Good Dietary Practices to Enhance Liver Function

What's So Big About The Liver?

The liver is the largest gland in the body, located at the beginning of the small intestine. It performs many indispensable functions in maintaining health.

It filters toxins from the body, stores fat and glucose, and produces amino acids. The liver is responsible for bile production-an essential secretion for breaking down digested lipids into smaller particles so fats and fat-soluble vitamins can be absorbed by the small intestine.

An adult liver produces between 400 and 800 ml of bile each day which is stored in the gallbladder until needed.

Decreased Liver Function

The liver like the gallbladder can develop stones. Chemicals, like alcohol, acetaminophen, and isoniazid can affect the liver adversely. A poor diet can also negatively affect the liver. And like the rest of your body, the liver will present with symptoms when something's not right.

Sometimes your liver functions can be sluggish. The presenting ailments are similar to those experienced in over-exposure to toxins. A few of the symptoms are chronic fatigue, depression, headaches, digestive difficulties, constipation, and chemical sensitivities.

Practice a Healthy Diet

As often as possible, steer clear of pharmaceutical drugs as they present a major strain on the liver. Alcohol consumption presents the most prominent danger to the liver, because of its common use, often to excess. A poor diet is your next worst enemy.

Good Dietary Practices

Improve your diet by including good habits for eating and drinking. This will enhance the functionality of your liver and give you more energy overall. The following are dietary guidelines that can protect and promote liver functioning.

Find out what your optimal protein intake is and don't overdo it
Don't eat to excess especially with excessive carbohydrates, and high caloric, fatty foods
Limit your vitamin A intake. Instead opt for emulsified vitamin A, the liquid form of the vitamin, which does not contain cholesterol or fat.
Keep your sodium intake low
Include dark green leafy organic vegetables
Let as much as 40% of your diet consist of live red, purple, orange and yellow fruit and vegetables)
Avocados and oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines promote liver health
Many varieties of raw seeds such as flaxseed, sunflower, and alfalfa seeds are beneficial
Certain oils (primrose, black currant seed, and cold-pressed olive oil to name a few) assist the liver as well.
Always wash your food before eating and preparing it.

There are several herbs that promote healthy liver functions. Some of these beneficial organic herbs are:

Turmeric
Peppermint Leaf
Dandelion Leaf
Dandelion Root
Greater Celandine
Milk Thistle Seed
Chicory Root
Wildcrafted Chanca Piedra
Yellow Dock Root

You can learn more about these herbs from The Liver and Liver Stones article. Other practices for healthy living include minimizing your environmental toxins, and exercising regularly.

Ideally, you want to always be proactive when it comes to having good health. Start eating healthy before there's a problem, to keep your body functioning optimally. Choose organically grown items whenever possible. Eat healthy for an energized life.