Natural Health: What will make it easier to stop drinking this month?

Plus natural solutions for cracked and sore skin around fingernails

Milk thistle helps reduce the toxic load

I have decided to cut out alcohol in January to give my hardworking liver a break. Is there a remedy to make the detox a little easier?

The liver is a very hardworking organ and benefits from additional support.

Kudzu, a coarse, high-climbing perennial vine from China, contains the active constituents daidzein and daidzin, which help to minimise the negative effects of alcohol. It can also be used as a supplement to help buffer celebratory drinks. You will need to take 1000mg (1g) of Kudzu with breakfast, lunch, and dinner and then take the same again the day after drinking.

NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine) is another supplement with an affinity for the liver. It addresses liver damage, maintains healthy lung function, and enhances the immune system.

Milk thistle helps reduce the toxic load while stimulating liver regeneration and repair.

Dandelion root can be taken together with milk thistle to further support the liver, as part of a herbal formulation or separately as a beverage. Since milk thistle is very bitter, it is best taken in capsules or tincture form.

Most of us know that the liver is a filter to remove toxins. Less well known is its role in regulating hormones from the sex, thyroid, and adrenal glands. It is also responsible for processing blood, balancing and forming nutrients, metabolising medications, producing bile, cholesterol, and proteins, converting excess glucose into glycogen for storage, storing iron, regulating amino acids, converting ammonia to urea, regulating blood clotting, making immune factors, removing bacteria from the blood, and preventing bilirubin accumulation. All the more reason to take good care of your liver.

The skin around my fingernails has started to crack and is sore in places. Is there a natural cream you could recommend?

Changes to the nail area can be caused by several reasons, from hormonal health to the soap you use. Autoimmune conditions, thyroid disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, anaemia, nutrient deficiencies, and adrenal fatigue can all cause issues with the nails and surrounding area. If you suspect any of these conditions might be at the root of your issues, you should make an appointment with your health practitioner to assess or rule out these possibilities. It is also worth noting that some medications can trigger dryness.

Ensure you get plenty of healthy fats to nourish your skin by increasing your essential fatty acid intake through food or supplementation. When it comes to skin repair, a multivitamin and mineral combination is also a good idea, particularly if you are feeling stressed or run down. Keeping the skin around your nails well-nourished can be difficult as we constantly use our hands and spend a lot of time washing them.

Applying a deep nourishing treatment at night before bed is far more effective. Choose a balm or salve with soothing and healing botanicals, such as calendula, lavender, hypericum, comfrey, and chamomile. Apply a generous layer to your hands and, if possible, cover them with cotton gloves (even clean cotton socks will do in a pinch) so it can nourish the affected area while you sleep.

Pawpaw (Papaya) salve is another excellent option, but avoid anything petroleum-based, as this will dry out the skin further. Pawpaw is a tried-and-true remedy for cracked skin, cuts, rashes, burns, grazes, inflammation, bites and stings, chapped lips, and nappy rash.

• NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.