LIVER DISEASE
YOU DON'T SEE IT, YOU DON'T FEEL IT and you might even be unsure of its location, but all day long your liver is working for you. It's far more important to your overall health than you probably realise, unless you're already having problems with it. We think of the liver as an organ of detoxification, but this is merely one of its more important functions.
The liver also filters the blood, removing harmful bacteria and chemicals; breaks down excess hormones; and helps maintain water and body-fluid salt balances. The liver assists in the digestion and metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins, the storage and production of some vitamins and minerals, and the manufacture of a wide variety of proteins and immune substances. The liver makes glycogen out of sugar and then stores it.
Glycogen can be converted into glucose, or blood sugar, when the body needs it. Because of its production of bile, the liver contributes not only to elimination of drugs and toxins but also to the absorption of fats and the fat-soluble vitamins. But what's truly amazing about the liver is how quickly and efficiently it works. Every minute, over a litre of blood passes through it.
Much is known
about the complex chemical events that occur when the liver does its work.
The first phase involves the chemical alteration of certain substances into
non-toxic forms. The second phase makes these compounds water soluble, enabling
the body to excrete them via the kidneys.
Specific nutrients are required for each phase. When the body is subjected to higher-than-normal levels of contaminants, its entire supply of necessary nutrients could be depleted. When a deficiency of any one of the nutrients occurs, the chemical processes might slow or even stop. During phase 1, the detoxification phase, your liver needs riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, iron, molybdenum and essential fatty acids. When phase I is very active, the body needs extra vitamins A, C and E.
Phase 2 requires zinc, copper, molybdenum, thiamine, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folic acid, a host of amino acids and sulphur. You can see by this list the importance of a nutritious, varied diet that supplies a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
Many different factors and conditions affect liver function and lead to liver disease. These include viruses, metabolic disorders, hereditary conditions, cancers, exposure to toxins such as alcohol, and more. Someone not affected by these conditions might still develop subclinical liver disease, meaning that the disease isn't pronounced enough to show itself in symptoms but still negatively affects overall health. The primary cause of this subclinical condition is the profound effect pollutants have on the environment. No matter how careful you are, there's almost no escaping unhealthy chemical exposure. Your liver can easily be overwhelmed or subtly damaged.
One common subclinical liver problem is cholestasis, sometimes called sluggish or congested liver. It's caused by an impaired flow of bile. The liver produces bile, stores it in the gallbladder and then, when fat is present in the digestive tract, releases it into the duodenum - the first section of the small intestine. A sluggish bile flow causes problems in digesting fats and detoxifying certain substances. Common symptoms of cholestasis include wind, bloating, constipation, fatigue, increased allergies, chemical sensitivities and premenstrual tension.
If you have a liver disease, you'll want to take herbs to support the liver. Among the organ's wonderful attributes is its good response to preventive therapy, so certain herbs can also help people who must take drugs that are potentially toxic to the liver. Such herbs can also provide relief to those with hormonal imbalances, headaches, fatigue, long-term skin conditions, digestive complaints, allergies and chemical sensitivities.
DRUG TREATMENT
With a few exceptions, no specific Western drugs exist for most nonhepatitis
types of liver disease. Most doctors don't even recognise subclinical liver
disease or cholestasis as a problem; it's rare that prevention of such ailments
is addressed. The only common recommendation is that liver toxins such as
alcohol should be avoided when low-grade liver disease is present.
HERBAL TREATMENT
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)
This herb is the quintessential liver
protector and healer. A great deal of scientific research has verified how
well it heals. This amazing herb protects liver cells from damaging molecules
called free radicals, inhibits production of leukotrienes - inflammatory
compounds responsible for some types of liver damage - and boosts the production
of glutathione, one of the liver's hardworking chemicals, by 35 per cent.
Milk thistle alters liver cell membranes, making it more difficult for the
toxins flowing past them to break in. It stimulates the flow of bile, which
helps the digestive system do its work, and it helps increase liver cell
regeneration when damage has occurred. Finally, it does all this without
side effects other than occasional loose stools. Typical dosage: 70 to 2
10 milligrams of capsules containing milk thistle's active ingredient, silymarin,
three times per day; or 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of milk thistle tincture three
times per day.
Dandelion
(Taraxacum officinale)
Don't rid your garden of this weed; it's an excellent traditional liver remedy.
The bitter constituents in the root enhance liver function by increasing
production of bile and improving gallbladder function. Dandelion also contains
choline, a form of B vitamin that's involved in normal liver function. Dandelion
root is rich in vitamins and minerals, improves digestion and may even lower
cholesterol. Typical dosage:
1 cup of tea three times per day (simmer 1 teaspoon of dried, chopped root
in 1/4 litre of water for 10 minutes).
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
This aromatic yellow herb gives Indian curry dishes their unique flavour
and colour. In addition to its many other medicinal benefits, turmeric's
antioxidant properties protect the liver from numerous toxic chemicals. It
can nearly double bile output and increase the solubility of bile, thus preventing
and treating gallstones. Finally, turmeric has been shown to reduce cancer-causing
agents in the urine of smokers, lowering the level of these toxins in the
body. Typical dosage: For general, preventive support of the liver, cook
with turmeric about three times a week; or take 250 to 500 milligrams in
capsules two to three times per day with meals; or 1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon of
turmeric tincture or glycerite (glycerin extract) three times per day. Taking
turmeric along with the same amount of bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple,
may increase absorption. Caution: some people experience gastrointestinal
irritation when using turmeric. It may increase hot flushes in menopausal
women.
Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
This root has many medicinal benefits, inhibiting injury to the liver with
an antioxidant compound called glycyrrhetic acid. Its antiviral effects make
it especially helpful when viral hepatitis is the cause of liver damage.
Typical dosage: 1/8 to 1 teaspoon of tincture up to three times per day;
or 1 to 3 cups of tea per day (simmer 1 heaped teaspoon of dried, chopped
root in 1/4 litre of water for 15 minutes). Be sure not to purchase DGL,
or deglycyrrhizinated liquorice; this form is used to treat ulcers and doesn't
contain the necessary liverhealing compounds. Caution: do not use for
longer than six weeks unless under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
Do not use if you have heart disease or high blood pressure, if you are pregnant
or if you are taking digitalis-based heart medications.
Bupleurum (Bupleurum chinensis)
This traditional Chinese herb protects against liver damage. It also stimulates
parts of the immune system. Studies on bupleurum have focused mainly on the
treatment of viral hepatitis, where it has been proven to be beneficial.
Typical dosage: 1/8 to 1 teaspoon of tincture three times per day; or 1 cup
of tea three times per day (simmer 1 teaspoon of dried sliced root in 1/4
litre of water for 10 to 15 minutes).
Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)
The berries of this plant protect the liver from damage by a variety of substances,
probably via its antioxidant effects. It is also a mild adaptogen, meaning
that it gradually improves overall health - a big help when long-term stress
is part of your life. Typical dosage: up to six 580-milligram capsules per
day; or 1 cup of tea three times per day (simmer 1/3 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of
dried fruit in 1/4 litre of water for 10 to 15 minutes); or 1/8 to 1 teaspoon
of tincture or glycerite up to three times per day.
A LIVER-LOVING LIFESTYLE
What else can you do to maintain a healthy liver?
Here are a few sure strategies.
Eat well. Vegetables of the Brassica family - the familiar broccoli, cabbage,
cauliflower and Brussels sprouts - all help spur the liver to do its detoxification
work. Caraway and dill seeds have this effect, too, so try sprinkling them
freely on a big bowl of steamed brassicas.
Work up a healthy sweat. Physical activity increases the first phase of the liver's detoxification cycle by almost 60 per cent - but only when you exercise regularly. It takes about a month of regular workouts for the effects to show up.
Avoid toxins when you can. While you can't stop breathing, you can eat organically grown foods and avoid toxic chemicals in household cleaning products and lawn and garden supplies. Don't smoke, keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum and never use drugs you don't absolutely need. Common over-the-counter drugs such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can cause liver damage when used long-term; if you take these drugs routinely and drink, the effect is even worse. Finally, become an activist in your community to stop the spread of air, water and soil pollution. You might make a difference in not just your own liver's health, but the general health of those around you.
