Eating Your Way to a Healthy Liver

[Guest guest]

Eating Your Way to a Healthy LiverProHealth.com04-12-2004 By Yam Cher Seng Our liver is a busy chemical plant that churns out 13,000 differentenzymes, filters our blood of toxic substances and detoxifies them. Itmanages a wide array of physiological activities so quietly that we takeit very much for granted. It weighs 1.4kg in an average adult and is the second largest organ ofthe body. It receives blood from two sources, making it a major blood reservoirand a filtering system. The liver filters over a litre of blood per minute to remove bacteria,toxic substances, alcohol, drugs and other particles from the bloodcirculation. Ninety-five per cent of alcohol ingested is processed by the liver andrepeated consumption of alcohol can inhibit the

production of digestiveenzymes, resulting in impaired digestion and absorption. Apart from being a clearance house, the liver is part and parcel of thedigestive system and is involved in the chemical breakdown ofcarbohydrates, fat and proteins from our diet for energy. The gallbladder, which is connected to the liver by the common hepaticduct, stores bile that is manufactured by the liver. Bile is a liquid mixture of bile salts, pigments, cholesterol,phospholipids and fatty acids. It is secreted into the small intestineto aid in absorption of fats, oils and fat-soluble vitamins. Any impairment of the liver's function will lead to poor blood sugar andcholesterol management that may lead to diabetes, obesity andcardiovascular disease. The busy liver is also a vital component of the immune system. Itsupplies our body with antibodies and blood-clotting factors. With the zillion activities going on in the

liver, any slight or minorupset of the liver function can easily be overlooked. Poor skin condition, constipation, headaches, fatigue, general malaise,premenstrual syndrome, aches and pains, irritability, hormonalimbalances, allergies and chemical sensitivities have been linked to anoverburdened and sluggish liver. Amazing as it may be, the liver has the ability to restore itself,whereby nutrition and herbs play an important role in keeping it healthyand efficient. Antioxidant nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and E, zinc andselenium protect the liver cells from free radical damage. Such nutrients are richly available in fruits, leafy greens, carrots,cucumbers, onions, legumes and root vegetables. Alternative practitioners advocate eating as much raw food as possible,and that includes raw juicing. Raw fruit and vegetable juices are good sources of plant enzymes thathelp digestion and

provide antioxidant nutrients. Observing a one-day juicing detoxification plan once a month workswonder to ease the liver's load. The aim of a juice detox plan is to help speed up metabolism as well ascleanse and strengthen organs, tissues and blood. It also flushes outtoxins and give the digestive and eliminative organs a well-earned restalong with good nutrition. Sulphur is an excellent detoxifier found abundantly in dried legumes,eggs, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, onions, leeks,shallots, garlic, fish and lean meat. The B vitamins are co-factors of the liver's detoxification pathways.These vitamins are usually destroyed when food is processed or refined. Food containing B-vitamins are poultry, fish, brown rice, legumes, eggyolks, dried fruits and nuts. Vitamin B12 is required to enhance the flow of bile and this particularvitamin is mainly available from animal products. It is

observed thatmany strict vegans are deficient in vitamin B12 which can result in poorliver function. Lecithin has a direct lipotropic effect on the liver. Lipotropic meanshastening the removal or decrease the deposit of fat in the liver cellsby interfering with the metabolism of fat. Sources of lecithin include egg yolks, soybeans, brewers yeast, legumes,fish and wheatgerm. Lecithin granules are easily available frompharmacies. They can be sprinkled on food and soups, or added to juices.Herbs can play an important role in keeping the liver healthy. Many ofthese herbs are very gentle, and even a healthy person can benefit fromusing them to promote proper digestion and enhance liver detoxification.The most potent liver protective herb is milk thistle (Silybummarianum), high in a mixture of antioxidants collectively referred to assilymarin. Hundreds of studies have been published on milk thistle

demonstratingthat this herb is effective in preventing liver damage and repairingdamage from alcohol, drugs, chronic hepatitis and exposure to toxicchemicals. One of the most acclaimed successes of milk thistle's effectiveness wasin 1970, when a researcher used it to treat 60 people from severe liverpoisoning and deaths with wild Amanita mushrooms. As a result of itseffectiveness, milk thistle extract in injection form is administeredimmediately in cases of mushroom poisoning. Another liver herb is dandelion (Taraxecum officinale). It has a directeffect on the liver by enhancing the flow of bile, thus improvingconditions in a variety of liver disorders, including jaundice,cirrhosis, hepatitis, liver congestion, gallstones and chronicconstipation. Dandelion leaves are high in vitamins, especially vitamin A, minerals,protein, pectin and lipotropic factors. They are added raw to salad orcooked like spinach.

The writer of this article is a pharmacist who is actively involved inthe dissemination of information on natural healthcare and holistictherapies. Source: www.emedia.com.my. Copyright C 2004 NST Online. All rightsreserved. http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/2080/Kathy Brunow

[Guest guest]

-- Eating Your Way to a Healthy Liver

Someone sent this to me... Actually it's very interesting..kinda hard to eat healthy when your around burger joints though... Kathy b..

Eating Your Way to a Healthy Liver ProHealth.com04-12-2004 By Yam Cher Seng Our liver is a busy chemical plant that churns out 13,000 differentenzymes, filters our blood of toxic substances and detoxifies them. Itmanages a wide array of physiological activities so quietly that we takeit very much for granted. It weighs 1.4kg in an average adult and is the second largest organ ofthe body. It receives blood from two sources, making it a major blood reservoirand a filtering system. The liver filters over a litre of blood per minute to remove bacteria,toxic substances, alcohol, drugs and other particles from the bloodcirculation. Ninety-five per cent of alcohol ingested is processed by the liver andrepeated consumption of alcohol can inhibit the production of digestiveenzymes, resulting in impaired digestion and absorption. Apart from being a clearance house, the liver is part and parcel of thedigestive system and is involved in the chemical breakdown ofcarbohydrates, fat and proteins from our diet for energy. The gallbladder, which is connected to the liver by the common hepaticduct, stores bile that is manufactured by the liver. Bile is a liquid mixture of bile salts, pigments, cholesterol,phospholipids and fatty acids. It is secreted into the small intestineto aid in absorption of fats, oils and fat-soluble vitamins. Any impairment of the liver's function will lead to poor blood sugar andcholesterol management that may lead to diabetes, obesity andcardiovascular disease. The busy liver is also a vital component of the immune system. Itsupplies our body with antibodies and blood-clotting factors. With the zillion activities going on in the liver, any slight or minorupset of the liver function can easily be overlooked. Poor skin condition, constipation, headaches, fatigue, general malaise,premenstrual syndrome, aches and pains, irritability, hormonalimbalances, allergies and chemical sensitivities have been linked to anoverburdened and sluggish liver. Amazing as it may be, the liver has the ability to restore itself,whereby nutrition and herbs play an important role in keeping it healthyand efficient. Antioxidant nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and E, zinc andselenium protect the liver cells from free radical damage. Such nutrients are richly available in fruits, leafy greens, carrots,cucumbers, onions, legumes and root vegetables. Alternative practitioners advocate eating as much raw food as possible,and that includes raw juicing. Raw fruit and vegetable juices are good sources of plant enzymes thathelp digestion and provide antioxidant nutrients. Observing a one-day juicing detoxification plan once a month workswonder to ease the liver's load. The aim of a juice detox plan is to help speed up metabolism as well ascleanse and strengthen organs, tissues and blood. It also flushes outtoxins and give the digestive and eliminative organs a well-earned restalong with good nutrition. Sulphur is an excellent detoxifier found abundantly in dried legumes,eggs, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, onions, leeks,shallots, garlic, fish and lean meat. The B vitamins are co-factors of the liver's detoxification pathways.These vitamins are usually destroyed when food is processed or refined. Food containing B-vitamins are poultry, fish, brown rice, legumes, eggyolks, dried fruits and nuts. Vitamin B12 is required to enhance the flow of bile and this particularvitamin is mainly available from animal products. It is observed thatmany strict vegans are deficient in vitamin B12 which can result in poorliver function. Lecithin has a direct lipotropic effect on the liver. Lipotropic meanshastening the removal or decrease the deposit of fat in the liver cellsby interfering with the metabolism of fat. Sources of lecithin include egg yolks, soybeans, brewers yeast, legumes,fish and wheatgerm. Lecithin granules are easily available frompharmacies. They can be sprinkled on food and soups, or added to juices.Herbs can play an important role in keeping the liver healthy. Many ofthese herbs are very gentle, and even a healthy person can benefit fromusing them to promote proper digestion and enhance liver detoxification.The most potent liver protective herb is milk thistle (Silybummarianum), high in a mixture of antioxidants collectively referred to assilymarin. Hundreds of studies have been published on milk thistle demonstratingthat this herb is effective in preventing liver damage and repairingdamage from alcohol, drugs, chronic hepatitis and exposure to toxicchemicals. One of the most acclaimed successes of milk thistle's effectiveness wasin 1970, when a researcher used it to treat 60 people from severe liverpoisoning and deaths with wild Amanita mushrooms. As a result of itseffectiveness, milk thistle extract in injection form is administeredimmediately in cases of mushroom poisoning. Another liver herb is dandelion (Taraxecum officinale). It has a directeffect on the liver by enhancing the flow of bile, thus improvingconditions in a variety of liver disorders, including jaundice,cirrhosis, hepatitis, liver congestion, gallstones and chronicconstipation. Dandelion leaves are high in vitamins, especially vitamin A, minerals,protein, pectin and lipotropic factors. They are added raw to salad orcooked like spinach. The writer of this article is a pharmacist who is actively involved inthe dissemination of information on natural healthcare and holistictherapies. Source: www.emedia.com.my. Copyright C 2004 NST Online. All rightsreserved. http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/2080/

[Guest guest]

-- Eating Your Way to a Healthy Liver

Someone sent this to me... Actually it's very interesting..kinda hard to eat healthy when your around burger joints though... Kathy b..

Eating Your Way to a Healthy Liver ProHealth.com04-12-2004 By Yam Cher Seng Our liver is a busy chemical plant that churns out 13,000 differentenzymes, filters our blood of toxic substances and detoxifies them. Itmanages a wide array of physiological activities so quietly that we takeit very much for granted. It weighs 1.4kg in an average adult and is the second largest organ ofthe body. It receives blood from two sources, making it a major blood reservoirand a filtering system. The liver filters over a litre of blood per minute to remove bacteria,toxic substances, alcohol, drugs and other particles from the bloodcirculation. Ninety-five per cent of alcohol ingested is processed by the liver andrepeated consumption of alcohol can inhibit the production of digestiveenzymes, resulting in impaired digestion and absorption. Apart from being a clearance house, the liver is part and parcel of thedigestive system and is involved in the chemical breakdown ofcarbohydrates, fat and proteins from our diet for energy. The gallbladder, which is connected to the liver by the common hepaticduct, stores bile that is manufactured by the liver. Bile is a liquid mixture of bile salts, pigments, cholesterol,phospholipids and fatty acids. It is secreted into the small intestineto aid in absorption of fats, oils and fat-soluble vitamins. Any impairment of the liver's function will lead to poor blood sugar andcholesterol management that may lead to diabetes, obesity andcardiovascular disease. The busy liver is also a vital component of the immune system. Itsupplies our body with antibodies and blood-clotting factors. With the zillion activities going on in the liver, any slight or minorupset of the liver function can easily be overlooked. Poor skin condition, constipation, headaches, fatigue, general malaise,premenstrual syndrome, aches and pains, irritability, hormonalimbalances, allergies and chemical sensitivities have been linked to anoverburdened and sluggish liver. Amazing as it may be, the liver has the ability to restore itself,whereby nutrition and herbs play an important role in keeping it healthyand efficient. Antioxidant nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and E, zinc andselenium protect the liver cells from free radical damage. Such nutrients are richly available in fruits, leafy greens, carrots,cucumbers, onions, legumes and root vegetables. Alternative practitioners advocate eating as much raw food as possible,and that includes raw juicing. Raw fruit and vegetable juices are good sources of plant enzymes thathelp digestion and provide antioxidant nutrients. Observing a one-day juicing detoxification plan once a month workswonder to ease the liver's load. The aim of a juice detox plan is to help speed up metabolism as well ascleanse and strengthen organs, tissues and blood. It also flushes outtoxins and give the digestive and eliminative organs a well-earned restalong with good nutrition. Sulphur is an excellent detoxifier found abundantly in dried legumes,eggs, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, onions, leeks,shallots, garlic, fish and lean meat. The B vitamins are co-factors of the liver's detoxification pathways.These vitamins are usually destroyed when food is processed or refined. Food containing B-vitamins are poultry, fish, brown rice, legumes, eggyolks, dried fruits and nuts. Vitamin B12 is required to enhance the flow of bile and this particularvitamin is mainly available from animal products. It is observed thatmany strict vegans are deficient in vitamin B12 which can result in poorliver function. Lecithin has a direct lipotropic effect on the liver. Lipotropic meanshastening the removal or decrease the deposit of fat in the liver cellsby interfering with the metabolism of fat. Sources of lecithin include egg yolks, soybeans, brewers yeast, legumes,fish and wheatgerm. Lecithin granules are easily available frompharmacies. They can be sprinkled on food and soups, or added to juices.Herbs can play an important role in keeping the liver healthy. Many ofthese herbs are very gentle, and even a healthy person can benefit fromusing them to promote proper digestion and enhance liver detoxification.The most potent liver protective herb is milk thistle (Silybummarianum), high in a mixture of antioxidants collectively referred to assilymarin. Hundreds of studies have been published on milk thistle demonstratingthat this herb is effective in preventing liver damage and repairingdamage from alcohol, drugs, chronic hepatitis and exposure to toxicchemicals. One of the most acclaimed successes of milk thistle's effectiveness wasin 1970, when a researcher used it to treat 60 people from severe liverpoisoning and deaths with wild Amanita mushrooms. As a result of itseffectiveness, milk thistle extract in injection form is administeredimmediately in cases of mushroom poisoning. Another liver herb is dandelion (Taraxecum officinale). It has a directeffect on the liver by enhancing the flow of bile, thus improvingconditions in a variety of liver disorders, including jaundice,cirrhosis, hepatitis, liver congestion, gallstones and chronicconstipation. Dandelion leaves are high in vitamins, especially vitamin A, minerals,protein, pectin and lipotropic factors. They are added raw to salad orcooked like spinach. The writer of this article is a pharmacist who is actively involved inthe dissemination of information on natural healthcare and holistictherapies. Source: www.emedia.com.my. Copyright C 2004 NST Online. All rightsreserved. http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/2080/

[Guest guest]

-- Eating Your Way to a Healthy Liver

Someone sent this to me... Actually it's very interesting..kinda hard to eat healthy when your around burger joints though... Kathy b..

Eating Your Way to a Healthy Liver ProHealth.com04-12-2004 By Yam Cher Seng Our liver is a busy chemical plant that churns out 13,000 differentenzymes, filters our blood of toxic substances and detoxifies them. Itmanages a wide array of physiological activities so quietly that we takeit very much for granted. It weighs 1.4kg in an average adult and is the second largest organ ofthe body. It receives blood from two sources, making it a major blood reservoirand a filtering system. The liver filters over a litre of blood per minute to remove bacteria,toxic substances, alcohol, drugs and other particles from the bloodcirculation. Ninety-five per cent of alcohol ingested is processed by the liver andrepeated consumption of alcohol can inhibit the production of digestiveenzymes, resulting in impaired digestion and absorption. Apart from being a clearance house, the liver is part and parcel of thedigestive system and is involved in the chemical breakdown ofcarbohydrates, fat and proteins from our diet for energy. The gallbladder, which is connected to the liver by the common hepaticduct, stores bile that is manufactured by the liver. Bile is a liquid mixture of bile salts, pigments, cholesterol,phospholipids and fatty acids. It is secreted into the small intestineto aid in absorption of fats, oils and fat-soluble vitamins. Any impairment of the liver's function will lead to poor blood sugar andcholesterol management that may lead to diabetes, obesity andcardiovascular disease. The busy liver is also a vital component of the immune system. Itsupplies our body with antibodies and blood-clotting factors. With the zillion activities going on in the liver, any slight or minorupset of the liver function can easily be overlooked. Poor skin condition, constipation, headaches, fatigue, general malaise,premenstrual syndrome, aches and pains, irritability, hormonalimbalances, allergies and chemical sensitivities have been linked to anoverburdened and sluggish liver. Amazing as it may be, the liver has the ability to restore itself,whereby nutrition and herbs play an important role in keeping it healthyand efficient. Antioxidant nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and E, zinc andselenium protect the liver cells from free radical damage. Such nutrients are richly available in fruits, leafy greens, carrots,cucumbers, onions, legumes and root vegetables. Alternative practitioners advocate eating as much raw food as possible,and that includes raw juicing. Raw fruit and vegetable juices are good sources of plant enzymes thathelp digestion and provide antioxidant nutrients. Observing a one-day juicing detoxification plan once a month workswonder to ease the liver's load. The aim of a juice detox plan is to help speed up metabolism as well ascleanse and strengthen organs, tissues and blood. It also flushes outtoxins and give the digestive and eliminative organs a well-earned restalong with good nutrition. Sulphur is an excellent detoxifier found abundantly in dried legumes,eggs, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, onions, leeks,shallots, garlic, fish and lean meat. The B vitamins are co-factors of the liver's detoxification pathways.These vitamins are usually destroyed when food is processed or refined. Food containing B-vitamins are poultry, fish, brown rice, legumes, eggyolks, dried fruits and nuts. Vitamin B12 is required to enhance the flow of bile and this particularvitamin is mainly available from animal products. It is observed thatmany strict vegans are deficient in vitamin B12 which can result in poorliver function. Lecithin has a direct lipotropic effect on the liver. Lipotropic meanshastening the removal or decrease the deposit of fat in the liver cellsby interfering with the metabolism of fat. Sources of lecithin include egg yolks, soybeans, brewers yeast, legumes,fish and wheatgerm. Lecithin granules are easily available frompharmacies. They can be sprinkled on food and soups, or added to juices.Herbs can play an important role in keeping the liver healthy. Many ofthese herbs are very gentle, and even a healthy person can benefit fromusing them to promote proper digestion and enhance liver detoxification.The most potent liver protective herb is milk thistle (Silybummarianum), high in a mixture of antioxidants collectively referred to assilymarin. Hundreds of studies have been published on milk thistle demonstratingthat this herb is effective in preventing liver damage and repairingdamage from alcohol, drugs, chronic hepatitis and exposure to toxicchemicals. One of the most acclaimed successes of milk thistle's effectiveness wasin 1970, when a researcher used it to treat 60 people from severe liverpoisoning and deaths with wild Amanita mushrooms. As a result of itseffectiveness, milk thistle extract in injection form is administeredimmediately in cases of mushroom poisoning. Another liver herb is dandelion (Taraxecum officinale). It has a directeffect on the liver by enhancing the flow of bile, thus improvingconditions in a variety of liver disorders, including jaundice,cirrhosis, hepatitis, liver congestion, gallstones and chronicconstipation. Dandelion leaves are high in vitamins, especially vitamin A, minerals,protein, pectin and lipotropic factors. They are added raw to salad orcooked like spinach. The writer of this article is a pharmacist who is actively involved inthe dissemination of information on natural healthcare and holistictherapies. Source: www.emedia.com.my. Copyright C 2004 NST Online. All rightsreserved. http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/2080/