Have you ever felt sluggish or just “off”? Chances are, you haven’t considered your liver’s functionality as the culprit. And if you sought medical advice, your doctor probably didn’t even think about your liver, either.
You see, the liver is a seldom-mentioned but vitally important organ that often “speaks” in signs and symptoms that are not particularly liver-related. And today, we’re going to take a look at the top five warning signs from your liver that you should not ignore.
We’ll also reveal the common foods and food additives you’ll want to avoid because, despite their widespread use, they are toxic to your liver.
What Does The Liver Do?
The liver is actually quite large. Many people are surprised to learn that it spreads across your abdominal cavity, with the bulk of it on the right.
Whoever named the liver must have recognized its importance; we cannot be “livers” of life without it. Yet caring specifically for your liver is rarely mentioned by mainstream doctors, perhaps because so many of the drugs they prescribe cause damage to this crucial organ.
You’re even less likely to hear a discussion of liver health from your doctor if you have osteoporosis. But the fact is, the liver is as important for your bone health as for your general health. Here are some reasons why.
Bile is manufactured by your liver. Bile is a digestive fluid made up of bile salts, water, cholesterol, and bilirubin (a yellowish pigment). Bile is stored in the gallbladder where hormones stimulate its release in the presence of fat in the small intestine (specifically, the duodenum where the small intestine begins after the stomach).
Bile is needed for the uptake of fat-soluble, bone-building vitamins like Vitamin D, E, K, and A. Cholesterol is a lipid that also acts as a precursor in Vitamin D synthesis and adrenal hormones.
In addition, the liver produces key enzymes that promote nutrient transport.
Your liver acts as a “holding area” for toxins that could endanger your health, such as pesticides, parasites, bacteria, drugs, and various synthetic chemicals and food additives. It also stores key substances like glycogen and various vitamins and minerals that can save your life in a deficiency situation.
Because of its role in detoxification, your liver needs periodic cleansing (more about that later). But first, we’re going to look at…
5 Key Signs That Something Could Be Amiss With Your Liver
- You find you have trouble digesting foods that contain a lot of fat. As mentioned above, liver-produced bile is essential for the digestion of fats (if your gallbladder has been removed, your liver still produces bile; it simply sends it into the small intestine in a less concentrated form).
Fat digestion is key for the uptake of fat-soluble vitamins your bones must have to renew and strengthen.
- Abdominal bloating could indicate nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, where the liver becomes swollen and scarred. Remember, your liver takes up a lot of space in your abdomen, so if it is inflamed, it makes sense that you’d experience a feeling of fullness or bloating.
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You are unable to lose weight despite cutting calories and exercising. Your liver is a key player in metabolism regulation, so when it’s unable to perform its duties, your whole system gets sluggish.
It is hard to kick calorie- and fat-burning into gear when your liver can’t get going to regulate insulin, break down fat, regulate blood glucose, and all its other metabolic duties. This can make it nearly impossible to lose weight, and that’s bad for bones – excess weight can contribute to bone density loss.
- A pot-bellied appearance can occur when the liver is swollen or otherwise dysfunctional. One of the noticeable differences between liver-related abdominal fat is that it tends to be located in the upper abdomen, higher than typical belly fat.
- Feeling hot and/or excessive sweating can result from the liver’s role in hormone production going awry. Your liver has a complex communicatory relationship with the hypothalamus,1 the body’s temperature regulation center. The hypothalamus also plays a key role in bone health by regulating bone-damaging cortisol through the release of hormones.
If any of these symptoms sound familiar, your liver is likely in need of detoxification. That begins with avoiding the ingestion of substances that are toxic to your liver.
The First Step Is To Avoid Liver Contaminants
You may be surprised to learn that some common foods and food additives can really harm your liver. Here are some of the top offenders:
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer used in a wide array of prepared foods. It is sometimes disguised as maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast, sodium caseinate, or hydrolyzed soy protein. Animal studies clearly indicate the toxicity of MSG on liver health; “MSG augments trans-fat induced hepatic steatosis by altering WAT gene expression and elevating serum lipids and markers of hepatic fibrosis, inflammation, and DNA damage,”2 a 2009 study notes.
- Fried foods, especially potatoes, produce a toxin called acrylamide when subjected to the high temperatures associated with frying. Foods that are subjected to deep fat frying are high in lipid peroxides, which are essentially rancid fats that damage the membranes of liver cells.
- Excessive sodium can contribute to fluid retention which, if your liver is dysfunctional, you may already be experiencing. Too much sodium, especially in the form of processed table salt, is also bad for your bones. When table salt is ingested in excess, it offsets the balance with other minerals (especially potassium), which can create a very acidic body environment that causes bone loss.
- High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a ubiquitous sweetener that is notoriously hard on the liver. Even if you are of normal weight, HFCS “…rapidly causes liver damage that we suggest is secondary to endotoxemia and [microbial translocation],”3 according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Avoiding and limiting the consumption of the above foods is a positive step toward giving your liver a break. Savers are certainly ahead of the game in this regard – avoidance of food additives is recommended on the Osteoporosis Reversal Program.
Rejuvenate Your Liver With A Systemic Cleanse
I created the Osteoporosis Fresh Start Cleanse: The 7 Day Bone Building Accelerator because a healthy, functional liver is crucial for reversing osteoporosis and renewing your bones.
Accelerated Bone Remodeling In Just 7 Days!
Discover how the Osteoporosis Fresh Start Cleanse can flush osteoporosis drugs and other bone-damaging toxins from your system – in just seven days.
Despite the fact that the liver is just not regarded by the mainstream as a pivotal player in bone health, its proper function is absolutely essential for the health of your bones. In addition to avoiding toxins, cleansing periodically is important for preserving your liver’s health.
The Osteoporosis Fresh Start Cleanse is not a drastic, long-term cleanse; it takes just seven days, and each day’s steps are clearly described and explained. The Osteoporosis Fresh Start Cleanse shows you how to cleanse your body with specific foods and beverages, liver-supporting nutrients, and more, that detoxify your liver and whole system.
It’s the perfect way to accelerate and boost your journey toward bone rejuvenation!
Till next time,
References:
1 Uyama, N., Geerts, A., and Reynaert, H. “Neural connections between the hypothalamus and the liver.” Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. September 2004. 280 (1): 808-20. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15382020
2 Collison, Kate, et al. “Effect of dietary monosodium glutamate on trans fat-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.” The Journal of Lipid Research. August 2009. 50(8): 1521-1537. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2724042/
3 Kavanagh, Kylie, et al. “Dietary fructose induces endotoxemia and hepatic injury in calorically controlled primates.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. June 2013. Doi: 10.3945/ajcn. 112.057331. Web. https://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2013/06/19/ajcn.112.057331.abstract
Comments on this article are closed.
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Thanks Vivian for the great job you are doing. I have not taken much interest in this area, but now I know.
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Years ago I had my gallbladder removed. I don’t have any difficulty eating any foods, but read that it would be a good idea to take bile salts for my liver. Do you recommend taking bile salts or any other supplements? I have osteoporosis.
Thanks so much for your enlightening info. -
Why do you say milk is not good for your bones. I only have one small glass each day.
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THANKS
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Hi Vivian,
I have been enjoying your research reports and comments on bones issues and remedies for awhile now. I’m very impressed and I have downloaded some of the Ebooks that I find very interesting and possibly helpful.
I have been seeing my my Doctor about continual issues with gout and last year the problem got worse with some major gout attacks which affected my whole foot including my ankles. He mentioned something about osteoporosis that at some stage I won’t be able to walk on my feet and that scared me. He asked my to double up on my intake of Allopurinol and other Gout pills.
I grew up in the Polynesian islands, Samoa, and most of the ailments were treated naturally. I started looking on the Net for natural treatment for my gout condition and other heath concerns. And I found your Website which I have been following for sometime now.
Therefore, do you think that you could advise some way(s) of helping me out with my specific condition to avoid the “not being able to walk” threat that my Doctor diagnosed?? I wold love to hear your feedback.
Keep up the fantastic work
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Vivian,
Is there any down time with the liver cleanse? I work and can’t be out or not feel well.
Judy
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I REALLY LOVE GETTING ALL YOUR INFORMATIVE INFORMATION AND I FEEL THAT AT 81 AND AT MY LAST CHECK-UP WITH MY DOCTOR AND SHE TELLS ME THAT SHE CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH ME AND TO KEEP UP WHAT EVER I AM DOING. AT 105 POUNDS AND EATING ONLY ORGANIC VEGETABLES WITH SOME EXERCISE EACH DAY I FEEL THAT I COULD MAKE IT TO 100 YEARS OLD. IF I DO, I HOPE YOU ARE THERE TO HELP ADVISE ME AS WELL. SINCERELY DORIS B.
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Speaking of liver…my Functional M.D. suggested never to eat calves liver. He claims the liver of an animal is where the toxins in the animal are stored.
I love to eat calves liver occasionally. Your thoughts? -
I read all your wonderful articles and comment very seldom, but this is too good to pass up. I live in Brazil. Here, nearly every health problem is caused by blood pressure or liver according to the general public. This article is very enlightening. Personally, I usually avoid any great sudden change to what goes in my body because of what I have heard and seen in others; however, I am not beyond being convinced!
Okay, off subject: I learned last night that if you spit in a cat´s mouth, your asthma will be cured! (say some dear national ladies here. Ya gotta love ´em!) (disclaimer: This is a wive´s tale, a hilarious one at that!) I am not sure what kept me awake more, laughing or bewilderment!
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Thanks Vivian that is excellent info – thanks for saving our bones. Hester
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I always read the wonderful einformation you so kindly provide. However, I don’t finish ordering the free ebook because of the “cart”. I’ve never ordered because I’m afraid of the cost. Do I need to have them. I’m 72 years old and maybe late for me to reverse anything. I have the symptoms you provide concerning livers. Anyway, I’ll just watch the five foods to avoid. Thank you Vivian. God bless you and yours.
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Hello everyone,
For a healthy liver beetroot is one of the best vegetables to eat.
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Thank you Marc, that is good to know.
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Hi Vivian.
I am researching like crazy and I am beginning to get the system but I have to be sure about the salt, is pink himalayan salt okay ? I’m drinking water with SOLE (himalayan salt in water) every day because I read it was good for adrenal fatigue and I would love to hear your opinion about this related to liver and kidney disfunction ?
Best regards
Susanne