Our livers need more attention and TLC than what they are being given. With so many chemicals in our foods, air, water, and personal products, it’s up to us to reduce our exposure to things that can overload our system. Supporting our liver health should be an everyday routine, not a seasonal endeavor, or worse, a one-time detox.
In part 1 of this 3-part series, I talk briefly about ways to minimize the burden on our livers, so it can stay healthy, and perform it’s hundreds of functions more easily.
The liver – an unsung hero
Our livers have a huge responsibility. It performs over 500 functions, with some estimates that it is around 700, in the areas of detoxification, glucose and cholesterol metabolism, blood filtration, producing bile, clearing excess hormones, immunity, protein synthesis, and nutrient storage. It filters all of our blood before it is sent to the heart to be pumped to the rest of the body.
I think of the liver as a selfless best friend that buffers us from the ups and downs of life. When we are going through a stressful time or overindulge in alcohol for example, the liver is the one that breaks down the stress hormones and alcohol so that it can be safely removed from the body. As the only visceral organ in the body that can regenerate, it can take blow after blow, and still function at a high level.
However, our liver’s sacrificial nature is part of it’s vulnerability as well. It can’t keep taking the fall without it one day getting overburdened, and damaged. So how can we support our live health long-term, so that it can continue to care for us as well? It all starts with reducing toxin exposure.
Loving our livers: reducing toxin exposure
Minimizing our exposure to, and our ingestion of, both endogenous and exogenous toxins lessens the burden on our livers, and protects it in the long-run.
The following actions can lower the toxin load that can take a toll on our livers:
- Filter indoor air using air purifiers, and air-cleaning indoor plants
- Use water filtration systems like reverse osmosis to remove pathogens, heavy metals etc. from drinking water
- Avoid forever chemicals in non-stick cookware, water and stain resistant clothing and furniture, waterproof skincare products, certain cleaning products etc.
- Quit smoking, and limit or abstain from ingesting alcohol
- Limit plastic use, especially for storing food and water
- Use skincare brands that are vetted through the EWG cosmetics database
- Eat organic, and use organic products whenever you can
- Lower the amount and frequency of fast food and ultra-processed foods consumed
- Avoid artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and sweeteners in foods
- Consume high mercury fish sparingly
- Use consumerlab.com to find foods/supplements that are low in heavy metals
- Be vigilant around certain prescription and over-the-counter meds like acetaminophen (never stop any medications without speaking to your prescribing healthcare provider first)
- Manage, and work to decrease stress levels
- Prioritize optimal digestion, and address any infections/dysbiosis in the gut, as any inflammatory or negative microbial substances present there travel to the liver for cleansing and processing, through the hepatic portal vein
Look for my blog post on supporting liver health part 2, which will be all about foods and supplements for better liver function, and part 3 which is about lifestyle interventions.
