Keeping Liver Healthy!

Each organ in our body is remarkable in its own unique way and has a special job to do so it can keep our body functioning at its optimal level. The liver is the second largest organ, located below the abdomen on the upper right side of the body. Give your liver credit for being one of the hardest working organ in your body, which sometimes has to work overtime because of the stress we may put on our liver from the foods we eat, beverages we drink, drugs we may take and the environment.

What does my liver do?

• Our liver filters and processes blood as it circulates through the body along with everything we eat, drink and either repackages it for our body to use or eliminate.
• Our liver helps regulate sugar, protein, and fats that enter the bloodstream and stores vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, D, E, K and B12.
• Our liver helps detoxify and remove harmful toxins in the blood such as alcohol and drugs.
• The liver can help repair itself by rebuilding new liver cells when the old ones are damaged.

First let me explain the difference between an alcoholic fatty liver and a non-alcoholic fatty liver. Excessive alcohol consumption or alcoholism is the leading cause of an alcoholic fatty liver but, in the case of a non-alcoholic fatty liver it can occur when the person has had little to absolutely no alcohol consumption in their life. More and more people are being diagnosed of having a fatty liver, but why?
 
Here are some risk factors that may contribute to a non-alcoholic fatty-liver:

•     Obesity/overweight
•     Poor nutrition
•     High levels of fat in the blood
•     High cholesterol levels
•     Type 2 Diabetes and insulin resistance
•     May be linked to genetics
•     Rapid weight loss
•     Side effects to medications
•     Environmental toxins

Here are some symptoms of a non-alcoholic fatty liver:

•     Loss of appetite
•     Abdominal pain
•     Nausea
•     Vomiting
•     Yellowing of the skin (jaundice)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver can develop when the liver has a hard time breaking down fats that can cause build up of fat cells in the liver tissue that may cause the liver to swell and impair liver function. It's normal to have some fat in our liver. If the liver fat makes up more than 5-10% of our organs weight than it may become a fatty liver. The good news is ... having a fatty liver can be reversible with everyday choices we make.

Here are some healthy ways you can protect your liver and keep it happy:

DIET: Having a balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy weight, help digestion run smoothly and control cholesterol levels which is all great news for keeping your liver healthy, so be kind to your liver, and it will be kind to you. Eat natural real foods and good sources of fats. Avoid processed/packaged foods and sugars that have harmful chemicals that can cause damage to the liver. Get active, go outside for a 20-minute brisk walk to get your heart pumping.

ALCOHOL: Avoid drinking excessively or eliminate consumption of alcohol completely. The breakdown of alcohol produces chemicals that are toxic and can cause stress to the liver.

MIXING DRUGS: If prescription drugs are mixed with alcohol it can put significant stress on the liver and lead to liver failure. 

AIRBORNE CHEMICALS: If painting, or using strong cleaning or gardening chemicals the area should be ventilated and its best you wear a mask because the liver has to deal with any toxins that enters the body.

Are you or someone you know already suffering from abdominal pain, high cholesterol, or struggling with their weight? If you have any questions or concerns about your overall health and wellbeing, please give us a call and schedule a Nutritional Evaluation with a nutritionist Queens so we can help you get to the cause of your underlying symptoms and help keep you and your liver happy and healthy.