Does your liver need some love?

Weighing, on average, about three pounds in an adult, the liver is the largest internal organ.

The liver, your body’s main filtration system, converts toxins into waste products, cleanses your blood, metabolizes a wide range of compounds (from nutrients and alcohol to medications), and produces proteins and bile.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
The liver is a self-cleaning organ but dietary and environmental stressors and toxins can get in the way of optimal liver function.​​​​​​​​
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From pollution to chemicals in not-so-clean skin care products to preservatives in the foods we eat and plastics we use for everything, we are bombard with toxins from everywhere. ​​​​​​​​
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These stressors can deplete nutrient stores, cause a buildup of unwanted compounds in the body, like contaminants, and lead to health implications down the road—all of which give our livers more work to do.​​​​​​​​
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Even though we can’t necessarily control our exposure to all pollutants and chemicals, we can make strategic diet and lifestyle shifts that counter their effects by supporting the liver’s detoxification pathways and lightening our overall toxic load.​​​​​​​​ The liver has hundreds of jobs. Some of the most vital are: Cleans toxins (harmful substances) out of the blood. Gets rid of old red blood cells. Makes bile, a fluid that helps the body digest (break down) food. Metabolizes proteins, carbohydrates and fats so your body can use them. Produces substances to help blood clot. Regulates the amount of blood in the body. Stores glycogen (an energy source) and vitamins to be used by the body later.

SIGNS YOUR LIVER NEEDS LOVE ❤️‍ Weight issues or swelling Nausea Headaches Itchy skin Eczema Acne Sensitivities to chemicals Hormone imbalances Histamine Intolerance Bloating/gas Leaky gut Low thyroid function Tenderness over the right rib cage Insomnia or waking around 3 am Allergies PMS Congestion Yellowing in eyes or skin Hypertension Bad breath Recurring candida or yeast infections Breast tenderness Constipation Joint pain Brain fog…just to name a few. Good news – all the human body wants to do, is heal. It is intelligent enough to speak to us through symptoms like those listed above. The liver is quite regenerative as long as we give it what it needs to do so.

Is your liver stressed out?

As your body’s main detoxifying organ, many stressors can take a toll on the liver’s ability to function at its best.

Read more below.

⚖️ If you’re holding onto some extra weight around the middle, your body has to work harder to rid your tissues of toxins. Fat cells love to hold onto and store toxins, like chemicals from plastics and pesticides. The more extra weight you have, the more toxins your body is storing and the more stressed your liver is when trying to do its job.

The liver uses sugar to create fat and excess fatty accumulation in the liver caused by a diet high in refined sugars can lead to fatty liver disease and other health issues.

Anything in excess is not typically associated with overall well-being and alcohol is no exception – its on top of the list of things we should refrain from overindulging in. It is well-known that excessive alcohol use takes a heavy toll on our health in many ways, but when it comes to the liver it can cause severe damage and eventually alcoholic fatty liver disease.

☠️Exposure to toxins and chemicals in our environment burden the liver and the rest of the body’s detox pathways and organs. Unfortunately these toxins are everywhere and in everything, but we must do our best to avoid them when we can and to assist our body’s natural daily detox by living a healthy lifestyle.

A healthy gut is key to promoting sufficient detox pathways in the liver and throughout the body. When your gut is unhealthy, toxins have the potential to enter the blood and cause food sensitivities, inflammation, and whole-body stress, including the liver.

Processed packaged and fast foods are extremely high in unhealthy fats, salt, added sugars, inflammatory oils, and chemical flavors and preservatives. Processed foods are not only unhealthy, but quite damaging to our whole body system and the liver is no exception.

WHAT SUPPORTS THE LIVER? Minerals and vitamins – get routine lab work and work with a practitioner to establish what is best for your current needs Current rule of thumb is to be intentional with minerals, add minerals to your filtered or purified water source. This means you are truly hydrating your cells, tissues, and organs. Unrefined salt, Trace Mineral drops, BodyBio Liquid Trace Minerals, Electrolytes (LMNT, Cure, Redmond’s Relyte, GOODONYA), nettle tea, and coconut water are all great examples of how to hydrate and remineralize like a pro Sweating – via intentional movement and saunas can help release some of the burden off the liver Castor oil packs – these help to stimulate the soft tissue muscle above the liver which in turn increases the liver function, gently detoxes, and helps to reduce inflammation of this organ Liver supplementation – there are several successful ones but you will want to work with your practitioner to get the right fit General detoxification – this means your home, creating boundaries in relationships/work, and detoxing chemicals, molds, heavy metals, and toxins FOODS THAT SUPPORT THE LIVER: Ginger Garlic Turmeric Beets Carrots Cruciferous vegetables Onions Avocados Green tea/Matcha Bitter greens like arugula and kale (don’t forget to massage) Good EVOO (olive oil) Wild caught fish Get started with what you can today. Small steps matter! .​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Credit: Megan Krage BS, FNTP