Liver problems are becoming more and more common these days and it’s no wonder if we take into consideration the quality of life. We don’t eat healthy food, we don’t drink healthy drinks, we lead sedentary lives and the environment around us is becoming more and more toxic every day. All of these factors influence our entire body, but the liver is the first to suffer the consequences because of its function in our body – eliminating the toxins.
The liver, plays an important role in many bodily functions and metabolic processes. It’s the largest solid organ in the body positioned in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen and partly covered by the ribs. Compromised liver function can affect your overall health. That’s why it’s important to read the signs of liver damage the body sends and take prompt action in case of any.
The liver can be damaged as a result of over 100 different kinds of liver disease, such as hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, cirrhosis, and fatty liver, each of which manifests differently.
Fatty Liver
The minimum amount of fat does not have negative impact on your health. However, if the fat makes up more than 5-10% of the liver’s weight, it means that you suffer from fatty liver disease. The function of the liver is to produce bile so the body can digest fats, break down hormones, cleanse the blood, and store vitamins and minerals. But, when you have fatty liver disease, the liver is unable to adequately break down the fats it has extracted from the blood, they accumulate and the liver becomes enlarged. There are many factors that contribute to the development of this disease but here are the most common ones:
- Age
- Alcohol consumption
- Diabetes
- Genetics
- High cholesterol
- High triglycerides
- Obesity
- Poor diet and/or malnutrition
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Some medications
- Thyroid disorders
Most Common Causes
You might be surprised to learn that frequent consummation of sugary drinks (sodas, fruit juices, lemonades and the likes) are putting your liver at higher risk of fatty liver disease. According to the latest study from Tufts University people who consumed at least one sugary drink daily had a higher risk of liver damage and fatty liver disease. Experts say that sugary drinks are likely one major factor in why even children are developing fatty liver disease at alarming rates.
How would you know if you have a fatty liver?
It can even take a few years for some people to notice that they suffer from fatty liver. If it comes to the development of the disease, you can get atypical symptoms, such as:
- Sickness
- Weakness
- Appetite loss
- Confusion
- Problems with concentration
Also, a pain can appear in the central and upper part of the abdomen, dark stains on the skin (most often in the upper part of the hands), as well as enlarged liver, which can be seen on ultrasound.
In alcoholics these symptoms can only get worse if they continue with the consumption of alcohol. Fatty liver can be detected, or even prevented in persons who do not consume alcohol.
Natural Remedies
Milk thistle and burdock for liver cleansing
There are over 10,000 recently published papers indicating that milk thistle reduces the inflammation and oxidative stress of fatty liver disease. According to a number of experts milk thistle is the best liver cleanser, because it contains silymarin, which stimulates damage liver cells regeneration without damaging the healthy ones. It is used in the treatment of alcoholics as well as fatty liver caused by other factors.
This is how you can prepare milk thistle tea – add ½ teaspoon of milk thistle seeds into a 2 dl cold water. Bring the water to boil, and set it aside for 30 minutes before straining the tea. Drink the tea before lunch.
Green Tea
Green tea is an excellent remedy for fatty liver. It has powerful antioxidant properties and reduces the inflammation, preventing fat from accumulating in the organ. This super healthy tea will cleanse your liver and improve its health. If you have problems with the liver drink it every day!
Dandelion Root
According to experts dandelion root stimulates liver detox and regenerates the damaged cells! It has amazing health benefits and will help you resolve the problem quickly.
Here is how to prepare dandelion root tea – Grind some dry dandelion root and take 2 tbs. of this powder in a cup of boiling water. Drink a cup of this tea three times a day.
Whey
Whey is also very beneficial when it comes to preserving your liver health. Just drink 0.5-1l of whey every day for at least a month. You’ll restore your liver to mint condition in no time.
