One of the most important organs in our body is the liver. Why? Besides the 400 other functions that it executes, the single most important one is that the liver is the ultimate filter of our body.
The liver is the “garbage can” where all the toxins are stored and converted before they can finally find their way out of the organism.
How does the liver actually work? It eliminates toxins in 2 phases:
- The liver uses enzymes to turn the toxins into compounds that are not so toxic for our bodies
- In the second phase, the toxins are paired up with other molecules from the body, which help them move faster and get out of the organism as fast as possible
So, when the liver is burdened with toxins, it is not able to get them out as fast as possible, and the toxins get combined with molecules that almost always store them in the fat tissue.
Liver problems can be manifested through excess body weight and obesity, high cholesterol, clogged veins and bad heart pressure etc.
Are you wondering what are the most common symptoms of the so called “sluggish”, or, dysfunctional liver?
- Chronic muscle pain
- Pain in the joints
- Pessimistic and depressive emotions
- Feeling lethargic and drained out
- Hormonal imbalances
- Migraines and sudden headaches
- Excessive perspiration
- chronic fatigue
- Excessive weight gain, without eating too much
- Abdominal pain, gasses, diarrhea and constipation
- Bad breath
- Acne and other skin disorders, such as eczema, psoriasis…
- Chemical sensitivity
- Issues with digesting fats
The liver can get pretty much damaged from all the fast foods, fried foods, alcohol and sugary soda drinks. In this way, the liver gets overworked and starts to “cancel” on your body earlier than it supposed to.
The toxins seem to be everywhere in the overcrowded city life. Cars, polluted water, soil and air… eating a healthy diet, avoiding refined sugars and inflammatory oils, eliminating GMO products from your food, consuming enough fiber, drinking a lot of clear water instead of sodas and other sugary drinks etc. might just not be enough.
To remain a healthy liver, boost your organism with these superfoods:
- Milk thistle – has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties which are great for the normal functioning of the liver
- Turmeric – the active compound in the turmeric, called curcumin is a powerful anti-bacterial agent, that can assist the enzymes in the liver and also, regenerate the damaged liver cells
- Globe artichoke – this vegetable is higher in fiber than most of the other vegetables and it is also beneficial for lowering the bad cholesterol (LDL)