BECOME YOUR HEALTHIEST SELF BY TAKING CARE OF....
Our liver is arguably the most versatile, important and adaptable organ within the human body. It is responsible for many functions such as supporting metabolism, immunity, digestion, vitamin storage, drug detoxification, energy metabolism and much more (Kalra et al, 2021).
Unfortunately, the fast paced world we live in doesn’t have enough time to support our little old liver. Bills, stress, school, work, children and dreams all get in the way.
We have no time to eat liver promoting foods, are constantly in a rush, and end up eating out at fast food restaurants more often than we would like to admit.
Ask yourself this: When was the last time you woke up and thought; “Today I am going to take care of my liver/health”. Ridiculous statement, I know.
But it’s something that you NEED to consider in order to experience long lasting energy, better moods, better digestion and an overall happier disposition.
When is the last time you woke up and said; “Today I am going to drink a dandelion tea, because it supports liver health”. If you’re somewhat of a “normal” person, then that’s not a phrase you’re familiar with.
The problem is: your poor liver has been taking a beating ever since you came out of the womb and you don’t even know it.
You know all those little candies everyone used to feed you when you were a child because you were throwing a fit? Those had no nutritional value and offered you nothing from a liver/health promoting standpoint.
Remember those green leafy vegetables your parents told you about and you never wanted to eat? Those were the foods that help your body store more vitamin and minerals while helping the liver grow stronger.
That fast food, pizza or cereal you loved growing up. That was all putting stress on your liver and setting the stage for possible symptoms further on into your adult life.
Don’t get me wrong, you can still enjoy these foods and have a healthy liver, but when these become staples, things can get tricky.
Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) occurs when fat builds up in the liver. It is caused by many factors but according to liver.ca; it develops when an individual consumes too much fat or sugar than his or her body can handle.
What this means is that the foods we eat are directly correlated to the amount of fat we have in the liver and thus our overall health.
NAFLD affects 20% of Canadians and roughly 100 million Americans every year and that is only in individuals who are tested and get a diagnosis.
Signs and symptoms of NAFLD
- Smelly breath
- Aches and pains
- Anxiety, depression, low mood, ups and downs in mood, anger, apathy
- Feeling “off”
- Low libido
- Chronic fatigue
- Bloating
- GERD
- Indigestion
- Swollen belly or legs
- Water retention
- Nausea
- Mental confusion
- Hot flashes
- Poor recovery from exercise
- Constant hunger even after eating
- Weak muscles
Here’s some things that you can do to support the health of your liver and increase your overall health.
- Consume 3-5 fruits everyday
- Consume 3-5 servings of vegetables everyday
- Lower the amount of fat in the diet
- Lower animal protein
- Consume more whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, millet)
- Consume more legumes ( Beans, lentils, chickpeas)
- Consume more potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Consume raw honey
- Use liver friendly supplements (Vitamin C, magnesium, spirulina)
- Exercise
- lower intake of saturated fat
- consume liver supporting herbs (dandelion, milk thistle, red clover raspberry lead, nettle leaf, lemon balm)
- ditch processed food
Disclaimer: The preceding blog is not a substitute for any medical advice from your primary care physician.
REFERENCE:
Kalra, Arjun. “Physiology, Liver.” StatPearls [Internet]., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 9 May 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535438/.