Your liver is the largest organ in your body and is your bodies filter for chemicals, pesticides, toxins, drugs and alcohol. It processes food and helps your body digest and absorb nutrients. The Liver also Metabolizes and stores carbohydrates(sugars), proteins, fats and hormones, so your body can use them properly for their specific needs. As you can see your liver is extremely important role in your body functioning to keep you alive and healthy. In order for the Liver to function properly we need to Love It and treat it well. It doesn't take much to make the liver un-happy and damage it to create havoc and spiral into certain cancers, cirrhosis(scarring) which can lead to liver failure.
Symptoms your Liver is trying to tell you its not doing well:
Pain and soreness in the upper chest region and mid back
Dark Under Eye Circles
Skin Rashes
Psoriasis
Constipation
Anxiety
Brain Fog
Mood Swings
Can’t loose weight
Sluggishness
Poor Sleep
Dark colored urine
Tendency to bruise easily
Skin and eyes that appear yellowish
Swelling of the legs and ankles
Female Centric Symptoms:
Irregular Periods
Fibroids
Period Blood Clotting
Hot Flashes
Irregular Periods
In Chinese Medicine they have a saying about people that are normally even tempered that suddenly snap at people. They say that when someone has sudden mood swings it is that their Liver is angry. So sit back and take a minute and think “have I snapped at anyone lately?” If you have or have felt any of the above symptoms there things you can do to improve Liver Function and make your Liver happy.
Steps you can take to help your liver repair and perform at optimal levels:
Sulfur occurring foods i.e. Cruciferous Vegetables like Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Cabbage. Just make sure the foods are steamed, cooked, boiled and drained in a ice bath otherwise you get negative effects to your thyroid.
Turmeric in supplement form also add to your dishes your create at home
Avocados, Nuts and Fatty Fish high in antioxidants and great anti-inflammatory effects on the liver
Grapefruit can help counter act the effects of moderate alcohol consumption and helps produce the enzymes in the liver that help burn fat
Blueberries and Cranberries helps reduce the formation of cancer sells in the liver and gives the liver health power packed antioxidants
Beets and Beetroot juice reduces oxidative damage to the liver and inflammation
Milk Thistle in supplement form and in teas helps detox the liver for better performance
B12 in supplement form
Exercise to keep you Liver trim, not Fat! Sweating and getting oxygen through your body is a great way to detox your body.
Drink decaf coffee(not the sweet Starbucks/Dutch Bros stuff) and black, green tea. Studies show drinking these beverages lower your risk of cancers and prevents the build up fat and collagen, two of the markers of liver disease.
What you can avoid or habits you can kick to help your liver repair and function properly:
Avoid Toxins including Pesticides sprayed on fruits and vegetables (wash your fruit well if you can’t get organic), synthetic scents like in air fresheners. Your liver has to work hard enough with all the smog in our air and toxins we cant avoid, so anything you can do to lighten the toxic load on your body your Liver will thank you.
Dont over medicate like relying on Tylenol, Ibuprofen and Pain medications look for what is causing the pain before you over medicate to make the pain go away
Dont over consume antibiotics. Antibiotics are hard on your liver and your gut. They wipe out all the good enzymes and bacteria that actually fight off disease. Take them for serious bacterial infections and conditions only.
Use earth friendly non-toxic cleaning supplies, laundry and dish detergents in your home. Again we are trying to lighten the toxic load your liver has to filter for your body.
Wash your hands not to just be clean, but one of the leading causes of getting Hepatitis A is not washing your hands!
Be careful getting tattoos, sharing needles even razors and un-protected sex. You may have to learn a hard lesson by learning you have not only contracted a STD but Hepatitis B and C.
