Does your liver need some love?

January has always been a month where people focus on detoxing, eating healthy and exercising more. Most of the time this works for the first two weeks - some people can stretch it out until the end of the month and then old habits creep back in again.

This can happen due to many people trying to be healthy and in some cases they do go to extreme lengths to 'detox' and they can feel worse than when they started.

So, I thought that January is the perfect time to celebrate our liver's and show it some love as our liver's really do work overtime especially during the holiday season and throughout the year. Detoxing can be extreme and leave you feeling unwell and I like to work with my clients to do a more gentle detox which really supports our liver and digestive health without the side effects or 'die off'.

Did you know that our liver performs over 500 different functions each day?

The five major functions of the liver include:

1. Filtration.
2. Digestion.
3. Metabolism and Detoxification.
4. Protein synthesis.
5. Storage of vitamins and minerals.

Our livers are pretty impressive aren't they?

Signs your liver is needing some love:-

• Poor digestion - constipation or diarrhoea.
• Feeling nauseas after fatty or rich meals.
• Blood sugar issues - craving for sugary food.
• High cholesterol. 
• Skin breakouts - acne, eczema, rashes.
• Skin is looking yellow and the whites of your eyes have a yellow appearance.
• Feeling sluggish, tired and fatigued.
• You have a white/yellow coating on your tongue.
• Weight gain - especially around the abdomen.
• Headaches.
• Intolerant to strong smells.
• Intolerance to alcohol - small glass of wine can leave you feeling sick or feeling really intoxicated.
• Viral outbreaks.
• Pain in the right side of your stomach.
• Feeling angry.

These are the common signs that you are experiencing liver issues.

How many of these did you resonate with?

"The liver, we are taught, is the body’s filter, making sure that we stay clean and toxin-free. In Chinese Medicine, each of the organs has an emotional component, which is just as important as its physical functions in the body, and the emotion of the liver is anger."

When I'm working with my clients' we do address any feelings of anger and how long they have been feeling angry and to whom this anger is directed at. In a lot of cases there can be a few people (partner, ex-partners, parents), work is common and if they are feeling not only anger but irritation and/or frustration as well.

I have some great exercises that work brilliantly to clear any feelings of anger and frustration. I'm also bringing Reiki treatments back into clinic along with flower essence therapy.

Most people suffer from a condition known as fatty liver disease or suffer from having a 'sluggish liver' which means that your liver isn't functioning as well as it should.

Here are the top 10 health conditions that I see and treat in clinic that are associated with a sluggish liver:-

1. Fatty Liver Disease - high liver enzymes, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes);
2. Poor Digestion - reflux, lack of appetite including not wanting to have breakfast until mid-morning. weight gain, sugar cravings, constipation, diarrhoea or combination of both.
3. Feeling nauseous after eating fatty foods - for example, Keto or takeaway foods or rich foods;
4. Fatigue and low energy levels - chronic fatigue, low energy or tiredness after eating;
5. Sleep problems - waking between 1 am and 3 am (Liver time) and having trouble getting back to sleep;
6. Hormonal imbalances - perimenopause, thyroid, period issues, PCOS, Oestrogen dominance, insulin resistance;
7. Skin conditions - acne, eczema, dermatitis, itchy skin;
8. Memory - brain fog, mood swings, low mood, anxiety;
9. Viral flare ups - Glandular Fever (Epstein Barr Virus), COVID-19, Herpes Simplex 1 & 2, Ross River Virus, Chicken pox (Shingles) along with seasonal viral health conditions causing viral overload;
10. Cardiovascular health - our liver and heart work together as a team to ensure blood circulates healthfully throughout the body. Hardened arteries (atherosclerosis) confirms a tight connection between liver and heart pathology.

There are many ways to support our liver and have it functioning properly. 

It's also important to be mindful of what foods and drinks we are consuming on a daily basis. 

Here are my Top 7 Foods to include into your diet:-

1. Mixed salad leaves - rocket, dandelion leaves, radicchio as these are all classed as bitters and they support healthy digestion by improving liver and pancreatic function. These are also added in as part of a person's SIBO treatment.
2. Berries - especially blueberries as they are high in antioxidants which help to protect our livers from oxidated stress (damage).
3. Cruciferous veggies - add your broccoli, brussel sprouts, mustard greens, cauliflower and cabbage into your weekly 40 plant based foods as these work on supporting your sulphur pathways. This is referred to as Sulforaphane which is really high in broccoli sprouts and helps to clear excess oestrogen. If you suffer from thyroid conditions such as hyperthyroidism or Hashimoto's Disease, it's best to steam these veggies and avoid eating them raw.
4. Fatty fish - eating Omega 3s has many health benefits and is especially good for our livers as it helps to decrease liver fat (fatty liver disease) and reduces our triglycerides levels to support a healthy cholesterol level.
5. Olive Oil - cold pressed, extra virgin is the way to go! This improves blood flow in your liver and improves insulin sensitivity along with supporting healthy liver enzymes.
6. Beetroot juice - especially freshly made juice as it reduces oxidative damage and inflammation in your liver and it also increases detoxification enzymes. You can add in some celery, carrots and apples as well for extra fibre and health benefits.
7. Lemon juice - having a freshly squeezed 1/2 lemon in warm water first thing in the morning is perfect to boost our liver detoxification pathways. Please remember to rinse your mouth or drink through a straw as it can reduce enamel on our teeth.

There are so many other healthy foods to include such as, wild caught seafood, organic meats, nuts and legumes, avocados and fresh fruits. It's okay to add in dairy if you can tolerate Greek yoghurt or sheeps/goats milk yoghurt and feta cheese.

My top 6 Herbs are:-

1. Milk Thistle
2. Dandelion Root
3. Gentian
4. Schisandra
5. Oregan Grape
6. Chamomile

These all work in different ways to support liver health and many other health conditions. I always include liver herbs into a clients herbal formula as it's a brilliant starting point on their healing journey. 

There are also many supplements (nutrients) that can be added into your daily routine that supports your liver health as well. 

In regards to my SIBO clients that I work with, there are specific liver herbs and supplements that I prescribe for them depending on their symptoms and where they are on their treatment program.

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns about your liver. If you are ready to give your liver some well deserved love, you can book your consultation via the link below:-

 Work With Me – Katrina Froome Naturopathy

Yours in health and wellness,

Katrina (Naturopath)