THE LIVER: YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST TOXINS

©2004 Suzin Stockton

“Over 25 million Americans suffer from liver disease or a related illness, yet the average person knows little about liver disease, liver function, risk factors or preventive measures.”1 A great deal could be written about this, but essentially, when your body becomes overloaded with toxins, your liver is overworked and unable to adequately perform its many functions. You suffer the consequences in the form of declining health.

Toxins that enter your body from the intestinal tract are transported to your liver where they are transformed so that they can be safely eliminated. Your liver:

• Filters your blood
• Ingests and breaks down toxic matter from the digestive tract.
• Removes dead cells and the remains of microorganisms and other debris from the bloodstream
• Plays a role in blood sugar regulation, blood clotting and metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

Additionally, your liver produces bile. This fat-emulsifying substance is stored temporarily in the gallbladder, to be released when ingested fat makes its way to the intestine. Bile contains bile salts, hormones and toxins. It can become stagnant and sluggish, reducing the amount of toxins that leave the liver.

Inside the liver cells all toxic substances are broken down by two complex mechanisms known as Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification pathways. When these pathways are blocked, toxins are not efficiently excreted and can build up in our bodies, making us sick. The situation is very much like what would happen to your neighborhood if the garbage man went on strike indefinitely. You would be putting out your garbage for pick-up every day, and over time, so much would accumulate that it would rot, and flies and maggots and parasites would start feasting on it. These disease-carrying bugs would eventually take over the neighborhood, making everyone sick. The same thing happens in the “neighborhood” of our digestive tracts: When the liver is assaulted by excessive garbage (toxins), it essentially goes “on strike,” being unable to do its job, and we suffer the consequences of the toxic build up - illness. 

These two liver detoxification pathways require specific nutrients to function properly. When the needed nutrients are adequately supplied, fat-soluble toxins are converted into a more easily excreted water-soluble form. The excretion routes are the kidneys (through urine) and bowels (through feces). 

The combined stresses of nutrient depletion and toxicity to which we’re exposed daily in today’s polluted, fast food world lead to liver stress, poor functioning and chronic disease.

The daily toll that is taken on our livers is not immediately apparent. It is possible for someone whose liver function is only 30% of normal to have no symptoms, and no clinical sign of liver impairment. While people with hepatitis or cirrhosis have obvious liver disease, it is not widely recognized that those with such chronic diseases as cancer, diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis generally have poor liver function as well. Liver dysfunction can give rise to virtually any disorder, for it adversely affects the digestive, immune, hormonal, circulatory and nervous systems in a variety of ways.

When the liver is toxic and congested, fats are not metabolized properly. This can lead to an obstruction of blood vessels, high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke. As fat builds up in the liver and other organs, the metabolism slows down, resulting in weight gain.  

Blood sugar problems (both low blood sugar and diabetes) are common in those with a fatty liver; so are depression, allergies, brain fog, indigestion, constipation, bloating, recurrent infections, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and more.

External signs of liver dysfunction may include:

• Coated tongue
• Skin rashes
• Itchy skin
• Excessive sweating
• Offensive body odor
• Dark circles under eyes
• Yellow discoloration of eyes
• Liver spots (brown spots on skin)
• Acne rosacea (red pimples around nose, cheeks and chin)
• Red palms and soles, which may also be itchy and inflamed
• Flushed facial appearance or excessive facial blood vessels

When your liver fails to adequately perform its detoxification function, owing either to its overwhelming toxic burden or to a flaw in its detoxification capabilities (due often to nutrient deficiency), toxins are then passed on to other organs of elimination, stressing them by challenging them to do work they were not designed to do. This can lead to degenerative disease for many, making liver cleansing a matter of critical importance for the chronically ill. Liver cleansing is also important for people who are in good health if they wish to stay healthy. An annual or bi-annual liver/gallbladder cleanse or flush can be an important preventive health measure. See http://www.curezone.com/cleanse/liver/default.asp for information on a variety of different “recipes” that have traditionally been used for this purpose.

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Information on this site is for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice.  If you have a medical or dental condition,  please consult an appropriate health care provider.