One of the most fascinating organs of the body, the liver  performs an enormous number of tasks to ensure our body is kept in tip top shape.

Did you know that the liver is the only internal organ which has the ability to re-grow if part of it is removed?.. It’s truly an amazing part of our body and needs TLC to keep it healthy and functioning at its best.

But why is your liver so important?

The liver has various functions within the body the main one being DETOXIFICATION. That’s right! The liver helps to purify the blood by removing toxins such as alcohol and drugs from the body. But did you know it also helps regulate hormone levels? Can you imagine what happens when it can perform this duty well? Hormones regulate everything from sleep to mood, metabolism, reproduction and immunity (to mention a few!)

The liver also works to DIGEST all your food. Fats are digested by bile in the stomach, which is a product secreted by your happy hepatic (liver) cells and transported to the gall bladder. Carbohydrates and proteins are broken down so that these nutrients can eventually be converted to ATP (energy) for use within the body.

Also wondering why when your liver has been under the pump you are more likely to come down with some mysterious flu? Well the liver is also responsible for your IMMUNITY. It plays an important role in capturing and digesting nasties such as bacterial, parasites, worn out blood cells and fungi.

FAST FACTS TO HELP YOUR LIVER

• Reduce your alcohol intake.
• Reduce highly processed foods.
• Increase your intake of linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fat.
•  Be smart with your selection of fruits.

When your liver has been put under significant stress and this tends to happen when we over indulge in heavy foods and excess intake of alcohol, there are options such as herbal medicines which have been traditionally used to support the liver at times of damage or when the liver needs assistance to detox the body.

Herbal medicines have been used for thousands of years ; although written records about medicinal plants dated back at least 5,000 years to the Sumerians, who described well-established medicinal uses for such plants as laurel, caraway, and thyme , archaeological studies have shown that the practice of herbal medicine dates as far back as 60,000 years ago.

When considering how to support your liver or when symptoms of a liver problems arise, always speak to your healthcare provider and always read the label of any medicine that you are taking or preparing to take