Foods That Support Good Liver Health
The liver is actually a gland. Glands secrete products that are needed elsewhere in the body. The liver produces bile, a substance that contains enzymes that break down fats for further use by the digestive system.
The liver is also a filtering organ. Have you ever heard someone talk about a person who drinks a lot? They say that they are killing their liver. Not the topic here but in all reality that is a true statement.
Toxins that enter the body all pass through the liver’s filtration system. It filters any toxic substances that are passed through the body and need to be excreted. At any one time, twenty percent of the body’s blood supply is contained in the liver. As hard as it works, the actual organ can bleed easily.
To keep the liver working at optimum levels it needs to be fed. Everyone is finding out the important role that antioxidants play in the body. They inhibit damage to organs by free radicals. One substance necessary in helping to keep the liver healthy is antioxidants.
Where do you find these antioxidants? One of the best places is through fruits and vegetables.
A healthy portion of fruits, mostly berries, is rich in antioxidants. If you are looking for vegetables to add to your daily diet, try tomatoes, leafy green vegetables, carrots, cruciferous veggies, peppers and pumpkin.
Whole wheat and nuts are also good sources of fiber. Fiber always aids in digestion by removing a measure of fat from the foods you eat as the insoluble portion passes through the digestive tract.
Any food that is high in B-vitamins promotes liver health. Think of eating more fish, eggs and dairy products. Salmon is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which are potent sources for heart health and liver functioning.
The liver can be overtaxed when there are a lot of toxic substances in our systems that need to be removed. The bile that it produces helps to cleanse the liver. Any foods that aid in removing waste from the intestines also helps reduce what the liver has to deal with. Nutrient-rich foods help the liver to do its job.
Drink lots of water to keep toxins moving out. In excess alcohol and sodas are not very helpful in this area. Alcohol will destroy liver cells, which can lead to cirrhosis or hardening of the liver.
If you are not sure if you have a healthy liver blood work can tell for you. The enzyme levels in the blood are looked at to determine if the liver is a healthy functioning organ. If these levels fluctuate, talk to your doctor about changing your diet to help keep the liver a vital and healthy organ.
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