awarded The Australian People’s Choice Award in 1997.You may find it interesting to know that Sandra chose the nom de plume of “Dr Cabot” in 1982, as in those days Australian medical doctors were encouraged to use a nom de plume (or writer’s name) if they were going to write books and participate in the health media. This was considered ethical behavior and was smiled upon by the medical registration boards, as it could then not be construed as to be advertising for extra patients.There are many well known medical doctors in Australia (such as Dr “Sally Feelgood” and Dr “James Wright”) who use a writer’s and/or media name for this purpose, and who continue to practise medicine under their professional names. This is considered to be more ethical and conservative, which is appropriate as the medical profession is a conservative profession.Dr Sandra Cabot’s professional name is Dr Sandra McRae and her ancestors came from Scotland and England. There is also a touch of French ancestry in Sandra, and that is why she chose a French nom de plume!Dr Sandra McRae is a registered medical doctor in NSW, Australia where she has medical practices in which she works with other medical doctors and naturopaths.

Dr Sandra McRae was born in Adelaide South Australia in 1952 and trained in medicine and surgery at Adelaide University in South Australia.

Sandra McRae graduated in medicine and surgery with honours in 1975 from Adelaide University South Australia.

In Australia a bachelor of medicine and surgery is designated by the letters MBBS, which appear after the name of the doctor. Sandra McRae is also a diplomate of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists and this is designated by the letters DRCOG. Thus the correct title of Dr Sandra McRae in Australia is MBBS, DRCOG.

Dr Sandra Cabot is published in many different countries and languages. In the USA Sandra uses the letters MD after her name, which is the American equivalent of the Australian MBBS, and simply means Medical Doctor and not Medical Doctorate.

During the mid-1980s Dr Cabot spent 6 months working as a volunteer doctor at the largest missionary hospital in India (the Leyman hospital). Here she studied tropical & infectious diseases and tended to the poor indigenous women with obstetric emergencies.

Dr Sandra Cabot travels extensively giving lectures and public seminars and visits isolated areas in Australia to share her message of natural health. Dr Cabot has lectured for the American Liver Foundation and the Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Society. Today she is asked by many different organizations and hospitals to lecture all over Australia and New Zealand. Some of the proceeds of Dr Cabot’s book sales are donated to support Women’s Refuges in Australia.

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daily diet can change your life. Healthy liver friendly diet can make you become a new person. I feel so much lighter even though my body weight has not changed yet as I did not follow the strict diet but the book guided me to believe I can reduce my body weight and feel healthy without starving and/or mental torture of food crave.

[BookLover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy Read

I’m often wary of reading medical books but Dr Cabot has a way of writing for someone like me to understand. No medical jargon and I easily related to the case studies. The recipes are easy are yum and all common ingredients I keep at home.

[Willow · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was the most disgusting diet I have ever tried. Almost all the recipes were vile. It almost put me off soup for life. I can’t look at a pumpkin now without being a little nauseous remembering my foray into making organic Pumpkin soup. The carrot/celery concoction you have to drink each day was foul. Not to mention, since you can’t use anything canned, it’s a ridiculous amount of work. I spent all my spare time cooking, chopping up vegetables and washing dishes. I had to take apart the juicer and the blender at least three times a day to clean it. You get tired of that crap. Normally I love cooking, but come on. I thought I could do this diet for the full cleanse, but after four weeks I just had to quit. I was so grossed out. I was dreading eating my next meal. I recommend this diet only for the heartiest of health nuts.

[Yasheve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the foods suggested conflicts with other books and scientific findings. But what do I know? She's the specialist.

[Glenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read a long time ago and found notes in the computer.The Liver Cleansing Diet
Dr Sandra Cabot, MD

Case history: horse with liver problems improved on Livatone and carrots and sunflower seeds.

Liver major fat burning organ…..it’s not how much you eat, its what you eat….
Liver cleansing and liver friendly foods….
Liver disease can take many forms; many causes…never find a cause – idiopathic…

Alcohol excess, drug abuse, adverse reactions to pharmaceutical drugs, (anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, anti-fungal drugs, immuno-supressants)
….result from auto-immuno-suppresants and infections such as AIDS, malaria, Lupus, malaria, tuberculosis….

Exposure to occupational and environmental toxins …insecticides, organic solvents….build up in the fatty areas of the body including the liver and brain….

Occupations – shoe manufactories, pest controllers, insecticide users, plastic and rubber industries, furniture and cabinet makers, hair dressers, dry cleaners, and painters….

Common site of cancer
Polycystic liver disease – genetic defect inherited – enlarged with cysts
Cause *** diet high in saturated and damaged fats and reined sugars..


The liver cells choked to death by globules of fatty substances due to inability to metabolize fats. Subcutaneous lumps of fat – xanthomas – grow under your skin and organs.

Solution: change diet and take a tonic of lecithin and taurine !!


LCD diet correct the chemical imbalance in your bile that leads to gallstones….problems can crop up again in nearby areas causing such things as pancreatitis, biliary tract disease of fatty liver.
LCD words for high blood pressure and general digestive problems…imbalance in immune system….chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, migraines, ….HRT stresses liver.

Symptoms of an unhappy liver…..coated tongue, circles under eyes, poor digestion, abdominal bloating, nausea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, flatulence, bad breath, coated tongue, unpleasant mood changes, depression, foggy brain….trigger allergic conditions…..fluid retention, hypoglycemia, inability to tolerate fatty foods, gallbladder disease, excessive body heat, sweating, body odor…..tolerance to drugs and alcohol low and allergic response occurs….


Chinese medicine----- smooth flow of body energy “qi” can only occur if the liver action is healthy…..call the liver the general of the army….
Chinese herb Ziao Yan Wan…..”the free and easy wanderer”…use to treat depression….
Stagnant liver results in “fermenting and heat” which causes “fire to rise” leading to agitation, poor sleep, dizziness, headaches, anger “gan ho”…..poor nail and muscle and tendon stiffness to liver weakness….state of the liver from the eyes….dry, red, itching eyes caused by excessive heat in the liver….

Location on right side of the upper abdomen….
Functions:
1. regulate carbohydrate metabolism- turns glucose into glycogen for storage
2 storage functions…
3. regulate protein metabolism…..
4. detoxifies toxic substances…..

Symptoms of severe liver disease….jaundice, severe depression, fatigue, swelling of abdomen, clumsiness, mental confusion, coma, bleeding from stomach, bowels, palms of hands deep red color…..flapping tremor of hands,

Can immunize against hepatitis B……
Hepatologist……liver specialists

The 12 vital principles to improve liver function…..

1. Listen to your body….Don’t eat if you are hungry….glass of water, small fruit, veggie
Don’t put up with hunger pains--- cause hypoglycemia or ulcer….stop eating once you feel full….

2. Drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of filtered water daily…..cleanse liver and kidneys…….
3. Avoid eating large amounts of refined sugar….
Must have sweet – use fruits, honey, blackstrap molasses,…..
Unrefined honey contains natural antibiotic substances that inhibit the growth
of bacteria and fungi…(avoid jams, jellies, preserves)
Use Halvah – sesame seeds, honey, vanilla flavoring..
Fruit sorbet in place of ice cream

4. Don’t become obsessed with measuring calories…

5, Avoid foods that you may be allergic to…..use digestive enzyme tables ….
pepsin, bromelains, glutamic acid hydrochloride, papain, pancreatic extracts…..

weak digestion tip – always begin each meal with something raw….piece of raw fruit or veg……raw foods contain living enzymes that supplement your own enzymes to enhance digestion…..
OR glass of water – 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar every meal…..

6. Be aware of good intestinal hygiene – liver filters bacteria and viruses in food….
Salmonella , shigella…..infectious agents that invade blood stream…damage liver..

1. eat fresh foods
2. Never reheat food more than once
3. Avoid fast food and take out – may not be fresh
4. Wash hands before eating
5. Avoid uncooked eggs unless certain been refrigerated….
6. overseas – avoid unpeeled raw foods and shellfish, salads,
7. Avoid preserved delicatessen meats – preserved meats – high digestive and bacterial loads upon the liver….
8. Do not eat if you feel stressed or anxious…lead to poor digestion
9. Eat organic foods…. Free-range eggs and chickens…avoid artificial chemicals ….preservatives, colorings flavorings and artificial sweeteners…..
10. Obtain protein from beans etc not just from animal products such as meats, eggs ,and fish….

11. Choose your breads and spreads wisely…with fiber, minerals, vit B’s….
yeast free pita bread, stone ground, sourdough …..AVOID spreads, or use hummus, tahinni, or avocado

12. Avoid constipation – avoid the growth of unfriendly organisms in large bowel, …..high fiber muesli – flaxseeds, oat bran, pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, psyllium husks, oat bran, rice bran, lecithin granules….1 cup each – last 4 weeks…
Use anti-acids that contain calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, aloe vera juice and herbs…..


Eat more beans:
Beans – rinse and soak overnight for 12 to 24 hrs….4 measures of water to 1 measure of beans….
Canned – sauces with salt and sugar – rinse off with water before using them…
Sprouts- increased vit C, amino acids, and fatty acids…
Seeds – put through coffee grinder, high powered blender….fine powder…more digestible….
LSA mixture….(brain food) 3 measures of flaxseeds, 2 measures of sunflower seeds, 1 measure of almonds….sprinkle on top of fruits, cereal……can add psyllium husks…

Do not eat beans, seeds, nuts, cereals with meats or eggs if have a weak digestive system.

Fat free diets – symptoms of fatty acid deficiency ….
.symptoms: dry itchy skin, eczema, hair loss, joint pains, reduced fertility, depression, fatigue, circulatory problems, degenerative diseases, aging, high triglycerides….

Imbalance of fats in diets ---- do not eat excessive amounts of fats----wrong kinds….heavy burdens on liver…Pg. 55…healthy liver makes special coating for fat called lipoprotein which enables fat to travel around in the blood stream….

Eating the wrong foods causes imbalance in liver’s production of lipoproteins so you have too much LDL and not enough HDL….

Healthy fats: essential fatty acids EFA’s

Omega 6 EFAs – Linoleic Acid (LA) and Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA)

-safflower seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, sesame, pumpkin, walnuts, soya beans, evening primrose oil, borage oil, spirulina, lecithin, human breast milk,

Omega 3 EFAs - Alpha Linolenic Acid (LNA) and Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexanoic Acid (DHA)

(LNA) flaxseed, hemp canola, soya beans, walnuts, pumpkin, dk gn leafy vgs
(EPA) and (DHA) cold water fish….sardines, tuna, trout, mackeral, salmon, Chinese snake oil….

Other beneficial fatty acids ----- avocados, peanuts, almonds, macademia nuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts, olive oil……must be fresh….

MUST IN EATEN IN NATURAL STATES…..very vulnerable to deterioration from exposure to light, air or heat….cause to become rancid…EFAs oxidized to dangerous polymers, hydroperoxyaldehydes, and peroxides ……burden on live and damage cell membrane…

Heat – twists molecules into new shape called “trans-shape” …hydrogenation process….NEVER EAT DEEP FRYED FOODS….

Margarines, shortenings, cookies, cakes, French fries, chips…. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils - not easily biodegradable…LIVER FOES

TAKE CARE OF YOUR OILS……. Buy cold pressed, dark glass bottles, …virgin olive oil…..

Eat oil fish – freshly cooked, canned, NOT SMOKED OR FRIED….


HOW TO STIR FRY SAFELY: 1st put water in wok, add veggies, slow heating, add a small amt of oil….keeps cooking temperatures down to 212 degree F- nondestructive tempt……….add garlic and onions – sulfurs minimizes free radical damage…..

PREVENT High cholesterol…..1. high fiber diet….2. lecithin 3-4 tbspns day ….3. anti-oxidants – vit C……1000 to 4000 dayly and drink at least 10 glasses of water daily……4. Take garlic capsules 2000 to 4000 daily…
5. vit B 3 – niacin…….500 – 2000 mg daily…..

Natural Therapies for the Liver

Psyllium seed - best taken at beginning of meals
Taurine – 200 – 500 mg daily……major amino acid for removal of toxic chemicals and key component of bile acids produced in liver…..often deficient in vegetarians, found in animal protein, seafood…….

Dandelion – liver tonic……bitter substances – taraxacin and inulin – stimulate digestive glands and activate flow of bile….500 – 200 mg daily……….

St Marys Thistle – MILK THISTLE

Liver protective, liver-regenative, anti-hypoglycemia, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant….reduces toxic fatty degeneration of liver……
Pg 69…..liver protective, helps regeneration, 500- 2000 mg daily…

Globe Artichoke - liver protective, liver restorative…blood purifier…..lowers urea and nitrogen waste products…………cleanser in cases of skin diseases , bad breath and excessive body odor………

Slippery Elm Bark – gastro-intestinal problems, 150- 100 mg daily…

Carrots, Beets – beta carotenes, flavonoids, cleansing effect on liver
Lecithin – phosphatidylcholine – keeps membranes around the liver cells healthy – helps metabolize fats
Alfafa and Barley Leaf – boost of chorophyll – liver tonic and cleanser

First two weeks – avoid elimination reactions of releasing toxins and fats into your circulation too fast…..gentle diet

Next 4 weeks: more demanding…accustomed to low fat diet….cleanse liver to stimulate sluggish metabolism and speed up weight loss…..drink extra water to flush toxins out of body…..NO CHICKEN OR EGG YOLKS

Last 2 weeks: smooth transition back to

Eat a lot of raw fruits and veggies – living enzymes, natural antibiotics, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids….reduce excess acidity….
Breakfasts: drink 2 glasses water w lemon, 15 mins later – raw veggie juice

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye Opening!

Easy to read and follow. Simple instructions and plenty of recipes. Clean your liver and clear up some health issues too, may aid in weight loss, definitely a book to check out.

[Hamish Downie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I've read this book, and since the old version, Sandra has expanded the types of juicing vegetable options, and has put in more to promote her supplements. That said, without trying very hard, I've already lost 3 kgs in the first two weeks, just by adding the juicing to my breakfast. I feel increased alertness, my sleep has improved (I'm not taking sleeping supplements now), and my indigestion is almost gone. It is very expensive to follow the diet in Japan, but it's well worth trying, and I'm enjoying being forced to look for ways of sourcing the foods - so, it's kind of an adventure.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, I have a bum of a liver. This book tells me all about it. I got a good recipe for Minestrone Soup out of it.

[Evan Cato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very effective

This is the most valuable resource I have used to improve my total health! I am starting another two rounds of the diet now from this updated edition.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its ok. The book does a very good job explaining the importance of caring for your liver and various approaches. She explains various diagnostuc tools includingsome that can be done at home. Very helpful! She does a good job of covering supplementation and I do appreciate that proper dosing is provided. The majority of the book is recipes. If you're not used to cooking with whole foods, it will be helpful. But if you already eat raw and whole foods, this will feel very elementary and possibly outdated. The focus on getting good whole grains is outdated and unhelpful. The author does hint that intermittent fasting and calorie restriction may be helpful but does not go so far as to recommend either (only to tell readers not to eat if they aren't hungry and to not be afraid to skip a meal here and there). The book contains a lot of helpful information but I think it is incomplete from a dietary and nutirtional standpoint, some of its information is outdated, and it could use a lot more information on clearing detox pathways and detoxing safely since most people with liver concerns also have massive toxicity issues.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first and so far only book on the liver that I’ve read. Thus, it served as a good starting point for broad and general information about the liver. She includes some useful tips such as the benefit of LSA mixes. I didn’t appreciate the repeated cartoons which seemed to serve only to promote her diet. I tried one of the recipes in the book and it was OK. I see no reason why one couldn’t blend bits of the principles of this book with something like the Mediterranean diet, with GP consultation. I think her diet might be good if you need to do a really intense liver detox, but otherwise I would also recommend Dr. Mosley’s The Clever Guts diet book. The recipes in there look amazing and still extremely healthy, though the book doesn’t focus on the liver specifically. I think it could be worth reading more current literature on the topic of the liver, with this as a somewhat useful starting point.

[Hussein · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible book except for the last part which is about a fat man transformation story. The author basically wrote this book to market her liver tonic supplement. This is a marketing material. It also sounds like one. I could not believe that even the text sounds like an infomercial. The author asks the reader to call a telephone number not in one part but in several parts of the book. She recommends you to juice fruits and vegetables. Unbelievable and disgusting diet! Almost complete junk! It is needless to say that one should read a book by someone who does not have a vested interest in selling you something.

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago and just re-read it. I have never followed the diet, but I like many of the recipes and consider her advice when I eat. She clearly explains the challenging work of the liver and its importance to overall health. It is the body's largest organ (not the skin) and it turns out to be fascinating. It influences key body functions such as blood pressure, cholesterol and fat storage. It also protects the immune system from overload and much more. I definitely want to be on friendly terms with my liver, and this book helps me do that. Thank you, Dr. Cabot.

[Phuong Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended to everyone who wants to change their eating habit or fight against liver diseases without using chemical treatment. I personally re-read and re-applied this diet many times and it always brings positive results to me.

[Serena Long ﺕ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opening! This was a helpful book. Highly recommended to everyone who wants to change their eating habit. This book has a well written introduction about why your liver is such an important organ and what food, good and bad, does to it.

[Karen Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

This book has changed my life. I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease and so far I found her book the easiest to read and follow. I’ve been on many diets and losing weight has always been hard, but now I’m feeling healthier and burning the fat. Thanks Dr Cabot!

[etherealfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Kindle e-book

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked "Juicing, Fasting, and Detoxing for Life: Unleash the Healing Power of Fresh Juices and Cleansing Diets" much better

[Sandra Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is a revelation to those suffering of poor health, liver disease and poor health

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Certainly not a fun read, but very enlightening and informative. I'm looking forward to getting my liver into shape!

[Iona Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book much more readable than the previous one I've read by the author - "The liver-cleansing diet".

The present one is divided into two parts, one dealing with the liver and the other with the bowels.

The author presents comprehensive but easily understandable information about all the various liver and bowel diseases. Much of this information was new to me, especially that on bowel problems. Valuable treatment suggestions as regards diet and supplements are included for each disease/complaint.

The final part of the book comprises healthy recipes, though I personally did not find these as useful as in the former book, since I could not use most of them as they included too many ingredients I can't eat, at least for the meantime. However, they will be useful for most readers.

To sum up, this is an extremely informative and helpful book for all those suffering from liver or bowel diseases, or interested in learning about how to prevent them.

[Suzy Atkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a well written introduction about why your liver is such an important organ and what food, good and bad, does to it. I'm currently on the diet and I find it very hard to give up red meat and dairy as New Zealanders live on this and we have some of the best in the world but I understand why this is important. I think everything in moderation is the key to a healthier life (as well as eating for your blood group) but when moderation has failed you, as mine had, this is a great book/diet to get you back on track. Would be particularly helpful for people who have IBS or a very poor conditioned liver.

[Gerald McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some positives

A bit laborious on features involved with liver damage, history, case studies and testimonials. More comprehensive than selective regarding interventions, also. Recipes artificially in phases and not so appetizing. Still it is attentive to a key organ and feasible strategies that are important.

[LumberJack · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s an alright read. More than half of the book are recipes though. The whole premise of the book is eat more veggies and fruits. I’ll need to refer later on to tweak my diet a bit more. At this time of this review, in Canada, prices are going up and the meat especially aren’t going down in price so that would be an incentive to eat less meat and more fresh whole foods.

[Rebecca Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a helpful book. I learned quite a bit and was able to incorporate a lot of it into my life. This book wasn't too medical to get through. It also wasn't completely detached and painful to read. I thought it a good balance of traditional medical, ancedotal and alternative/common sense.

[Lesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I will say the first part of book is informative about liver function but the second part is following a 8 week menu plan. Uhmm no! Those recipes didn't even look appealing so not doing this. Only one I thought maybe my family would eat is the stuffed peppers!

[Lina · Rating 2 out of 5]

this diet works you must stick to it

[Mary Swerens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am glad this is by a real MD or I'd toss it with the rest of the "clean this and that" books. Good stuff, makes sense, and she backs her info up with real science.

[Angela D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahead of it's time and still relevant for people with liver issues.

[RH Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a premature review but I'll revise it once I actually cleanse my liver.