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Welcome to the February issue of the LaVida Health Newsletter. LaVida Health Services - Naturopathy In this Issue Website Articles Click here to visit the News and Views articles section of the LaVida Health website, where you will find comments on items appearing in the media, information about specific health issues, and other titbits. Pass it on Know anyone who might be interested in our newsletter? Click here to forward this email to up to 5 friends at once. |
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Your liver is a vital but often unappreciated organ. We are aware of our heart when it starts pounding as we run up a hill or our lungs when we observe our breath but we spend most of our days completely oblivious to the critical role our liver plays in our health. Amongst its functions, your liver plays an important role in the digestion of all the foods we eat i.e. carbohydrates, proteins and fats. These foods need to be broken down into their simple components (glucose and amino acids for example) for the production of energy. The by-products of these chemical processes then need to be made safe for excretion. In addition, the liver is also responsible for protecting you from any external "toxins" you may take in. These could include chemicals, food additives, pollution, pharmaceutical drugs, alcohol and a diet of highly processed foods. Furthermore, the liver is involved in the processing and regulation of your hormones. Other duties of the liver include filtering the blood, production of bile and storage of certain vitamins and minerals. So, as you can see, a healthy working liver is extremely important to maintenance of your health. How do I know when my liver needs help? The signs and symptoms of a liver under pressure are numerous and it can often be difficult to distinguish them as problems of liver function as opposed to some other health condition. Consequently, it is wise to see your naturopath for a thorough health assessment before embarking on a treatment plan. A liver struggling to cope with the demands of your lifestyle and diet may produce symptoms such as constipation, flatulence, bad breath, headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, skin problems and food intolerances. It can also result in hormone imbalances which can then lead to further symptoms such as poor libido, PMS or menstrual irregularities. A liver that is struggling to perform its duties because of inadequate diet or simply because it can't cope with the amount of work required of it, will prioritise its duties. Removal of toxins from the body gets pushed down the list and those toxins will be stored in the body, until such time as the liver has the capacity to deal with them. Often these toxins are stored in fat cells and sometimes difficulty losing weight can be exacerbated by poor liver function. It makes sense to ensure your liver is working efficiently to cope with the daily demands placed on it. Also, if you are planing to lose weight it is wise to prepare your liver for the extra detoxification burden resulting from the release of toxins from fat cells, otherwise you can feel quite unwell. Simple pathology tests can help pinpoint the weaknesses Your doctor may have requested that you have a liver function test in the past. This is a blood test which looks at levels of liver enzymes to assess whether the liver is damaged or diseased. This test is useful but it often won't show up a problem until it is well advanced and damage has been done. Often a more useful test of how well the liver is working is the Functional Liver Detoxificaction Profile ("FLDP"). This simple urine test assesses the effective operation of five of the key detoxification pathways in the liver. Although not essential to determining a treatment plan, when used in conjuction with a naturopathic assessment of your health, we can provide very targeted treatment to correct imbalances more quickly. Herbs and nutrients to help your liver In order to perform its functions efficiently, the liver requires good levels of protein. Protein provides the necessary amino acids required for the numerous detoxification actions that the liver undertakes. Without adequate and varied protein, the various detoxification pathways of the liver can be compromised in their performance. Consuming lots of fruit and vegetables which are valuable sources of anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals is important for effective liver function. A diet rich in vegetables from the brassica family (e.g. brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) is supportive of liver function and adequate fibre and water will help with elimination. Drinking green tea has also shown to be protective for the liver. Many nutrients are required for good liver function. These include vitamins such as B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and vitamin C. You also need adeqate intake of folate, selenium, magnesium, molybdenum, manganese, zinc and copper. Herbs which can help include Curcuma longa, Silybum marianum (St Marys Thistle), Cynara scolymus, Bupleurum falcatum and Schizandra chinensis to name a few. Typically, your naturopath will develop a tonic for you using these or other herbs depending on your unique symptoms, diet and lifestyle. We will also review your diet to make sure you are getting sufficient nutrients or provide additional nutrients to supplement your diet if necessary. A healthy and efficient liver is fundamental to good health and your sense of vitality, especially as you grow older. In order to maintain your liver you need to supply it with adequate nutrients either through your diet or via supplementaiton and protect it from the effects of the constant bombardment of a less-than-perfect diet and lifestyle. But don't forget that a healthy liver goes hand-in-hand with a healthy gut (i.e. one that eliminates efficiently, doesn't "leak" back into your bloodstream and isn't overgrown with bad bugs). (This will be the subject of a future newsletter). To find out whether your liver may be letting you down or to learn more about whether a FLDP may help you, simply ask about this at your next appointment. Look after your liver and it will look after you! Naturally, the advice in this newsletter is of a general nature for educational purposes and should not be taken as a substitute for personalised advice from your health care professional. It is provided in good faith without any express or implied warranty. If you have, or suspect you have, a medical condition you should seek expert advice prior to taking any supplements or treatments. Self-diagnosis and treatment may be ineffective, costly and possibly even harmful in some circumstances. If you have any questions or suggestions for topics you would like covered in subsequent newsletters, please feel free to email us at info@lavidahealth.com.au or call LaVida Health on 9620 9503. Back to Top |
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