The liver plays a crucial role to your physical and mental health. Your liver is the large organ that sits between your rib cage, wedged beneath the diaphragm and seated above the stomach and small
intestine.
Besides the skin, the liver is the largest organ in the human body. It works alongside other organs like the gallbladder, kidneys, and pancreas for digestion and detoxification.
What are the Liver's Most Important Functions?
The liver performs more than 500 functions within the human body, including many we may not know yet. These include the production of bile, cholesterol, and proteins for blood plasma and to carry fats through the body. The liver's main functions include:
- Activating enzymes
- Detoxifying and purifying the blood
- Metabolizing carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
- Processing drugs and other toxins from the blood
- Producing and excreting bile
- Regulating blood clotting
- Resisting infections
- Storing glycogen, minerals, and vitamins
Your liver processes toxins, hormones and other metabolites via 2 detoxification pathways: Phase 1 & phase 2 detoxification pathways. Both require various nutrients to function optimally. If you are deficient in some of the nutrients, your liver will not metabolize and detoxify chemicals and hormones properly. This could lead to weight gain, chronic disease and mental health issues.
Some of the ways you can get nutrient deficiencies include:
- Not eating the right foods
- Improper digestion and absorption
- Excessive inflammation and toxicity which uses up your liver's main antioxidant – glutathione
- Drinking too much alcohol or eating too many unhealthy carbohydrates which depletes B Vitamins
- Prolonged stress which depletes B vitamins and magnesium
How do you know you need to support your liver?
Do you suffer from any of the following:
• Chronic fatigue
• Easy bleeding and bruising
• Hyper-pigmentation
• Itchy skin
• Nausea
• Menopause
• Thyroid issues
• Hormone imbalance
• Menstrual irregularities
• Gallstones
• Digestive problems
• Bloating/distention/excess gas/Abdominal pain
• Migraines/headaches
• Anger/frustration
Should You Detox Your Liver?
It is possible to detox your liver, however, focusing on whole foods and avoiding smoking and drinking are the best ways to keep your liver functioning well.
Rather than just focusing on detoxing your liver, a better starting point is supporting it. Ensure there is proper drainage throughout the body – which includes every organ from the liver and kidneys, to the stomach and intestines. Having few or no bowel movements can cause a backup in the liver bile duct system. This in turn puts extra strain on the liver, making it harder to perform its essential processes.
Supporting the drainage system as a whole is paramount to properly “detoxing” the liver. Overall, the best way to do that is through avoiding alcohol and drugs, eating a whole foods-based diet rich in antioxidants, getting adequate sleep, maintaining a low-stress environment, reducing environmental toxins, and supporting the body as needed.
A healthy liver can make or break your wellness journey. What will be your first step in supporting it? To learn more about your liver health and ways to improve naturally, consider a Naturopathic Wellness Visit.
