Your life depends on your liver!

Is life worth living?  It all depends on your liver, said William James, an American philosopher.  Indeed, what can be more important to life than keeping the liver happy.  Just consider these facts:

• Liver is the largest gland in the body
• It is also at 1500 grams (or 1.5 kilos) the heaviest organ in the body
• It is the major, major storage tank of most nutrients that we need for survival
• Liver saves our lives whether in starvation or when overeating
• It is the ONLY organ that is capable of removing toxins and metabolizing alcohol

Not surprisingly, we owe our lives to the liver and the digestive functions it performs.   Let’s look at some of the other amazing things the liver does for us, day in and day out:

1. Secretes bile – an important substance that can digest fats. Without bile, we would end up with huge digestive issues with whatever we eat!
2. Sugar storage and supply: The liver is the only organ that can store glucose in the form of glycogen and release it when we are low on energy or starving.
3. Liver makes it possible for us to digest proteins and also forms the end product of protein digestion – urea – which is then eliminated by the kidneys. In one sense, this is a detox role performed by the liver
4. Storage tank of vitamins: The liver is a warehouse of vitamin A, D, E, K and B12. All these vitamins are needed for the important functioning of other parts of the body such as healthy eyes, bones, normal heart rhythms, and brain and nerve health and so on
5. Liver produces Albumin which is a type of protein present in the blood serum.

And what can hamper the work of the liver and slow it down ? Many things:

• Being obese or overweight
• Smoking
• Alcohol abuse
• Junk food loaded with “trans fats”
• Too much sugar, refined foods
• Toxic drugs or overdose of certain drugs
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Not enough nutrition or malnutrition
• Certain infections such as hepatitis A, B, C

A condition called “non alcoholic fatty liver disease” (NAFLD) that mimics the chronic liver damage in alcoholics is increasingly seen in today’s clinical settings.   What is alarming is that NAFLD is seen in people with absolutely no alcohol use!!!

NAFLD is just a condition that can develop slowly and the known risk factors are obesity, sedentary lifestyle, consumption of too much sugar or refined sugars (as in soft drinks, sweets, sugary beverages, refined rice, maida) and foods heavy in oil.  Over a period of time, the liver shows signs of damage, with scars and swelling developing on the tissues.

Of course, there are other liver problems, such as viral infections (hepatitis A, B, or C) which also result in liver damage unless appropriate treatment is given.   Liver cirrhosis is a chronic condition which develops after years of mild liver damage, and can be life threatening.
By now it must be very clear that liver can be damaged in many ways other than by alcohol indulgence alone!
What can we do to keep our liver healthy and safe?

• Get on to a pattern of eating plenty of healthy foods that form part of a detox diet. Include nature’s healthy foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and low calorie beverages such as fresh coconut water, buttermilk, lemon water, thin porridges in the place of sugary drinks
• Replace refined foods with whole grains and pulses. Choose brown , unpolished rice over white, make your own multigrain flours with whole wheat, sprouted grains, pulses and oats
• Cut down on high fat dairy. Substitute with skimmed versions of milk, curd and paneer
• Stay away from alcohol if you have been diagnosed with NAFLD
• Get plenty of exercise – start a regular fitness program to shed the extra pounds to keep the liver fit along with healthy food
• Say no to unsafe, unresearched toxic supplements and overdose of drugs
• Sunshine exposure of at least 20 minutes a day provides vitamin D which helps lose fat and reduce risk of NAFLD.

Your liver is what your life depends on!  Calorie Care is a one stop shop that can help you choose all the healthy foods you need to keep your liver safe.  Choose a detox diet with plenty of professionally planned and crafted fresh vegetable salads and whole grain based foods – all at just one click at www.caloriecare.com.