The liver is the largest internal organ weighing around 3lbs and it will hold up to 13% of our blood at any given time: making sure that it performs at a healthy level is really important. Here are just a few of the livers important jobs:
Produces bile
Metabolizes fats, sugar and protein
Cleaning and filtration system
Process nutrients that our gut absorbs
Filtering out toxins from our blood
Mitigates medication effects on our body
Stores fat soluble vitamins (Vitamin D and E) and minerals like iron and copper
Regulates clotting and amino acid production
Produces Cholesterol, our hormone building block
How to keep your liver healthy by avoiding offenders:
Alcohol
High Fat Diet
Artificial sweeteners – this is why I always say less soda but if you have to drink it, don’t choose diet.
Highly processed foods
Heavy NSAIDs use
Low blood levels of potassium in your body
Unprotected sex
Parasites
Tattoo ink that contains heavy metals
Drug use and sharing needles
Tobacco Smoke
Chemicals in cleaning products
Chemicals in the beauty products
Acetaminophen – Tylenol
An unhealthy liver will have some of the following symptoms:
Dark urine
Pale Stools
Bloating and gas
Constipation
Acid reflux
Inability to lose weight
Chronic Fatigue
Bruising easily
Leg Swelling and itchy skin
These symptoms seem pretty generalized which makes it difficult to determine if your liver is the exact problem. Of course if you have one of the following diagnosed conditions you will have liver problems:
Hepatitis
Cirrhosis of the liver
Hemochromatosis
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) – this Is on the rise in the US about 24% of adults and 10% of children (seen more common in overweight individuals).
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis – an advanced form of NAFLD
Foods to eat to cleanse the Liver:
Get the bowels moving – can use coffee enema’s and colonics for more serious cleanses.
Eliminating waste through the bowels is essential to remove any toxins.
Drink lots of filtered water – around 10 8oz glasses of water per day.
Cruciferous vegetables – they contain sulfurous chemicals that help detox. (arugula, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, kale, & watercress).
Blue Foods: these are high in polyphenols which are a stronger type of antioxidant (blueberries, purple cabbage, & purple yams).
Bitter plants will stimulate bile production- eat as much as you can stand – dandelion greens, bitter melon, & broccoli rabe.
Burdock – drink it as a tea or eat as a food – helps lower cholesterol levels and supports liver damage repair.
Cleansing your liver with Herbs: Remember if you have certain health conditions you will need to consult your doctor before consuming these items.
Milk thistle – this is a hepatoprotectant and antioxidant that contains Silymarin which helps clean our liver. Dosage in studies is around 100-150 mg 3x a day.
NAC ( N-acetylcysteine) a powerful antioxidant that is a precursor to Glutathione and filters toxins in the lung and blood too. Dosage is 600-1200mg daily. I like doing a split dosage of 600mg 2x a day.
Choline – This is helpful in transporting fat out of the liver and is mainly found in meats; vegan and vegetarians should include this in their diet. Dosage around 500 for men and 400 for women.
Zinc helps control fat deposits and immune system health. It helps the liver flush fat as well. Dosage about 15-30 mg daily.
By now you can probably see that keeping your liver healthy is really important. Try some of the tips above or consult a functional medicine doctor to help you with this process. It is always safest to avoid offenders and eat healthy liver foods as some supplements can interfere with other medications you may be taking.