When is the last time you thought about the health of your liver? If you are like most people, this probably isn’t something you ponder often.
There are many other things many do think of on a very regular basis. Some of these include:
- Sinus congestion
- Constipation or diarrhea or alternating between the two
- Gall bladder attacks or aftermath of removal of the Gall bladder
- Dry skin
- Bad breath
Your liver is vital for literally hundreds of processes in your body. It is involved in carbohydrate, protein, and lipid (fat) metabolism, the latter of which is required for synthesis and breakdown of cholesterol. The liver is also involved with forming bile that is used to help digest fat and when not used immediately is stored in the gall bladder. The liver also functions as a storage organ for glucose (as glycogen), vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids and minerals.
A few other functions of the liver include converting T4 to T3 (which is required for healthy thyroid function), making high amounts of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and Vitamin D metabolism.
Another major function of the liver is detoxification. The liver is responsible for breaking down any chemicals and other toxins that make it into your body. This includes any drugs that are taken. The body does not make a difference between over the counter drugs, prescription drugs, or ‘recreational’ drugs. These drugs put an incredible strain on the liver. For example, Acetaminophen (Tylenol type products) is the number one cause of acute liver failure even at recommended doses over a short period of time.
Now that you have a little bit better idea of why the liver is important, you need to learn how to help it function as close to 100% as possible. What you decide to eat and not eat will effect your liver and thus the rest of your health.
Sugar, especially fructose, is tough on the liver. Fructose is converted to fat by the liver and is by far the biggest culprit of obesity in our country. A major source of fructose is soda. Cutting soda from your diet will take incredible stress off of your liver and can make it much easier to lose any extra weight you may be carrying. Even if you are not ‘overweight’, many people have too much body fat surrounding internal organs which is not healthy. Reducing other sugars from the diet will also be easier on the liver and rest of the body.
Foods to add include the cruciferous veggies. These include: Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, turnip, cabbage, kale, watercress, kohlrabi, broccoli, horseradish, cauliflower, and Bok Choy. Beets are also very healthy for the liver and help keep the bowels moving.
Eating liver itself is also great for liver health. While the liver filters toxins, it neutralizes them and then the toxins are eliminated; the liver does not store toxins. If you can’t stand the thought of eating liver, supplementing your diet with whole food supplements that contain liver is an excellent alternative. (This is what I do!)
