Why does the liver matter so much?
The liver is one of the busiest organs in the body. It receives blood from both the heart and the intestines. It’s main functions include:
- Storage of fat soluble vitamins and glycogen (glucose) for energy.
- Manufacturing of blood plasma proteins and cholesterol.
- Creation of vitamin D, hormones and bile for fat digestion.
- Elimination of internal and external waste products (which are then sent to the kidneys and intestines).
If you are a visual learner, this is a great video to watch. It only goes for a few minutes and will give you an idea as to why it is so important to support your liver in daily life and especially during periods where your body needs to eliminate more waste than usual (for eg after excess alcohol or junk food intake, illness or increased exposure to environmental toxins).
How to help your liver
- Avoid or reduce alcohol intake.
- Avoid or reduce white sugar and trans fats which burden the liver.
- Avoid excess fruit juice, especially pulp-free. The liver doesn’t know what to do with concentrated fructose. When you consume a piece of fruit, the fructose is part of the whole and the body knows how to process and absorb what it needs and discard the rest.
- Exercise regularly– at least 30 minutes per day including 5 sessions of increased heartrate – inducing sweat.
- Drink filtered water.
- Eat plenty of plants, (mostly cooked if you have digestive problems).
- Avoid processed foods as much as possible.
How a naturopath can help
There are a number of wonderful herbal medicines that help the liver to function more efficiently. In turn, this increases the quality and quantity of bile which enables you to digest fats and assimilate fat soluble vitamins. It also allows the liver to more efficiently eliminate waste products.
There are also important nutrients required for the liver to function correctly. They include vitamin C, iron, B vitamins, magnesium, glutamine, alpha lipoic acid, to name a few. This emphasises the need for a well balanced diet and occasional supplementation during periods of increased load on the liver.
Signs that your liver may need assistance
· Menstrual issues
· Skin problems; acne, eczema, psoriasis, fungal
infections
· Low morning appetite
· Nausea
· Gallstones
