Liver Fat

Humans can not live without a liver and at least one functioning kidney so it is vital that they be kept healthy. These organs control the removal of toxins and waste in the body, regulate hormones, cholesterol, digestion, metabolism and blood sugar levels as well as helping the body absorb nutrients. This article provides information about each organ and provides recommendations on how to keep them healthy.

THE KIDNEYS:

The kidneys are small fist sized, bean shaped organs. They are located just below the rib cage on each side of the spine. People consume food and drink to provide the body with nutrients, but this also creates waste inside the body. The kidneys filter the body’s blood to remove waste via urine. Some 200 liters of blood enter the kidneys via the renal artery every day.

Cleaned blood is returned to the body via the renal vein and waste and fluids as transferred to the bladder for removal from the body. In addition to this the kidneys secrete hormones necessary for healthy living. The kidneys produce erythropoietin which encourage the production of red blood cells, rennin which helps control blood pressure and active vitamin D which assists in the uptake of calcium.

TO KEEP YOUR KIDNEYS HEALTHY:

-Keep your cholesterol level below 5.5

-Maintain a healthy body mass index. Obesity poses a significant risk when it comes to kidney disease.

-Do 30 minutes of exercise daily, a moderate intensity walk is adequate for general well being.

-Do not smoke. Smokers have a much greater risk of kidney disease.

-Eat a healthy, well balanced diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meat. Reduce your consumption of fast food and high fat food.

-Keep your blood pressure below 130/90. High blood pressure (known as hypertension) can cause kidney disease.

-Take preventive measures against getting type 2 diabetes or if you have diabetes manage it well. Diabetes can cause kidney disease.

-Avoid taking unnecessary medications-drugs like lithium and cyclosporine in particular can lead to kidney failure.

-Drink at least two liters of fluid each day, preferably water. If you don’t drink enough water to produce adequate urine it can lead to urinary tract infections which can cause kidney stones to develop.

-Consider having your kidney function tested regularly if you feel you are at risk of kidney disease. Kidney function can be reduced to 80-90% before any physical symptoms develop.

THE LIVER:

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Have you wondered what exactly the process of gaining fat is? If “yes”, then keep reading.

There are two main reasons for getting fat:

* Consuming calories in excess

* Consuming high-glycemic carbohydrates

Calories in excess can come from fats, carbohydrates and proteins. The human body has two ways of getting fats into the blood stream. Here is how that happens and how the actual process of storing fat occurs.

The first way: Dietary fats pass through the lining of the intestines in the form of chylomicrons (long chain fatty acids) and are subsequently converted to triglycerides. This is the main form, in which they travel in the blood stream.

If the fats are in excess they are readily stored in the fat cells. The process is called lipogenesis.

The second way: Fats are also manufactured in the liver in the form of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and again are converted to triglycerides.

The liver has the ability to convert carbohydrates and proteins to fats as well, if they are eaten in excess and the body doesn’t need so much of them for recovery and tissue repair.

The chylomicrons (fats, coming from the intestines) and the lipoproteins (the fats, made in the liver) have the ability to stimulate the synthesis of Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL). LPL is an enzyme, manufactured in the fat cells, for the conversion of the triglycerides to free fatty acids and glycerol.

Fats can enter the adipocites (fat cells) only in the form of free fatty acids.

Once inside the fat cell the free fatty acids need glycerol to be converted back into triglycerides (re-esterification), in which state they are stored.

Here is where insulin comes to play. Insulin, other than lowering the blood sugar levels, acts also as a stimulus for the fat cells to produce more LPL. It also decreases the ability of the fat cells to give out the fat, stored in them.

Another property of insulin is to carry glucose over to the fat cells. This glucose is the main source of glycerol for the conversion of the free fatty acids to triglycerides.

And yet another role of insulin in the body is to facilitate the conversion of carbohydrates to fat in the liver through the activation of enzymes, needed for this process.

In other words insulin is a main contributor for the process of storing adipose tissue (fat).

Why the consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates makes us fat? Because it stimulates the release of larger quantities of insulin for a short period of time.

Conclusion: In order to prevent all of the above from happening we must:

1. Ingest total daily calories at or below maintenance level in order to avoid the conversion of carbohydrates and proteins to fat, as well as the introduction of large amounts of triglycerides from dietary fats in the blood stream.

2. Eat lower-glycemic carbohydrates and eat them in moderation in order to avoid spiking the insulin levels.

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In the last two articles I wrote, I broke down the importance of proteins and carbohydrates and which of them should be eaten and which to stay away from. So now I will give you the scoop on the third and final macronutrient: fats – which many body-builders tend to try to avoid as much as possible – and which body-builders also need in order to gain muscle naturally.

Believe it or not, fats are not evil, either. Just like with carbs, good fats are good; bad fats are bad. And too much of them too much of anything, really can put weight on your tummy, give you headaches, make you tired, and slow down your muscle growth. Here are just some of the functions of fat:

1. Fats are the building blocks for cell membranes, hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters (messages from your brain to your body that make you think, feel and move).

2. Fats slow down food absorption so you can go longer without feeling hungry.

3. They are needed to absorb and use the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K.

4. They also help to keep us warm and cushion organs.

5. The brain is 60% fat, and needs fat for connecting brain cells and making sure signals get through.

6. Fats are also the most concentrated form of energy.

7. Fat spares the B vitamin thiamine–required when using carbohydrate for energy.

8. Fat spares protein; when fat is present, the body does not have to burn protein for fuel.

9. Fats slow the rate at which foods leave the stomach. This means that the carbohydrate also present is not released all at once, keeping insulin and blood sugar levels even.

Now that we know fats are important, I’d like to stress the importance of saturated fats for gaining solid muscle naturally. We hear all the time that there are good fats, and there are bad fats, and that saturated fats are in the bad fat category. This is wrong, too. These puppies are vital to your health. Dont ignore foods with saturated fats. AGAIN, DO NOT AVOID FOOD WITH SATURATED FATS.

1. Saturated fats constitute at least 50% of all cell membranes.

2. They play a vital role in bone health; without them, calcium cannot be effectively incorporated into the skeletal system.

3. They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins.

4. They enhance the immune system.

5. Without them, we cannot properly utilize essential fatty acids, such as the famous omega-3 that we hear about all the time.

6. Saturated fat is the perfect food for the heart, as the fat around the heart is highly saturated.

7. The short and medium-chain saturated fatty acids found in butter, coconut and palm oil have important anti-microbial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.

Then there are the cholesterol-containing foods that that tend to get a bad rap. But they, too, are necessary for muscle growth. Yeah, eat those egg yolks; do not avoid them. Cholesterol is a hard waxy substance critical to many body functions. It is made by the liver, and is involved in the production of hormones — including estrogen, testosterone, and cortisone — which help regulate metabolism.

Cholesterol is also essential for brain function and mood stability. Your muscle-building diet should include cholesterol from organic butter, avocados, high omega-3/DHA eggs (again, with the yolks), grass-fed red meat, the dark meat of free-range chicken, wild fish, nuts and seeds.

It is the hydrogenated, partially-hydrogentated, and trans-fatty acid fats that should be avoided at ALL costs, because they are the artificially processed fats and oils. The processing they undergo makes them more stable so they can sit on the shelf for weeks or even years at a time, but this artificial processing also makes them a foreign and indigestible substance in our bodies. Just like they sit on a shelf for a long time, they sit in your body for a long time as well. You might as well eat gasoline. Refined carbs and grains, cookies, cakes, pastries, crackers, chips, chocolate, deep fried foods, margarine, and vegetable shortening all contain hydrogenated or trans fats and should be avoided for as long as you care about your body.

I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion on fats and their role in building a bigger, stronger, more natural body. The Bible says, “the truth will set you free,” and now that you know more truths about fats, I hope you feel free to enjoy more of the foods that God intended for us to eat – and to use to gain weight naturally.

Copyright 2008, Masszymes Inc. All rights reserved.

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Well we are all looking for that magical food that will help us in loosing our weight fast and efficiently. However, to disappoint us, there are no few selected magical foods that will cause weight loss when eaten. But by making some simple change to your eating life style, you can loose weight and keep it that way.

Our pancreas produces 2 hormones namely, glucagen and insulin. These two hormones determine how our body uses carbohydrates as the proportions of these two hormones in your body are critical for the usage of sugar in our body.

Glucagon instructs the liver to release sugars into the blood stream and increase the blood sugar level to a level that is needed for the brain and the rest of the body. Glucagon also signals the cells to release protein and fats for energy production. Insulin on the other hand, is responsible for supplying nutrients to cells. Insulin takes care of keeping the blood sugar levels in check by regulating the transfer of fats protein and sugars from and to the blood stream. If the sugar levels are more insulin instructs the liver to stop releasing sugar and start releasing fat.

When you take in proteins, glucagon is released. When you take in carbs insulin is released. None of them are released when you eat neither proteins nor carbs. if you just take in carbohydrates , the insulin to glucagon ratio shoots up. If only protein is eaten, the insulin to glucagon ratio falls. Hence it is extremely important for you to have a balanced diet with protein, fats, nonstarchy vegetables and carbohydrates which will give you balanced insulin to glucagons ratio which in turn will help you burn fat effectively.

Having a balanced diet will not lead to fat production; in fact, it could might as well lead to fat loss. Theres more to it, balanced diet will prevent you from loosing muscle again it might just help you build more muscle.

Here are 15 fat burning food ideas.

1. Coconut oil the fat from coconut oil isnt usually stored as fat in out bodies.

2. Salmon have a balanced diet with protein, carbohydrates and fats for balanced insulin and glucagon levels.

3. Whole grain breads whole grains have a slow sugar release when compared to processed grains. This means slow insulin response.

4. Asparagus This is known for its non-starchy ness and is even helpful with cheese sauce.

5. Cabbage – use it in as many different ways as possible this is especially helpful in soup as a filler.

6. Kale its high on calcium and is also easy to grow.

7. Chicken you can use chicken to balance a meal on a salad.

8. Garlic You can use this in whichever way you want.

9. Green beans this can fill you up and control your hunger but is non starchy and has no effect on glucagons or insulin.

10. Cod liver oil This is a very important source for vitamin A and vitamin D.

11. Bitters – like Swedish Bitters these help immensely in digesting fats.

12. Bell peppers this is another great tasting non starchy vegetable which has several advantages.

13. Summer squash this is great with light cheese sauces.

14. Cheese cheese is recommended in limited amounts, preferably fresh. Aged cheese is not always preferred as the fats in aged cheese are damaged.

15. Eggs contain a blend of proteins and fats that satisfy hunger and combine well with carbs.

Not only these there are many other fat burning foods if you realize the real keys to healthy eating and weight loss. Include all the non starchy vegetables to your eating plan.

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