Liver

The Liver – What is it?

The liver is one of the body’s most vital organs and plays a key role in most metabolic processes.

All aspects of health rely on a properly functioning liver, since it is the body’s major facility for processing nutrients, metabolites, pollutants and excess hormones. The liver cleans the body’s blood supply of dangerous toxic substances by chemically processing them so they can be excreted, and is vital for fat, carbohydrate and protein metabolism. It makes the blood lipoproteins – LDL and HDL – which regulate cholesterol, as well as making clotting factors and other substances crucial for the blood’s functions.

While the liver is able to regenerate after damage, the broad spectrum of toxins it faces including alcohol, prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, viruses and other toxic agents, can threaten the integrity of the liver as a functional unit. The body’s defenses are overwhelmed and these toxins build up within the body tissues, usually in fat. The body is able to process some of these toxins naturally through bile. The liver creates bile for its natural laxative effect. Bile aids in containing toxins and excreting them more effectively, promoting a cleaner, healthier liver.

While changing to a healthier lifestyle can improve liver health, factors such as exposure to viruses, pharmaceuticals and toxins are often beyond our control.

Signs of Liver stress:

• Digestive upset (ie. unable to cope with fatty meals)
• Difficulty metabolising alcohol
• Bowel upset (ie. diaorherra, constipation, flatulence)
• Jaundice (a yellowing, sickly tone to the skin)
• Increased sensitivity to allergens, itching skin
• Increased cholesterol levels
• General feeling of unwell, lethargy

What can be done?

Liver Detox Diets

Most nutritionists do not advocate total fasts (cutting out all food) – in fact these can be dangerous for people with certain health conditions.

Juice or liquid fasts are suitable for some people, but are not recommended for more than a few days at a time. For most mild cases of liver ‘fatigue’, sensible eating for a few weeks will help get you back on track.

Here are a few nutritional do’s and don’ts.¹

• Cut down on alcohol. Alcohol is a direct liver toxin, and having a break could be the best thing you do for your liver.
• Reduce consumption of caffeine, sugary foods, saturated fats and products made from processed white flour.
• Include lots of fresh vegetables in your diet, particularly cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage, which are good for the liver. “Green foods” such as seaweed, spinach, spirulina and wheatgrass are also liver-friendly.
• Vitamin C-rich foods boost antioxidant levels, to protect the liver and help the body’s healing processes. These foods include citrus fruit, strawberries, red capsicum, dark green vegetables and kiwi fruit.
• Reduce saturated fats – they’re harder for the liver to process.
• Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), provide an excellent source of Omega 3 which helps combat inflammation, a side effect of some liver conditions.
• Snack on nuts and seeds. Brazil nuts are a good source of selenium, a powerful antioxidant. Almonds, sunflower or pumpkin seeds are another nutritious choice.