{"id":2431,"date":"2022-01-02T11:06:38","date_gmt":"2022-01-02T11:06:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/annabrownewellbeing.com\/?p=2431"},"modified":"2022-01-02T11:06:39","modified_gmt":"2022-01-02T11:06:39","slug":"love-your-liver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/annabrownewellbeing.com\/2022\/01\/02\/love-your-liver\/","title":{"rendered":"Love Your Liver"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You really ought to love your liver because it really is the most extraordinary organ!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The liver has many functions. These include regulating hormones, converting glucose for storage, breaking down old red blood cells and the manufacture of some vitamins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most important functions of the liver is as an organ of detoxification. It filters 1.4 litres of blood every minute, processing and neutralising toxins to be safely excreted from the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three phases of the detoxification process<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
  1. Phase 1: enzymes are attached to water-soluble toxins so they can be excreted by the kidneys, and to fat-soluble toxins to be dealt with by phase 2. Think of it as breaking down the rubbish.<\/strong><\/li>
  2. Phase 2: chemicals are attached to toxins to neutralise and stabilise them making them more water-soluble for excretion via urine, bile or stool. Like bagging the rubbish up.<\/strong><\/li>
  3. Phase 3 is excretion via urine or faeces. Putting the rubbish out.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    It is important that each phase is working well. For instance if phase 1 is working well, but phase 2 is not, then \u2018rubbish\u2019 that has been made ready to process will collect in a pile. This leads to toxins being re-absorbed back into the system where they can be stored in fat cells, ultimately affecting glands and organs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What exactly do we mean by toxins?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Toxins can come from eating poor-quality, over-processed, non-organic or excessively fatty rich foods. Stimulants such as alcohol, coffee, black tea and nicotine can add to the toxic load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But toxins can also come from the environment, prescription or over the counter drugs, hormones or microbes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Even overworking or emotional stress can increase the toxic load for the liver, as it tries to deactivate high levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Interestingly, according to the ancient wisdom of Chinese Medicine, 1-3am is liver time. If you regularly wake around this time, it could indicate that your liver is over-whelmed by the detoxification process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How your diet and lifestyle can support your liver<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If you really want to love your liver, take fewer toxins you into the body. The less \u2019rubbish\u2019 the liver has to deal with, the more time it has to get on with all its other jobs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n