Liver Fat

Alcohol has been used for many things for many generations, maybe even as far back as prehistoric times. Alcohol has both positive and negative effects. For example, moderate consumption of alcohol can reduce heart attack risk because it raises the amount of high density lipoproteins (aka “good cholesterol) in the blood stream. It can also improve appetite and assist in the digestion process.

On the negative side, however, alcohol is known to cause mood swings, aggression and perhaps most familiarly, hangovers. Chronic consumption of alcohol and alcohol abuse can increase the risk of cancer, stroke, heart and liver disease.

Alcohol is unlike most foods in the sense that it is not digested. More than 90 percent of it is absorbed by the stomach lining, where it goes straight into the bloodstream. From there the liver breaks down alcohol. This process can vary in the amount of time it takes depending on whether the alcohol was consumed on its own or with food. Generally the effects of alcohol and the speed in which it is metabolized by the liver are much faster when the stomach is empty. On average, it takes 3 to 5 hours to fully break down alcohol.

The liver is particularly vulnerable to damage. Some forms of liver disease include fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) and ultimately cirrhosis or scarring of the liver. Alcohol causes an increase in the number of fatty cells in the liver. Fatty cells can build up quite quickly. These interfere with the body’s ability to utilize omega-3 fatty acids which are required by the body to manufacture good cholesterol.

Located in the upper right of the abdomen, the liver is the main processing center for essential chemical and metabolic functions. It stores vitamins, iron, minerals and glycogen. It also serves to produce cholesterol, amino acids and other compounds. Perhaps the most important function of the liver is to remove harmful waste product from the blood.

The human body is able to function with only one quarter of a healthy liver.

Livers are able to regenerate itself; however continued alcohol use may impair its ability to heal itself. This results in complications such as metabolizing glucose (blood sugar) and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

People with liver disease are typically deficient in fat-soluble vitamins such as A and D. They may also have low blood serum levels of water-soluble vitamins including folate, niacin and thiamine. Alcoholics are especially prone to these deficiencies. Ingesting alcohol puts a great deal of stress on the liver especially in conjunction with a poor diet. Poor liver health as a result of alcohol abuse can ultimately lead to death. Whole or partial liver transplants are sometimes the only recourse a person has when the liver fails.

In order to protect liver health, certain foods can be used. These include fish, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids, dark green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits and plant proteins. Ideally excess consumption of alcohol, red meats or saturated fats should be avoided.

Related Posts:

• What If You Have A Fatty Liver?
• Fatty Liver Bible Home Page
• Liver Cirrhosis Bible Home Page
• Eat healthy, live longer – Part 1
• Eat healthy, live longer – Part 7

Contrary to the another article written on this topic, I must correct them!, the liver is the largest gland in the human body, it is not an organ. The skin is the largest organ of the human body.

The liver is a complex and important gland and is responsible for processing and utilizing all the products we take in through our digestive system.

The small intestine absorbs nutrients as food is moved along the intestinal walls. There are numerous veins which carry these nutrients to what is known as the portal vein which enters the liver. The liver then does amazing things with these various products, it produces bile and stores it in the gall bladder, bile is essential for the absorbtion of fat molecules. The liver stores sugar and when the body requires it, then it is released into the bloodstream.

Alcohol is made by a process called fermentation, sugar is the main ingredient in this process and then, depending on the type of spirits or ale that is being made, other ingredients are added such as barley for an ale, or grapes for a wine and so on.

The liver must metabolize all we ingest and if we drink alcohol faster than our liver can metabolize it, this can create toxicity within the body, or alcohol poisoning.

Almost anyone who has ever experienced an “hang-over”, has experienced a form of alcohol poisoning. If you have ever experience the “dry-heaves”, when you vomit and a small amount of yellowish-greenish liquid is all that comes up, then you have caused your liver to expel its own bile.

If a person continues to drink alcohol in excess of what the liver can process you will not only feel the effects of the alcohol within your bloodstream and your central nervous system; you will also be causing your liver stress and a failure to complete it functions normally.

Prolonged alcohol consumption can also create a form of herpertension or a raised blood pressure within the portal vein from the digestive tract.

This is the beginnings of Cirrhosis of the liver. As the liver tries to compensate for the deficiency of normal liver cells, it will increase its size and cause enlargement of the liver or (hepatomegaly) in medical terms.

The abdomen around the liver will be very tender to touch and there will be a constant dull aching.

There will be biochemical defects as well and because the liver cannot keep up with the absorbtion rate, accumulations of these products will cause a yellow discolouration of the skin or (Jaundice).

Another biochemical effect will be the lack of protein being absorbed into the body, this will lead to fluid retention and swelling in the abdominal region.

Another abnormality will be the lack of blood clotting abilities, the blood will therefore be very thin, and this will cause the skin to bruise very, very easily, and cuts will bleed out profusely.

In late stage Cirrhosis there will be a sweet smell to the breath, this is most common.

There will also be very high amounts of ammonia in the bloodstream and this will cause very grave disturbances effecting the chemistry within the brain.

The effects being hallucinations, confused speech, memory laspe and eventually coma.

The liver is a very important part of the human body and although it is resilient, we must have respect for it.

The effects of alcohol are very detrimental to the liver if we over do it.

To get drunk every night or very weekend will cause the liver to work overtime, and if we continue an abusive pattern of behaviour the liver will make us pay sooner or later.

Think before you drink!

Reference: (Good Housekeeping Family Health & Medical Guide

Publishers: (Hearst Corp. 1979)

Related Posts:

• How to know if you need a liver detox diet
• Liver health and effects of alcohol
• Is Your Liver Working Like It Should?
• Liver Cleansing: Staying Healthy Starts Inside
• Fatty Liver Bible Home Page

So many people that are concerned with improving their health over look the health of their liver. The liver is called LIVE -R for a reason. The reason is the liver is involved with digestion and assimilation. It processes nutrients to give life to your body, to repair diseased and damaged tissue. It removes toxins and eliminates pathogen from getting into the blood that flow to all of your body cells.

Over 27,000 people every year die from chronic liver diseases and Cirrhosis. People with diabetes have a high number of deaths from liver deterioration. Over 60,000 people die from liver failure. It is estimated that 9,000 die from Chronic Hepatitis C and over 12,000 from liver cancer. Over 25 million people create some form of liver and gallbladder disease every year.

Liver disease is the Seventh killer of American people.

Don’t dismiss the health of your liver as you layout your plans to improve your health. Most people have some from of liver weakness and don’t even know it until it too late. Why not learn what you can do to treat your liver right so it can give you good LIFE.

Here is a list of symptoms that you will have when your liver is not working like it should.

* Frequent headache not related to stress, eyestrain, or shoulder muscle tension

* Frequent menstrual problems

* Blurry vision or red eyes

* Constant bitter taste in mouth

* Excessive anger, depression or moodiness

* Tenderness in the liver area – just under your right rib cage

* Acne, psoriasis, eczema, rashes, and other skin problems

* Weakness in your muscles and joint areas

Any one of these symptoms can be an indication that you have liver weakness. If you have two – three of them for sure you have some liver weakness.

So what can you do if you feel that you have some liver weakness?

The first area to work on is to examine the types of fats and oils you eat and make the changes that will give you better liver health.

Saturated fats, such as found in butter, meat, lard, and other oils are highly susceptible to oxygen damage through the process called oxidation. When these fats are oxidized they become rancid and form free radicals.

But Saturated fats are not the only fats that can be oxidized. Even unsaturated fats, the good oils, can be oxidized. Still it is better to eat most of our fats unsaturated since saturated fats are associated with heart conditions.

All fats can become oxidized outside the body by using them to fry your food or inside your body though the natural oxidation processes.

Liver cells are highly susceptible to free radicals. These free radicals are destructive to liver cell walls and weaken the health of the liver over time.

Also, Scientists have found that 17% of the oxygen you breathe and have available in your body becomes a free radical. These free radicals, again, attack and destroy liver cells.

To counter eating free radicals and the free radicals that are created in your body, you need to take anti-oxidant supplements and eat fruits and vegetables. The yellow and red colored fruits and vegetables are the highest in anti-oxidants. Of course it is best to also limit eating fried food and not use oils that have been sitting around to long.

Related Posts:

• Confusion Between Fat And Cholesterol
• Liver health and effects of alcohol
• Liver health and effects of alcohol – Part 1
• You Need Fats In Your Diet
• How to know if you need a liver detox diet

The liver is the organ responsible for filtering toxins from the bloodstream. To have a healthy liver, it is advisable to go on a liver cleansing detox diet. Studies show that a liver cleansing detox diet can improve health, immune system and also aids in establishing a healthy and normal body weight.

For people who are suffering from a disease that makes them lose some pounds inadvertently, enhanced function of the liver through liver cleansing detox diet can restore the normal appetite and healthy body weight. For people who want to lose some pounds intentionally, the same detox diet also helps.

Liver cleansing detox diet also helps treat skin disorders like acne. This is because everything that we eat goes directly to the liver through our bloodstream. A lot of toxic substances will pile up in our liver since its function is to remove pollutants from our blood and if the liver is unhealthy, it will become congested. Congested liver is a major cause of many health problems.

Before you begin with the liver cleansing detox diet, it is important that you write down any symptoms that you are currently experiencing, if there is any. Afterwards, check your records every month and write down the changes in your body that you have noticed. Keeping track of your liver cleansing detox diet is a good way to watch your healthy developments.

Basically, the liver cleansing detox diet obliges you to eat whole healthy foods. This includes fruits and vegetables high in fiber. Intake of raw and fresh fruits and vegetables can give your body enzymes that help create healthy and strong cells and drinking fresh vegetable and fruit juices also provides enzymes and vitamins without straining the liver in the absorption process.

In eating vegetable salads, make sure that choose dark leafy greens with a salad dressing that is low in fat and sugar. For a low-fat protein source, you can eat fish at least twice a week. You should also avoid foods high in cholesterol, sugar, caffeine and preservatives. Drinking plenty of water also aids in flushing away toxins from the body. It is crucial that you drink at least eight glasses of water a day to keep you completely hydrated.

Liver cleansing detox diet is a good way to lose excess body weight. However, this type of diet may have unpleasant results that can last for several days up to a few weeks. Symptoms of detoxification include dizziness, headache, nausea, irritability, diarrhea and loss of appetite. However, you should never let these symptoms stop you from revitalizing your liver. The benefits of having a healthy liver can overshadow the discomforts of dieting and detoxification. Before trying out a new dietary program, it is best that you consult a certified dietitian to avoid risks.

Related Posts:

• How to keep a healthy kidney and liver – Part 2
• The Liver and Natural Weight Loss
• Liver health and effects of alcohol
• Eat healthy, live longer – Part 2
• Healthy Living Means Healthy Eating But It Is Not That Obvious