Ok, I need a show of hands here. Who among us can honestly say they’ve thought about their liver lately?
I know, it’s sounds like an odd question. Please let me explain.
Your liver is one of the hardest working organs in your body, performing around 500 functions that are absolutely vital to your health and wellbeing.
It must process virtually everything you eat and drink and decide what to do with it. Take a look at the list below to see just a bit of the massive work your liver has to do every day.
- Produces bile that helps break down fat and digest food
- Removes toxins such as alcohol from the blood
- Breaks down and stores carbohydrates in the form of glycogen
- Controls the manufacturing and removal of cholesterol
- Controls the blood glucose level in your body.
- Releases important substances to help control blood clotting
As you can see from this tip-of-the-iceberg list, your liver is in control of many important bodily functions and is under constant pressure to perform its tasks.
It doesn’t ask for much in return, but in light of all the duties it thanklessly performs, I think it’s time we all show our liver a little love and respect, don’t you?
What Can Go Wrong With Your Liver?
Liver trouble can come in a lot of different forms, including something hereditary, contracting a virus such as hepatitis, and even self-induced, resulting from a destructive lifestyle.
Obesity can contribute to a condition called fatty liver disease, and is also linked to liver damage.
After a period of time, too much damage to your liver can result in scarring. This scarring is known as cirrhosis, a term we most commonly associate with alcohol abuse, although that’s not always the case.
Eventually, after enough of this scarring has taken place, liver failure can occur.
How To Treat Your Liver Right
Fortunately, there are ways to incorporate liver-friendly routines into your daily life without changing too much around.
Let’s take a look at a couple of easy ways to give your liver some love.
Reduce the abuse. Alcohol puts a heavy strain in an already overworked and delicate system. Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestines and stomach, and then travels straight to the liver before taking a spin around your body. Your liver is good at breaking down alcohol and eliminating it as water and carbon dioxide, but it can only process so much per hour.
Staying within the recommended daily limits of alcohol will help immensely with keeping your liver healthy. Most of us are aware of the toll that overindulgence takes on all parts of our body. HINT: Willpower can go a long way, but it’s like a muscle and needs to be exercised constantly. Also, replace drinking events with other things you enjoy, like a nature hike or some exercise. Slowly reduce the amount you drink and you won’t miss the extra at all.
Please note that alcohol should be strictly avoided if your liver is already compromised in any way.
Feed Your Liver. What you eat plays an important role in your overall health, and there are some foods that can benefit your liver more than others. Take a look at this list of items that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine, if they’re not present already.
Garlic – High in allicin and selenium, which aid in cleansing your liver. HINT: Works well in almost any dish and style of cooking.
Green Tea – High in antioxidants, including catechins, which has been proven to help your liver function correctly. HINT: Substitute a cup of green tea for one of your cups of coffee during the day.
Green Leafy Vegetables – Nutritionally speaking we already know we need to eat our greens. They pack a wallop of goodness in each serving. But another attribute we never pay attention to is how they are able to neutralize chemicals and pesticides, thereby offering protection to the liver. HINT: If you can’t stand the taste of leafy greens, simply work them into a morning smoothie with a bit of frozen fruit and you’ll never know they’re in there!
Lemons and Limes – These citrus fruits are high in vitamin C and can stimulate your liver. HINT: Squeeze the juice of one lemon or lime into a warm glass of water in the morning, or add them to a green smoothie or fresh green juice for an added taste treat.
Walnuts – Walnuts just may be one of the healthiest nuts you can eat. Known for their high Omega-3 fatty acid content, they also help the liver detoxify ammonia. HINT: Instead of staring at the contents of the vending machine at work, wondering which selection is the least damaging, enjoy a handful of walnuts you grabbed from home. Or sprinkle them on any salad for a satisfying crunch!
Other foods you can work into your daily diet include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and the almighty turmeric, and they all go great in a stir-fry.
Bonus Material – Processed foods of any kind are bad for your overall health, but are especially taxing on the liver. Try to avoid refined sugars, and eliminate any type of synthetic sweeteners if possible.
And don’t forget beets and avocados, they’re liver friendly, too!
Love That Liver
You may not ever give it a second thought, but your liver needs love on a daily basis as a part of your quest to be the healthiest possible you.
Taking some simple steps will ensure that your liver knows you love it, and as a bonus you’ll end up improving your overall health at the same time.
So what are you waiting for?
Love your liver today!
Author Bio:
Ted Begnoche is a writer and avid researcher on the subject of nutrition and general wellness. He has recently published books on Sugar Detox as well as the chronic inflammation epidemic, and continues to improve his knowledge by constantly remaining up to date with the latest news and trends in the nutrition world. When not busy writing, you can find him playing banjo and guitar, outside fishing, or working on his blog, http://holistichealthpath.com