The liver is my hero. Don’t get me wrong. The heart is great and all, but it’s really just a big muscle. The liver though….that’s where the cool stuff happens. Most of us grew up thinking of our livers as a “filter” and believing that this filter would be healthy and effective unless we drank to excess for many years. These beliefs are far from the truth. The liver is so crucial to our health, that I thought you would want the lowdown. It might surprise you to know that:
1) Your liver is much more than just a filter – it performs over 500 functions in your body; and
2) Today Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) affects 1 in 3 adults in America and 1 in 10 children.
This amazing organ is responsible for the metabolism of our carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. It produces bile, cholesterol and some immune factors. It regulates amino acids in the blood, blood clotting and the processing of aged blood cells. As if that wasn’t enough, it also stores glycogen, vitamins and minerals, helps to synthesize Vitamin D. The liver also performs the bulk of the detoxification in our body. (The detoxification process in the liver is fascinating and worth learning about, but too much to include here)!
A healthy liver has approximately 5% fat, by weight. When excess fat accumulates in the liver of people who don’t drink alcohol, it is known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Often NAFLD will have little or no symptoms in early stages. When NAFLD is accompanied by inflammation it is known as Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis or NASH. Both of these conditions can progress to cirrhosis (scar tissue build up), and both increase the risk of liver cancer.
Unhalted progression of NAFL or NASH will lead to fluid build-up in the abdomen, esophageal varices and liver failure. The main risk factors for these diseases are:
Obesity (especially with high belly fat)
Metabolic Syndrome
Sleep apnea
Type 2 Diabetes
Various OTC medication
Metabolic Syndrome is defined as the combination of abdominal obesity (>35” in women and >40” in men) and at least two of the following: high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
There is no pill or procedure to eliminate NAFLD/NASH. PREVENTION is key, but diet and lifestyle modifications can halt, and even reverse fat accumulation in the liver before it progresses to cirrhosis. Prevention includes:
Maintaining a healthy weight
Exercising regularly
Limiting alcohol consumption
Limiting OTC drugs
One last CRUCIAL point. I want to convey the message that it is not only alcohol that can cause damage to the liver, but I also want to be clear about this: Consumption of large amounts of alcohol on a regular basis will cause liver damage (cirrhosis) even in an otherwise healthy lifestyle. And adding alcohol to the above risk factors greatly increases the occurrence of NAFL or NASH. Keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum is best.
If you would like help in reducing the risk factors for liver disease, contact Logos Functional Nutrition for a personal assessment and plan of action.