Show Some Love to Your Liver!

Show some love to your LIVER! 

Did you know that your liver is the second largest organ in your body? The first is your skin. This incredible little organ deserves your utmost dedication in helping to keep it optimal and functioning! 

What Makes This Organ Essential? 

Every day, this powerhouse organ works overtime to keep you alive, fight disease, and filter out harmful toxins within your body. Amongst the incredible detoxification benefits, the liver is also responsible for filtering everything you consume in your diet, regulating blood sugar levels, storing glycogen, filter out damaged blood cells, and storing iron.  

In addition to its detoxification and storage capabilities, your liver produces a very special bile that helps break down fats so they can be absorbed and safely transport waste out in the stool. 

While your liver is a definite MVP, it can become compromised and damaged. This can happen through a series of improper lifestyle choices, a lack of knowledge concerning threats to your liver, and everyday life exposure to chemicals, high sugar food like sweets and sodas, alcohol, pollution, and stress. . .  

These are just a few things that can be taxing on your liver. According to the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States, you and I are regularly exposed to upwards of 84,000 chemicals. 

Coupling this with the poor eating habits cultivated by fast-food chains and restaurants, our environment seemingly ushers us toward toxic living and eating.   

HAVE SOME RESPECT! 

Listen to your body if the research does not appeal to you. These are some indicative signs that your liver may need a little TLC through some clinically researched detoxification methods: 

• Chemical Sensitivity and Chronic Allergies 

• Disrupted sleep patterns/inability to reach REM sleep 

• Abnormal gas and belly bloating 

• Hormonal Imbalances 

• Irregular or abnormal premenstrual syndrome (PMS) 

• Constant, Excessive Fatigue 

Your Liver and Immune Response 

The liver plays a huge role in breaking down excessive histamine in the body. People who may have a troubled liver can experience a heightened reactivity to certain environmental irritants. This can range from an intolerance to smells like gasoline, pesticides, household cleaning agents, fabric softeners, and more to an exasperated immune response surrounding seasonal allergies and food sensitivities.  

Your Liver and Sleep 

Poor liver hygiene could also play a role in disturbed sleep cycles. This is a HUGE NO for me. . . We all know how much sleep impacts your mental, physical, and emotional health. The science behind sleep in recent years has led to some astonishing realities of what poor sleep can do to our health. Sure, the solutions to better sleep far surpass prescription drugs. Science has found cognitive behavior therapy, meditation, hypnosis, and relaxation techniques to be highly efficient. However, what if it came down to a straightforward solution? Take care of your liver. We have all heard of melatonin, the body’s precursor to sleep. While melatonin is primarily produced in the pineal gland, it has been found that the liver can also produce and release melatonin in the body.

Melatonin has been shown to have remarkable antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory advantages that protect the liver from oxidative stress. The metabolism of melatonin in the liver is crucial for regulating its levels in the body and maintaining its rhythmicity in response to light and darkness. Disruptions in hepatic melatonin metabolism can affect the overall circadian rhythm and may have implications for sleep-wake cycles and other physiological processes regulated by melatonin.

Your Liver and Stress 

Various things can put stress on your liver. When the liver is affected by stress, it can have a hard time regulating blood glucose, which is directly linked to sugar cravings and poor energy levels. The liver is the body's main organ for detoxifying hormones, pollutants, and chemicals. It rids the body of excess estrogen. When women accumulate excess amounts of estrogen, this can manifest as PCOS, PMS, fibrocystic breast tissue, weight gain, irritability, and so much more. 

Your Liver and Digestive Health 

When the liver has an inconsistent flow of its miracle bile, some may develop severe cases of gut dysbiosis. This occurs when enemy gut flora dominates, causing chronic constipation. The liver, one of the body’s most potent agents in detoxification, can become extremely ill because of pathogenic bacteria. Toxins the pathogenic bacteria carry can then block the detox pathways. 

Your Liver and HEAVY METALS!

Guys, I cannot place enough emphasis on heavy metal toxicity!! Heavy metals wreak havoc on the human body, and we cannot escape them. There are ways we can support your body through processes of detoxification. I will discuss this later in the post. I want to place a brief emphasis on the correlation between heavy metals and the liver. HEAVY METALS DAMAGE DNA! This little 3-pound organ stores the body’s miracle antioxidant glutathione. Glutathione keeps us healthy and removes toxins and heavy metals from our body. Heavy metals can build up in our bodies if detox pathways are not working properly and this can reduce our glutathione levels. 

How Can We BEST Support Your Liver?

There is hope!! One of my favorite facts about the liver is its ability to repair itself. That’s right! Your liver can regenerate itself completely! It just needs your support in doing so! Here are a few things your liver loves: 

• Milk Thistle: A herbal plant, milk thistle, is known for its protective properties. The active compound in this herbal powerhouse is known as Silymarin. It is believed to support liver cell regeneration and prevent liver cell damage. Silymarin is also a powerful antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals and reducing oxidative stress. Besides its antioxidant properties, it has been shown to enhance glutathione levels. 

• Dandelion: Along with milk thistle, dandelion also has hepatoprotective properties. It is widely known for its detoxification abilities. It has several bioactive compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, which have been shown to have a therapeutic effect.  

• Myrrh: Not only is this one of my absolute favorite essential oils. A necessity and something I love to use with my clients, Myrrh also has some beautiful antimicrobial properties and can assist in the production of bile flow. 

  

• Phosphatidylcholine: Found in eggs, soybeans, sunflower seeds, and certain vegetables, phosphatidylcholine is a type of phospholipid that makes essential components of cell membranes in the human body. It is not only essential for cellular function, but it is a dietary source of choline. The function of choline in the body is involved in neurotransmitter synthesis, lipid metabolism, and the signaling of cells. Phosphatidylcholine has been shown to support the movement of toxins in the liver. It makes up a large majority of phospholipids in bile. 

  

  Binders: If you have ever worked with me one-on-one, you are probably familiar with the push-catch detoxification method. The catch is when binders come in. Toxins are often reabsorbed following their excretion into the bile. Some of these toxins make unfriendly alliances with gut bacteria, which can move through the damaged gut lining and enter the bloodstream. Not every binder is alike. Not every binder is effective. Not every binder works harmoniously to arrest toxins. Standard binders include bentonite clay, activated charcoal, chitosan, and thiol-functionalized silica. It is important to note that each has a unique effect in binding certain types of toxins. Sometimes, unique blends are necessary. 

  

• Pre and Probiotics: Let’s be honest, sometimes binders can back you up, causing uncomfortable constipation. This is when using soothing supplements that can support inflamed tissues can be beneficial. Some of these supplements are acacia gum and aloe vera.The gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem consisting of trillions of bacteria, both beneficial and harmful. Probiotics and Prebiotics help maintain a healthy balance of these bacteria by increasing the abundance of beneficial species. Probiotics are live microorganisms, mostly "good" bacteria, that, when consumed in adequate amounts, confer health benefits to the host. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are non-digestible fibers or compounds that act as food sources for beneficial bacteria in the gut. They provide nourishment to these beneficial bacteria, helping them thrive and multiply. Prebiotics are not living organisms themselves; instead, they are essentially food for the existing good bacteria in the gut. Together, prebiotics and probiotics work in tandem to create a thriving and balanced gut microbiome.

  

  Glutathione: Your liver’s ability to detoxify and excrete toxins from your body depends on two main phases of detoxification. Phase one is the frontline. This is where your body breaks down toxins, making them less harmful and water-soluble. Phase two, also known as conjugation, is all about moving those water-soluble metabolites out of the body via your urine, stool, and bile. This phase requires sulfur-rich foods (eggs, cruciferous veggies, garlic, high-quality protein) and glutathione. Proper supplementation and glutathione form are vital for supporting glutathione levels. You can see my article on glutathione for more knowledge of this. Legumes, avocados, spinach, broccoli, bell pepper, kiwi, and strawberries can help raise glutathione levels in your body. Brazil nuts, fish, and some organ meats contain selenium, which is also necessary for glutathione production. Alpha Lipoic Acid, milk thistle, and vitamin E in some nuts and seeds can also support your glutathione levels. Glutathione is a powerhouse antioxidant used in both phase 1 and phase 2 of detoxification pathways. It serves as an incredibly versatile toxin binder. My personal "go to duo” is activated charcoal and glutathione. Please note, the timing of when you take these are crucial! 

  

• NMN + Trans-Resveratrol: Neutralizes harmful effects of free radicals, helps support metabolic function, and can assist in reducing oxidative stress. 

• Shilajit: "A potent detoxifier for the brain, Shilajit has been shown to assist the assimilation of nutrients, minerals and oxygen into the brain that support its ability to remove dangerous toxins." This is a powerful adaptogen that doubles as a rich source of trace minerals. Shilajit is taking the market by storm due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

  

Our liver can be our best friend, or our worst enemy. To boost its detoxification capabilities, we must support it in every way possible. Jeopardizing our liver creates ongoing battles with chronic disease.

Let’s take this seriously! We can do it together! 

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Disclaimer: This post is not intended to be medical advice. It is for informational purposes only. If you are pregnant, nursing a baby, or have a chronic medical condition such as diabetes, hypertension or heart disease, be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist before purchasing or taking any supplement.

Resources: 

1. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic. (2021, September 22). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354567

2. Zhang, J. J., Meng, X., Li, Y., Zhou, Y., Xu, D. P., Li, S., & Li, H. B. (2017). Effects of Melatonin on Liver Injuries and Diseases. International journal of molecular sciences, 18(4), 673. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18040673

3. Zeisel, S. H., & da Costa, K. A. (2009). Choline: an essential nutrient for public health. Nutrition reviews, 67(11), 615–623. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00246.x

4. Pizzino, G., Bitto, A., Interdonato, M., Galfo, F., Irrera, N., Mecchio, A., Pallio, G., Ramistella, V., De Luca, F., Minutoli, L., Squadrito, F., & Altavilla, D. (2014). Oxidative stress and DNA repair and detoxification gene expression in adolescents exposed to heavy metals living in the Milazzo-Valle del Mela area (Sicily, Italy). Redox Biology, 2, 686–693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2014.05.003

5. Karimi, G. (2011, August 1). “Silymarin”, a promising pharmacological agent for treatment of diseases. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3586829/

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