Treat your liver well and it will treat you well in return. One of our body’s largest organs, it’s a workhorse, designed to keep the the blood cleansed of toxins and chemicals.

Treat your liver well and it will treat you well in return. The liver is a workhorse, designed to keep the the blood cleansed of toxins and chemicals. | KalenaSpire

THE ROLE OF THE LIVER

The liver breaks down everything – good or bad – that enters your body through air, water, food, medications or supplements. It also breaks down your hormones, that may be in excess, helping to keep body chemistry in balance. Once the liver metabolizes these substances, it prepares them to be more easily utilized or excreted.

The fats, carbohydrates, and proteins you consume are metabolized by the liver for different functions in the body. After you eat carbohydrates, the liver helps maintain blood sugar balance. Fats are broken-down for the production of energy. Amino acids in protein foods are also broken down for energy, or to make more carbohydrates or fats, as the body needs. The liver also facilitates the storage of vitamins A, D, E, K and B12, as well as iron and copper.

Additionally, over half of the body’s lymph fluid is produced in the liver. The lymphatic system is responsible for healthy immune function and acts as your body’s internal janitor, collecting cellular waste products for elimination. These vital functions make the liver a major organ in metabolism and detoxification.

WHEN THE LIVER FAILS

Dysfunction of the liver can first manifest as symptoms in various body systems, including digestive, metabolic, and immune systems before the root cause is identified. A natural medicine practitioner will work with you to assess symptoms, run appropriate tests, and evaluate the overall functioning of your vital systems to determine the root cause.

Here are three diseases and dysfunctions of the liver that can affect your health.

NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD)

This is a group of conditions affecting people who drink little to no alcohol but their liver cells store too much fat. This causes liver inflammation, which may progress to scarring and irreversible damage similar to the damage caused by heavy alcohol use. In the United States, it’s the most common form of chronic liver disease, affecting an estimated 80 to 100 million people, typically 40 – 50 years old.

CIRRHOSIS

This occurs when fibrous (scar) tissue replaces healthy liver tissue, often leading to cancer, destruction of liver cells and acute liver failure. It can be caused by toxins, alcohol abuse, and hepatitis.

HEPATITIS

This is commonly caused by viruses, but also by toxins or an autoimmune problem. Hepatitis causes inflammation in the liver, which can often be healed; if not addressed, it will result in liver failure.

TIPS FOR A HEALTHY LIVER

EAT WHOLE FOODS

The liver has a role in metabolizing the major nutrients you take in through diet. A whole foods diet is your best prevention against stressing your liver with too much fat, sugar, or excessive protein. Choose healthy fats, whole grains, and organic sources of fish and meat while avoiding processed and packaged foods.

REDUCE ALCOHOL INTAKE

Over time, excess consumption of alcohol causes cirrhosis of the liver. The breakdown of alcohol produces chemicals, such as free radicals, that are toxic to the liver. General health guidelines suggest moderate use of alcohol — one drink/day for women and two drinks/day for men.

DON’T MIX DRUGS

Drug interactions can have serious health consequences. This includes mixing prescription medicine, street drugs, alcohol, herbal or other natural remedies.

AIRBORNE CHEMICAL EXPOSURE

When using strong or industrial cleaning, painting or gardening chemicals, ventilate the area or wear a mask.

PROTECT AGAINST HEPATITIS

Viral Hepatitis A is contracted by eating or drinking contaminated water. Hepatitis B and C are spread through blood and body fluids. To cut your risk, don’t share personal hygiene items, limit the number of sex partners you have, and always use latex condoms.

What are your tips for protecting your liver? Share in the comments below!

References

National Library of Medicine. “How does the Liver Work?” Accessed on 15 Oct 2017: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0072577/
MedicalNewToday.com “What does the Liver Do?” Accessed on 15 Oct 2017: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/305075.php
MayoClinic “Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease” Accessed on 7 Nov 2017: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354567
Pizzorno, Joseph E. (2013). Textbook of Natural Medicine. St. Louis, MO Elsevier.

Photo Credit

PIC4U/bigstockphoto.com

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About Dr. Christine

Christine Cherpak is a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition, Wellness Expert, and the founder of KalenaSpire, an integrative nutrition coaching and private yoga practice that specializes in women's wellness, gastrointestinal and immune health, nutritional biochemistry, and nutrigenomics. Christine supports her clients in understanding the root cause of their health issues, creates a custom eating, supplement, and lifestyle protocol to put them on the road to healing, and shows them how to make sustainable lifestyle changes so they can finally enjoy and elevate their lives.

Alexandria Z., M.S.

Christine is my wellness goddess. Her amazing support, extraordinary expertise, and undeniable compassion invited me to a world of freedom from digestive discomfort that I didn’t know was possible. The whirlwind of bloating, constipation, brain fog, and digestive upheaval was consuming my life. Exhaustion and frustration were becoming my very existence. And then I met my health goddess! Christine’s astute listening and meticulously tailored guidance, transformed my thinking and whirlwind of digestive discomfort. She helped me achieve a state of equilibrium. The balance I now experience is the center of my wellness existence—the core of my life with digestive happiness.

Christine instilled in me the power to embrace the grace and strength of my very own body! She has taught me to internalize the boundless evidence of my body’s functionality to heal digestively. While working with Christine, my exhaustion, pain, and bloating were overshadowed with energy, digestive comfort, glowing skin, and knowledge. Her coaching raised my awareness of food sensitivities, and promoted better food choices, which led to better sleep, a stronger link to overall wellness, clarity in my thinking, and ultimately, more joy in my life. Christine’s remarkable spirit of wellness will forever echo in my digestive wellness journey. I bestow upon Christine the well-deserved exceptional title, “my wellness goddess.”