As we head into the Christmas and New Year celebrations, many of us are gearing up for holidays, parties and long-overdue relaxation. But while we may be slowing down, one crucial part of the body definitely isn’t…our liver.

Liver is one of the real unsung heroes of the body that deserves recognition. Truly. If organs had résumé, the liver’s skills list would be a mile long. It detoxifies, it helps you digest food, it processes fats, it supports immunity and it does all this quietly, without complaint, even while you’re loading up on ham, pavlova, and “just one more” Christmas cocktail.

When your liver isn’t functioning well, the rest of your body quickly joins the protest. You may feel run down, bloated, sluggish, tired, or more prone to picking up infections.

So, why your liver feels the strain during festive season? Your liver produces bile, which breaks down fats. So, when you suddenly switch to “holiday mode” and start eating richer and fattier foods than usual (because who can say no to cheese platters?), your liver is pushed into overdrive.

When it gets overburdened, you might notice: Weight gain creeping in, bloating, sluggish digestion, low energy and general “ugh” vibes.

This is exactly why giving your liver a boost at this time of year makes perfect sense. Think of a liver tonic as your liver’s personal assistant: helping it detox, digest and do its job without collapsing under the pressure of Christmas pudding and prosecco.

One of my favourite liver tonics contains several herbs traditionally used to support liver function and help eliminate waste.

St Mary’s Thistle (also known as Milk Thistle) is one of the best-known herbs in liver support. It’s widely recognised for helping maintain healthy liver cells and supporting overall liver function. Research has shown it can have a positive effect in protecting and improving liver health, and it’s often used to help ease digestive discomforts like indigestion and bloating (1). I especially like this particular liver tonic because it includes a high-strength dose of St Mary’s Thistle.

This formula also includes a generous amount of Globe Artichoke. This herb is known for its supportive effects on both the liver and the gallbladder, helping to protect and restore their function (2). Because the liver and gallbladder work so closely together, Globe Artichoke can be especially useful for easing sluggish digestion, something many of us experience at this time of year when rich foods (and the occasional extra drink) are on the menu.

Taurine is another key ingredient in this liver formula. It’s believed to help shield the liver from oxidative damage, supporting the liver cells in efficiently clearing harmful compounds (3).

So, give your liver a little kindness this festive season. Just one tablet a day may help it bounce back from the usual Christmas and New Year indulgences. And if you know a big night is coming up, a handy tip is to take a liver supplement before you head out and again before bed. This may help support your liver, assist alcohol clearance and potentially make the next morning a lot more pleasant.

For more information about liver support or any other health concerns, come and see the team at Go Vita, North St, Batemans Bay, or give us a call on 02 4472 9737. Tune in to our weekly 2EC radio segment, where Marianne and I chat about health and wellness with Kimmi Saker every Wednesday after 12.30pm.

Reference:

1.       Achufusi TGO, Pellegrini MV, Patel RK. Milk Thistle. 2024 Feb 28. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 31082119.

2.        Amini MR, Sheikhhossein F, Talebyan A, Bazshahi E, Djafari F, Hekmatdoost A. Effects of Artichoke Supplementation on Liver Enzymes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Clin Nutr Res. 2022 Jul 25;11(3):228-239. doi: 10.7762/cnr.2022.11.3.228. PMID: 35949559; PMCID: PMC9348909.

3.       Heidari R, Jamshidzadeh A, Niknahad H, Mardani E, Ommati MM, Azarpira N, Khodaei F, Zarei A, Ayarzadeh M, Mousavi S, Abdoli N, Yeganeh BS, Saeedi A, Najibi A. Effect of taurine on chronic and acute liver injury: Focus on blood and brain ammonia. Toxicol Rep. 2016 Apr 13;3:870-879. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2016.04.002. PMID: 28959615; PMCID: PMC5615919.