“Because we cannot scrub our inner body, we need the knowledge to help cleanse our tissues, our organs and mind.”
-Sebastian Pole, “The Art of Ayurveda
The Liver Function
The Liver is located on the Right side of the body between the waist and the armpit. It is the largest organ in the body. The liver functions as a poison control centre as it filters blood and eliminates toxic substances from the bloodstream. It plays a role in filtering out chemical toxins, prescription drugs, recreational drugs and alcohol.
The liver also produces Bile, a very important greenish-brown alkaline fluid used to digest food in your stomach. PLEASE NOTE- Bile is produced by the liver but temporarily stored in the gallbladder.
This organ detoxifies the blood. It controls blood sugar levels by storing glycogen and making it available on demand as an energy source if your blood glucose levels decrease. It also stores Vitamin A, D, B12, E, and K.
Crucial... Important Stuff To Know!
If you think you’ve gotten away with liver disease, and keep pounding away your booze because you are young, thin and fabulous... think again! The first symptoms of liver disease show up very, very late when the liver fails. This makes liver disease very dangerous as the window of opportunity to heal is seldom available by the time you discover you have this illness. Your doctor may diagnose you as having liver failure, which can be fatal (meaning it can kill you!).
Being on a liver transplant list is NOT the way to go. Trust me, I worked on the kidney and liver transplant ward, and it is one of the saddest places to be as you alternate between hope of receiving an organ to the hopelessness if the organ fails.
Your liver will usually not cause pain or fuss when it is inflamed or scarred. You need to be proactive in keeping this organ in top shape. This is your "poison control" office and you only have one in your oganisation.
What is Bad for your Liver?
Too much alcohol ( quantify > 3 ounces)
A diet high in Saturated Fat (example fatty animal meats) and Fried foods
Lack of exercise (like not doing interval training!)
Being over-weight and having visceral fat
Viruses like Hepatitis A, B and C.
In hard liquor, the alcohol concentration is often described as proof. The proof is about twice the percentage of alcohol. For example, an 80-proof hard liquor contains 40% alcohol.
For cirrhosis to develop (a large amount of normal liver tissue is permanently replaced with scar tissue (called fibrosis), which performs no function) men usually must drink > 3 ounces of alcohol a day for more than 10 years. Consuming 3 ounces a day involves drinking 6 cans of beer, 5 glasses of wine, or 6 shots of liquor (1).
Err... On The Subject What is the legal BAC driving limit?
When your blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08% or higher, if the person is 21 years or older, you're considered legally impaired in the U.S.
The science on how alcohol affects a person’s driving skills has been studied by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They confirm that although outward appearances of women and men may vary, virtually all drivers are impaired at .08 BAC.
How long it takes to get to a BAC of 0.08%?
It varies for every person.
How alcohol affects you depends on your body size, age, gender, genetics, metabolism, how quickly you drink the alcoholic drinks, nutritional stats (empty stomach?) and the quality and type of the alcohol you drink. It may take four drinks for Tom who is 6 ft tall and weighs 185 lbs. or one drink for Susie who is a light weight at 127 lbs. You never can tell. So, don't drink and drive. Period.
How Many Glasses of Alcohol Causes Injury to YOUR Liver?
Consuming 6 cans of beer or 5 glasses of wine or 6 shots of liquor in a day will be your quickest roadmap to liver kill! It takes at least 10 years or more for liver disease to show up. If you are an alcoholic that is the REAL earliest warning sign. Alarm bells should go off at every bar stool you sit.
So basically, the longer you drink, the higher your risk of alcoholic related liver disease.
If you have alcohol-related cirrhosis or hardening of the liver, and you don’t stop drinking-- then no medical or surgical treatment can prevent the ensuing liver failure or end of life.
Can You Reverse Liver Damage?
Maybe.
If you have fatty liver disease, the damage may be reversed in the early stages of liver disease if you abstain from alcohol. As the liver becomes more and more damaged, severe symptoms develop such as yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), swelling of the face, legs, ankles and feet due to build up of fluid, swelling of the abdomen even on a skinny person due to build up of a fluid known as ascites. You might know a skinny person with a bubbled up abdomen.
If you see these symptoms in someone you know, seriously advice them to see a Medical Doctor for further testing.
Liver Care: keep it clean
Lemon Water
First thing in the morning, a glass of lemon water aids the liver to flush out unwanted toxins. Though lemons are acidic in nature, lemon water becomes alkaline once it is metabolized in the stomach and thus can cleanse the blood.
Dark Green, Leafy, Vegetables
Dark green vegetables (the pesticide- free, unpopular variety) such as collards, dandelion greens and nettles strengthen and support the liver because they have a lot of chlorophyll, which helps increase the oxygen carrying capacity of a cell. Avocados help the body produce glutathione, a compound that is necessary for the liver to cleanse the “evil guys.”
Grapefruit
Grapefruit, citrus fruits like oranges, limes and lemons are high antioxidants and support the natural liver cleansing. Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice boosts the production of liver detoxification enzymes that help flush out carcinogensand toxins.
Turmeric
Turmeric works as a potent anti-inflammatory addition to your diet. Merely buy Curcumin from the grocery store. It is a turmeric root and looks much like ginger fingers except it is orange in colour. Ask your grocery store assistant for help finding it.
Nuts
Nuts are high in fats, nutrients — and beneficial plant compounds.One six-month observational study in 106 people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease found eating nuts was associated with improved levels of liver enzymes (1).
Beets, Carrots & Apples
Beets, carrots and apples also help the liver get strong.
Olive oil
Organic sesame oil, avocado oil and olive oil help to rejuvenate the liver. The lipid base absorbs harmful toxins; in this way, they take some of the burdens off the liver.
Selecting nutrient dense food is essential for good health, especially the health of the liver.
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Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-foods-for-your-liver#section10
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/liver-anatomy-and-functions
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/hdbk/actions_drink
https://www.responsibility.org/end-impaired-driving/solutions/prevention/08-bac-legal-limit/
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