Liver Heat
Why should we love our liver?
The role of the liver is to clear toxins from the body, it is no surprise that it is constantly bombarded from our diet and lifestyle! The liver is a large organ with 500 vital functions. It filters 1 litre of blood every minute. The detoxification ability of the liver ensures that the vitality of the body is maintained by removing toxins from the body. The liver is the only organ in the body that is able to regenerate and reverse the damage caused by lifestyle and environmental factors!
As a person ages, the body accumulates wastes through lifestyle, diet, medications and emotions. Long term use of pharmaceutical medications for cholesterol, contraception (synthetic hormones), diabetes as well as long term stress and repressed emotions (anger, irritability, frustration, rage, overwhelm, unexpressed desires, annoyance) will all contribute to an unhappy liver. Other factors which reduce the capacity for the liver to detox due to reduced circulation are age, increased oestrogen production, inflammation, heat (environment and food), insulin resistance and menopause.
SOME FUNCTIONS OF THE LIVER
- processes and eliminates wastes, inflammation, toxins and hormones
- converts hormones to less toxic forms to help regulate hormones
- 2 phases of detoxification – phase 1 activates toxins (liberates them from fat stores) & phase 2 binds to a substance (amino acid) to remove from the body via the bowels and kidneys
- supports hormonal metabolism during menopause
- supports digestion through the production of bile
SYMPTOMS OF A STRUGGLING LIVER
- waking between 1-3am
- skin issues (rashes, boils)
- constipation
- reflux, indigestion
- intolerance to alcohol and heat changes
- sensitivity to caffeine
- anger, frustration and irritability
- menopause symptoms, hormonal imbalance
- blood sugar imbalance
- high cholesterol, fatty liver or NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)
- raised liver enzyme and inflammation levels
- gallstones or reduced bile flow
- swollen liver on palpation
- Iron stores (ferritin levels increase when liver inflammation is present)
- viruses (Hepatitis)
- leaky gut – CDSA test (comprehensive digestive stool analysis)
- food sensitivities
DIET & LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO IMPROVE LIVER HEALTH
- reduce alcohol
- avoid sugar, processed foods, junk foods
- stop emotional eating as a coping mechanism
- reduce skin care products as these add more chemicals to the load of the liver
- reduce exposure to chemicals in the diet and lifestyle to allow the liver to cleanse
- reduce the load on the liver (medications, stress, emotions, exposure to chemicals/ pollutants)
- clean diet (clean 15 & dirty dozen fruits and vegetables)
- reduce caffeine intake
- improve liver enzyme pathways with Glutathione, Milk Thistle