How to support your Liver
How to look after your Liver
By Heather Sharp | Nov 12 2024
We tend to neglect our liver but when you consider all that it does and all that it’s exposed to, you’ll find it’s worthy of so much respect and worthwhile care.
What does my liver actually do?
In simple terms, the liver helps digest our food, supports metabolism, detoxification, immunity and produces and stores essential substances. Here’s a more detailed list of functions.
+ Detoxification of potentially toxic chemicals from both inside and outside of the body including medications, alcohol and toxins from intestinal microbes.
+ Production of bile which aids in the digestion of fats and for the removal of waste from our body
+ It produces our cholesterol that transports important fats throughout our body
+ It breaks down our hormones necessary for hormone detoxification + hormone balance
+ It stores and converts our glucose for our energy needs and regulates blood sugar levels
+ It creates and stores nutrients from your food that can be more easily used by your body
+ It stores iron and processes haemoglobin
+ It makes immune factors and clears your blood of bacteria; helping to fight infections
+ It produces blood proteins necessary for blood clotting and substances important to the production of red blood cells (erythrocytes)
+ Red blood cells, which are responsible for carrying oxygen around the body, are recycled in the liver
+ It regulates amino acid levels which make up your bodies building blocks
+ Neutralization of 'free-radicals' by antioxidants. Free radicals are highly reactive oxygen molecules that can damage tissues.
+ Storage of vitamins, mainly iron, copper, B12, vitamins A, D, E and K
+ Involved with assimilation (building up body tissues).
How our liver can become overburdened
Prior to studying nutritional medicine, I used to be of the mind that the liver was equipped to do all necessary detoxification on its own, but times have changed and what our liver is exposed to is very different these days. Our current way of life involves high use of the following, all of which the liver has to process.
+ medications
+ extreme pollution
+ hormone intake
+ excessive pesticides and hormones in and on our foods
+ toxins in our skin care and cleaning products
+ excessive alcohol consumption
+ saturated and trans fats
+ preservatives in food
+ processed and high sugar diets
+ over consumption of food generally
As you see, our bodies are constantly exposed to an onslaught of potentially harmful toxins both from the external environment but also from our internal environment (our own bodies produce end products from normal metabolism), that requires an optimally functioning liver to minimise the accumulation of these dangerous toxins in your body.
In considering what the liver is exposed to and its functions, I hope you’ll see that supporting your liver has never been more important and will reward you with a well-functioning and balanced body.
What nutrients does the liver need?
The liver depends on specific nutrients from our diet, that are critical for the liver to regulate its detoxification pathways, namely B vitamins, vitamin C, glutathione, certain amino acids (dietary proteins), carotenoids, flavonoids, phospholipids, zinc, selenium and more.
How a nutritionist can support your liver health
Given the livers role in metabolizing nutrients, detoxifying harmful substances, balancing hormones and producing vital proteins, a balanced, nutritious diet is essential to both support these functions and prevent or even reverse certain liver conditions.
In determining whether my clients need liver support, I always consider the following:
+ clients’ signs + symptoms
+ dietary intake
+ alcohol
+ medications
+ lifestyle
+ toxin and environment exposure
+ liver function test results
Liver enzymes in the body namely Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALT) and Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) amongst other markers can be indicative of imbalance. This holistic view provides insight into the necessity for and type of liver support I would use
Common signs and symptoms of poor liver health
An underperforming or overburdened liver can result in the following concerns
Fatigue and exhaustion
Nausea
Persistent skin issues: acne, eczema, dermatitis, rashes, itchy skin (the skin is an elimination organ, so when the liver is struggling the body will use the skin to eliminate toxins
Frequent headaches and/or migraines
New or worsened allergies, new sensitivities to food, perfumes or your environment: when the liver is overburdened, the additional toxic load which are unable to be detoxified properly, causes your immune system to become over-stimulated
Poor digestion such as constipation, bloating especially after fatty meals, burping and heartburn
High iron levels and elevated liver enzymes on liver function tests
Sensitivity to alcohol including getting easily intoxicated and experiencing bad hangovers
Hormonal imbalances such as estrogen dominance, PMS, extra heavy periods, blood clots, irregular periods, water retention and unusually sore breasts
Gallbladder issues and gallstones
Excess weight
Digestive problems
Immune system problems such as hay fever and asthma
PMS and other menstrual problems
Elevated LDL cholesterol & elevated triglycerides
Foods to support your liver
Eat organic food (where possible) that has not been sprayed with pesticides. Otherwise take care to prepare thoroughly.
Consider avoiding or at least preparing the Dirty Dozen foods in a safer way.The Dirty Dozen is a list of fruit and vegetables with high pesticide use. See my post https://www.instagram.com/heathersharp_nutrition/ and 2024’s list below
Eat lots of the Clean Fifteen fruits and vegetables – they have the least pesticides
Eat lots of green leafy vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts and bok choy) contain compounds called glucosinolates that support proper Phase I and II liver enzymes, supporting liver function.
Eat lots of vegetables generally of all colours to ensure you are eating a wide range of nutrients used by your liver.
Eat good quality sources of protein every day as amino acids are critical building blocks in for every cell of your body.
Avoid foods high in preservatives + highly processed foods with excessive sugars such as fructose & corn syrup
Avoid processed meats with added hormones and preservatives
Moderate your alcohol consumption.
Drink pure, filtered water.
Drink freshly squeezed lemon in water before meals to stimulate liver function or 1 tspn of apple cider vinegar in 1/3 cup of filtered water to stimulate digestion and liver detoxification before meals
Limit medications to only those necessary
Use non-toxic cleaning and skin care products
Add fresh and dried turmeric to your meals readily as it is a wonderful antioxidant and support liver detoxification.
Add garlic and onions wherever you can as they contain sulphur which helps the liver in detoxification.
There are also numerous beneficial supplements and herbal concoctions that help support liver health and I consider these as adjunct therapies to proper dietary intake. Here’s 11 powerful ingredients clinically-proven to rejuvenate and support your liver at the cellular level:
Turmeric: minimizes harmful pro-inflammatory molecules. It defends against free radical damage. It reduces fatty deposits in the liver. Flushes out harmful toxins.
Beetroot: Supports your body’s master antioxidant, glutathione. Increases liver blood flow and detoxifying capacity.
Artichoke Extract: This nutrient-rich superfood decreases fat, increases bile, and flushes out harmful toxins.
Alfalfa: Supports digestion. Promotes healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels within a normal range. Decreases fatty deposits in the liver.
Vitamin D3: Decreases liver enzymes and fibroid formation. Supports healthy blood sugar levels. Increases HDL (the good cholesterol) and calcium absorption.
Dandelion. Dandelion is rich in polysaccharides that help protect the liver from acetaminophen damage. It also helps detoxify the liver and boost bile production.
Milk Thistle - Research shows it fights free radicals, blocks toxins from entering cells, helps make proteins, reduces fibroids, and decreases immunity markers. Studies show signs of improvement within 2 months.
NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine). Helps boost your antioxidant capacity and reduce free radical production. It combines with glutamate and glycine to create your body’s natural antioxidant called glutathione. Glutathione is essential for the immune system to exert its full potential. Clinical studies show that Cysteine (NAC) is successful at helping severe liver damage.
Glycine is an amino acid used to create your body’s natural antioxidant, glutathione, which decreases with age. Glutathione shields your liver and cells from damage and disease. Glycine can help block alcohol from reaching and damaging the liver by disposing a portion of ethanol in the stomach.
Working with a nutritionist can help with general liver health and detoxification and also specific liver conditions namely NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) and Alcohol Liver Disease. Each condition and severity has a different nutritional management approach.
At a minimum, I can help you:
· Understand which specific foods are beneficial for liver health and which foods to avoid.
· Get comprehensive nutrition support tailored to your liver health needs
· Gain personalised recipes and a custom meal plan targeting liver health
· Improved blood sugar regulation
· Reach a healthy body weight
· Gain healthier food alternatives and product choices
· Stay on track with consistent accountability during your diet and lifestyle changes
· Navigate co-existing health challenges namely high blood pressure and pre-diabetes and diabetes and gut h
· Address other concurrent health concerns, like dietary support for gut health and thyroid health.
To learn more about how I can support you, please book an appointment or even a book in for a complimentary chat.