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:

Copyright (c) 2007 Personal Fitness Development

As we have discussed in the 3rd installment of Stubborn Fat we will continue with more information in the series. To improve your results in losing stubborn fat and to reduce estrogenic effects on your body, there are a few steps you must take to ensure your success. Your success depends on understanding how to detox your liver, eat foods that aid in reducing estrogen, and exercise.

On this stubborn fat reduction plan, you are going to consume as many anti-estrogenic foods as possible and eliminate as many estrogenic foods as you can. In addition to stimulating greater fat loss, this type of eating will also help to detoxify your liver. Without cleaning out the liver and reducing the chemical build up, your liver becomes overburdened and your fat loss can hit the wall.

There are a few stages in stubborn fat removal, so here we go…

First and foremost you must eat unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, and occasional wild salmon. This starts the detoxification of the liver as you eliminate all processed foods, grains, farm-fed livestock, and chemically altered foods. Try to eat as much organic food as possible.

The base of your anti-stubborn fat plan is to consume an enormous amount of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussel sprouts, as these vegetables are very anti- estrogenic. Include citrus fruits such as grapefruit, oranges, and pineapple, because they have enzymes in cofactors that aid your body against the radical damage and help your liver detox.

Supplement your diet with omega-3 fatty acids from wild caught salmon and flaxseed. You can also take an omega-3 fatty acid supplement such as Carlson’s oil, available at mercola.com.

Eating raw nuts and seeds, avocados, and olive oil also improves your body’s function. In addition, eating green leafy vegetables, whole oats and barley, legumes (no soy), and spices such as turmeric (cancer fighter), milk thistle (liver detoxer), dandelion root (natural diuretic), and ginger increases loss of stubborn fat by decreasing estrogen in your body. There are many estrogen inhibitors that can help you decrease body fat quickly. According to Ori Hofmekler, consuming these foods will greatly improve your ability to remove stubborn fat and decrease estrogenic effects. Hofmekler says there are additional estrogenic inhibitors such as chrysin (passion flower), apigene (chamomile),qQuercetin (onions, garlic); all of these cofactors can work together to detoxify your liver and get the stubborn fat off.

To simplify, systemize, and organize this information, Hofmekler developed an anti-estrogen, anti-stubborn fat program with three stages:

Stage 1 Defense-Eat Anti-Estrogenic Foods Estrogen inhibitors Cruciferous vegetables Passion flower Citrus fruits Chamomile flower Omega-3 oils Wild catch salmon Organic dairy

Stage 2 Defense-Additional Foods That Promote Anti-estrogenic Hormones Raw nuts and seeds Avocados Olives and olive oil Rice germ oil Wheat germ oil

Stage 3 Defense-Foods That Serve as Cofactors and Promote Liver Detoxification Green vegetables Spices (turmeric, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage) Fruits (citrus, berries, apples, pineapple) Whole oats and barley Legumes (no soy) Herbs (dandelion root, ginger, alma berries, milk thistle)

A Three-week Plan Outlined below is a simple plan that will produce good initial results in just three weeks. After this initial three-week phase, you can then to rotate the stages to get continued and even better results. You can also alternate the stages by the day. After the first three weeks. For more information on how to set up a plan on a day-to-day basis, email me at david@flattenyourabs.net

Stage 1. One week Detoxify your liver

Stage 2. One week High fat for fuel change over

Stage 3. One week Food reintroduction

Look for the 5th part coming soon!

Stubborn fat is a slow-metabolized adipose (fat) tissue. To burn fat, a natural hormonal process has to take place. When a fat-burning process is activated, the adrenal hormones (adrenaline and noradrenaline) bind to special receptors in the fat tissues.

To improve your results in losing stubborn fat and to reduce estrogenic effects on your body, there are a few steps you must take to ensure your success. Your success depends on understanding how to detox your liver, eat foods that aid in reducing estrogen, and exercise.

On this stubborn fat reduction plan, you are going to consume as many anti-estrogenic foods as possible and eliminate as many estrogenic foods as you can. In addition to stimulating greater fat loss, this type of eating will also help to detoxify your liver. Without cleaning out the liver and reducing the chemical build up, your liver becomes overburdened and your fat loss can hit the wall.

There are a few stages in stubborn fat removal, so here we go…

First and foremost you must eat unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, and occasional wild salmon. This starts the detoxification of the liver as you eliminate all processed foods, grains, farm-fed livestock, and chemically altered foods. Try to eat as much organic food as possible.

The base of your anti-stubborn fat plan is to consume an enormous amount of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussel sprouts, as these vegetables are very anti- estrogenic. Include citrus fruits such as grapefruit, oranges, and pineapple, because they have enzymes in cofactors that aid your body against the radical damage and help your liver detox.

Supplement your diet with omega-3 fatty acids from wild caught salmon and flaxseed. You can also take an omega-3 fatty acid supplement such as Carlson’s oil, available at mercola.com.

Eating raw nuts and seeds, avocados, and olive oil also improves your body’s function. In addition, eating green leafy vegetables, whole oats and barley, legumes (no soy), and spices such as turmeric (cancer fighter), milk thistle (liver detoxer), dandelion root (natural diuretic), and ginger increases loss of stubborn fat by decreasing estrogen in your body. There are many estrogen inhibitors that can help you decrease body fat quickly. According to Ori Hofmekler, consuming these foods will greatly improve your ability to remove stubborn fat and decrease estrogenic effects. Hofmekler says there are additional estrogenic inhibitors such as chrysin (passion flower), apigene (chamomile),qQuercetin (onions, garlic); all of these cofactors can work together to detoxify your liver and get the stubborn fat off.

To simplify, systemize, and organize this information, Hofmekler developed an anti-estrogen, anti-stubborn fat program with three stages:

Stage 1 Defense-Eat Anti-Estrogenic Foods Estrogen inhibitors Cruciferous vegetables Passion flower Citrus fruits Chamomile flower Omega-3 oils Wild catch salmon Organic dairy

Stage 2 Defense-Additional Foods That Promote Anti-estrogenic Hormones Raw nuts and seeds Avocados Olives and olive oil Rice germ oil Wheat germ oil

Stage 3 Defense-Foods That Serve as Cofactors and Promote Liver Detoxification Green vegetables Spices (turmeric, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage) Fruits (citrus, berries, apples, pineapple) Whole oats and barley Legumes (no soy) Herbs (dandelion root, ginger, alma berries, milk thistle)

There are several things you can do to avoid stubborn fat:

*Stay away from crash diets or diets that cause you to lose fat and gain it back again.

*Try to minimize the purchase, consumption, and storage of food, water, and other beverages or liquids that are wrapped or bottled in plastic (particularly soft plastic bottles and containers). If the food or liquid smells like plastic, stay away from it.

* Eat fewer calories than required by your body per day

* Increase the number of calories burned through exercise or other physical activity while maintaining your current caloric intake (specific to your daily needs)