Liver Health & Facts: Functions Of The Liver

The liver is the largest internal organ and largest gland in the human body and composes of soft tissue that is divided into lobes. The liver is also one of the most crucial organs in our body performing functions such as detoxification, digestions. nutrients storage and production of blood plasma. The liver acts as a filter which cleanses the body through the digestion process, filtering through any chemicals or toxic substances which may pass through the body including alchohol, drugs or harmful substances.

The liver plays a crucial role in the digestion and break down of carbohydrates in your body. While most people assume the digestive systems to consist of the stomach and intestines, the liver also plays a vital role in this process. The liver converts carbohydrates into glucose when then in turn produces energy for the human body in the form of glycogen - a storable form of glucose. When blood sugar levels drop, glycogen is converted back into glucose.

Imagine the effects if the liver didn't store energy - the human body would feel lathargic, we would need to constantly eat and energy levels would always feel exhausted. In essence, there would be no back up generator in our body to fuel our bodily functions.

The largest internal organ in the human body

A fatty liver can lead to Type 2 diabetes

Provides over 500 different functions

It contains up to 10% of the blood in your body

The only organ that can grow back

It creates bile which is essential for digestion

The abuse and over consumption of alcohol and drugs can have a substantially negative impact on the liver. While the liver acts as a detox to cleanse the body of toxic substances such as drugs and alcohol, the liver can only function so hard to cleanse the body of these harmful substances and chemicals. The liver acts in a way for substances to be filtered with only positive nutrients being passed through into the blood stream. One such example is the liver playing its role in converting ammonia (a toxic by-product of protein metabolism) into urea, which is then excreted in urine.

According to scientific researchers, there are multiple causes of liver disease which can in turn affect the functions of the liver. This can result in the liver not functioning to it's full capacity as it should or in some cases shut down. One of the major causes of liver disease due to alcohol abuse is oxidative stress. While the liver attempts to break down the components of alcohol, the chemical reaction can cause cell damage and lead to inflamation or scarring as the liver attempts to repair itself.

Ever thought that it's too late to change your body? What if I told you there's still a chance in the road to recovery. The liver, as with most organs in the body, can be repaired through increased exercise, a healthy diet and nutrition. Although it takes up to 6 months for the liver to repair itself completely, the consumption of healthy food and exercise can assist in the liver detox and recovery process. Eliminating harmful substances including drugs and alcohol is one of the more common prevention measures. The consumption of lemon juice & warm water prior to any meal consumption in the morning can also lead to a healthy liver. The effects of lemon juice and acids can lead to the elimination of such harmful substances in the body and assist in the liver detox process.

A well balanced diet is the easiest way to ensure a healthy liver. This includes the right balance of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, fats and proteins. Excess calorie consumption through high-fat products can also be detrimental to liver health. Consuming a well balanced diet involves but is not limited to the consumption of green vegetables free from artificial toxins, the consumption of raw food products including nuts, and the consumption of natural fruit products as opposed to processed foods and drinks. Consuming water as opposed to alcohol will have a positive impact on the liver. This allows the liver to perform its roles of detox and digestion a lot more simply with water containing only natural elements as opposed to alcohol which contains substances which are harder to break down and more toxic to the organs.

It's never too late to recover from poor liver health or recover from liver disease. Although it may seem like 6 months is a long time for the liver to repair itself, these 6 months are only a fraction of our lives. In the same way that liver disease can gradually occur through poor health, the lack of exercise and the over consumption of certain products, the liver will need to gradually take time to repair and recover from any harmful substances, contamination or disease.

The longer you wait the worse off you will be. Take the necessary steps to recover your liver or consult your local doctor for additional ways to ensure good health and prevent liver disease.