David, I am consulting with a friend who has had a heck of a last several years. She sent me a picture of her tongue yesterday. Heart shaped, very red and swollen around the edges, dry, thin stomach crack in center surrounded by brownish patches. Sublingual veins look normal. Liver fire with toxicity spilling over into the stomach/intestines. Brown patches are rooted. She has some genetic SNP's which affect detoxification. The supplement she is taking from a functional doctor for liver detoxificaton is call Livotrit Plus, and it's obviously too strong for her. Honestly, I think the approach the supplement developers went for was taking every imaginable herb for liver conditions and throwing it into the same pill! She has had breast cancer, a double mastectomy, and a complete hysterectomy, ovaries and all. Multiple surgeries. Can you make some suggestions regarding cooling, gentle, supportive herbs to calm the fire, as well as support her liver and stomach/intestines as she deals with toxic build-up? I am concerned that her Phase II pathways are not working very well, as well as her eliminatory system. Thank you!

Honestly, I think the approach the supplement developers went for was taking every imaginable herb for liver conditions and throwing it into the same pill! This is unfortunately very common. As you know this is a complicated case, but gentle herbs that can enhance liver detox - dandelion root, guduchi, beet juice, Turmeric (enhances phase 2 detox, slightly warming, but combine with other cooling herbs), Yin Chen Hao.