5 Good reasons to take proper care of your liver

Maureen Diament

13 Dec 2014

updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:35

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1) To be in good condition
Repeated sudden feelings of extreme exhaustion? The liver extracts nutrients from food and participates in the synthesis of various vitamins (E, K, D), without which, we lack energy. It also turns carotene from fruits and vegetables (melon, apricot, carrots) into vitamin A, which is essential for healthy skin and explains a dull complexion in cases of dysfunction. As noted previously, the liver continuously eliminates toxins. Therefore, if it is blocked, the toxins accumulate and the body experiences feelings of extreme tiredness.
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2) To have good intestinal transit
“It is common to dissociate liver, gall-bladder and intestines. This is an error: people suffering from problems of the liver also have intestinal concerns, because these three organs are connected”, explains Christian Brun. The liver produces approximately one litre of bile a day, which it sends to the intestine to clean and cleanse it. If the liver is blocked, it produces less bile, which causes a lack of lubrication in the intestine and generates bloating, flatulence and constipation.
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3) To avoid having a constant cold
As with the lungs, skin and loins, the liver is a part of the body’s emunctories. These are means by which the body evacuates waste products. When the liver becomes blocked, toxins will find an alternative way of leaving the body. This is a problem, as each emunctory has a very precise role. If we request more of them, we risk ailments that seemingly have nothing to do with a liver disorder; for example, skin diseases or back pain. When the liver is perturbed, the filtering function is blocked. All of these factors combined may cause numerous waste products to exit via the respiratory path. This explains, partially, the multiplication of infections, such as bronchitis and colds.
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4) To protect our silhouette
The regulation of glycaemia (rate of sugar in the blood) is one of the most important functions of the liver. It manages the stock of sugar absorbed and redistributes it, according to our needs. However, when it is overloaded, the liver cleans itself by transforming the excess of sugar into lipids. As a result, we have fat pads on our stomach, hips or thighs, which increases the risk of diabetes.
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5) To limit our cholesterol level
The liver produces, then destroys, cholesterol. This fat, which is essential to life, participates in the flexibility of cell membranes and intervenes in the production of sex hormones, cortisone and vitamin D. But it is only good in moderation. The more we absorb bad fats (fried food, cheese excess or high-fat dishes), the more cholesterol the liver has to produce. After a while, it becomes incapable of eliminating it, and raised levels can be seen almost immediately in a blood test.

Dull complexion, extreme fatigue, headaches? To ensure you digest well this holiday season, take proper care of your liver before indulging in the plethora of treats.

As a vital organ, the liver is far from idle. Performing upwards of 250 functions, it is essential in maintaining good health. The liver filters what we swallow – expelling waste and retaining what is required for the body to function well. As we consume food that is not always well-balanced, along with sweets or alcoholic drinks, medicine, tobacco, pesticides and additives, the liver is placed under great strain and eventually weakened.

Neither does it appreciate the surrounding stress. Indeed, our liver has the heavy task of regulating hormones caused by stress (adrenalin and noradrenalin) and, when we are on the edge, the overdose can quickly become difficult to manage. That’s why it is important to take care of it, particularly as the Christmas holidays approach. How can we do this? By facilitating its smooth regeneration, and particularly not by undertaking a fast and violent detoxification of the body, which would flood the liver with toxins to eliminate. We have much more to gain by treating the liver gently.

DID YOU SAY FATTY LIVER?

When the liver is poisoned, it can make up approximately 5 % of our body weight, as opposed to 2 % for a healthy liver. This is known as a fatty liver. However, it is not necessarily a question of fat. The simultaneous consumption of simple and complex carbohydrates also contributes to this phenomenon. “By deceiving pastries, croissants and similar products, full of chemical additives, and even without consuming alcohol, the liver can be in as bad a state as that of an alcoholic”, comments the naturopath, Christian Brun. Moreover, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 36 volunteers with an enlarged liver followed either a low carbohydrate diet, or one with reduced lipids. As a result, the fat reduced by 55 % in the first group, and by 40 % in the second!

Maureen Diament

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5 Good reasons to take proper care of your liver

DID YOU SAY FATTY LIVER?

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