Your Liver.... and what you didn't know!

Without the liver, a person can only live one to two days...

Let that sink in... 

Furthermore, the liver filters 1.8 quarts (1.7 liters) of blood per minute - that's one hard-working organ.

Let’s take a look first what the liver does for your hormonal balance

1. Metabolizes and regulates sex hormones, including estrogen and progesterone

2. Breaks down and eliminates excess hormones from the bloodstream - especially “dirty” estrogens 

3. Converts testosterone into estrogen, as needed

4. Synthesizes hormone-binding proteins that transport hormones in the blood

5. Stores essential fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) important for hormonal health

6. Maintains proper blood sugar levels, preventing insulin spikes and supporting hormone balance

7. Produces cholesterol, a precursor for steroid hormones like cortisol and sex hormones like testosterone, estrogens, and progesterone 

8. Detoxifies and eliminates environmental toxins and xenobiotics that can disrupt hormonal balance

9. Regulates thyroid hormones and their conversion from inactive to active forms (T4 to T3)

10. Balances the secretion of growth hormone (sometimes called the anti-aging hormone) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) to influence overall hormonal balance 

11. Lowers inflammation to keep the overall endocrine system in balance

How to know if your liver needs support?

Here is the checklist...

Hormonal Imbalances

✅ Intolerance to HRT (hormone replacement therapy)

✅ Severe menopausal symptoms

✅ PMS

✅ Estrogen Dominance

✅ Low thyroid function (in spite of medication)

✅ Mood swings

Blood Sugar Problems

✅ Sugar cravings

✅ Hypoglycemia

✅ Type 2 diabetes

✅ Energy slumps

✅ Waking in the night to pee

Immune Dysfunction

✅ Allergies/ skin rashes

✅ Chemical sensitivities (think: someone who can’t stand fumes or perfumes)

✅ Chronic Fatigue/Fibromyalgia

✅ Frequent illness

Digestive Problems

✅ Gall stones

✅ Intolerance to fat

✅ Sensitivity to alcohol and/or caffeine 

✅ Acid reflux

✅ Bloating or constipation

Abnormal Metabolism of Fats (Lipids)

✅ Abnormal level of fats in the blood, e.g. high LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and reduced HDL (“good cholesterol”)

✅ Elevated triglycerides

✅ Blocked arteries leading to hypertension, heart attacks and strokes

✅ Fatty liver (elevated ALT, AST)

✅ Obesity

Nervous System

✅ Depression

✅ Anger and irritability

✅ Foggy brain

✅ Overheating

✅ Frequent headaches

External Signs

✅ Deep right brow line  

✅ Furry tongue

✅ Bad breath

✅ Acne and rosacea

✅ Yellow, red or itchy eyes

✅ Rashes

✅ Easy bruising 

✅ Brown spot on hands, back and face

What you can do to support your liver 

Many things can support the liver and that’s one empowering thought.  

What to consider removing:

👉 Coffee 

👉 Alcohol 

👉 Inflammatory foods (gluten, dairy, excessive sugar, processed food) 

What to add: 

➕ Cruciferous vegetables (cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, radishes, turnips) 

➕ Bitter herbs (burdock root, milk thistle, dandelion root, andrographis) 

➕ Green tea (instead of coffee) 

➕ Light dinner, 4 hours before bed 

These simple actions can quickly make a big difference.

Contact me to Book an appointment to check your liver health and what we can do to get it working efficiently again! Clare.