Sunday 19 August 2012

Dark Circles under the Eyes and Liver Detox (part 1)


The eyes are the window to the soul. Or should I say to either wellness or disease in the body? 

There are many reasons for dark circles under the eyes. Firstly, how does it appear? In that area capillaries (tiny blood vessels) are so fine that some of the red blood cells leak in the surrounding area when it queues up to pass through. Similar to a bruise elsewhere in the body, enzymes (to “sweep them away”) are produced when these red blood cells are broken down leaving them dark red and dark blue. Unfortunately this is very visible because the skin around the eyes is the thinnest.

Common reasons for dark circles could be aging, genetics, nutritional deficiencies, sleep deprivation and tiredness, smoking and drinking, sun exposure, hormonal changes and allergies. It could also be more serious reasons e.g. anaemia, dehydration, and liver disease.
  • Anaemia – low iron levels results in poor oxygenation. Green leafy vegetables or a food state iron supplement can solve the problem.
  • Dehydration – more often than not the most common reason for dark circles under the eyes! Drink at least 0,3 litre (±1 glass) per 10 kg of body mass (i.e. 7 glasses for a person weighing 70kg) and eat fresh fruit daily. Restrict all caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea, alcohol, carbonated drinks or diuretics as it aggravates dehydration. Water isn’t just “good for you” – water burns fat. Water suppresses hunger. Drinking enough water renews your skin and can take a few years off your face. You’ll also drop fat, have more energy, and save your kidneys and liver from chronic overwork. 
  •  Liver disease – Dark circles could also indicate liver dysfunction. The school curriculum taught us that one function of the liver is to eliminate toxins from the body, but unfortunately it is possible to over-exert the liver! You have to consider a detox of the liver at least bi-annually.    
 
In part 2 (next week) I will list symptoms and signs of liver problems and several liver detox
remedies. If you want to follow this blog by email free of charge, please submit your email address below or on the top right hand side of the page.

1 comment:

  1. It certainly pays to treat your live well. With all the toxins we are bombarded with in our daily lives it is not surprising that many people's livers struggle to clear them.

    As well as detoxing the liver twice a year it helps to eat liver friendly foods every day.

    ReplyDelete