There are many different tasks that your liver has to perform at any given moment. Perhaps the most well-known of the large organ’s chores is the detoxifying one — it neutralizes poisonous substances in your blood before they have the chance to ruin your health big time.
Let us focus on the eliminative facet of your liver and allow its other functions to take the backseat. This will allow you not only to know the reasons behind and the signs of a sluggishly working liver, but also come across some things that you may do to keep the said organ in a great working condition.
Your liver eliminates anything that could poison your body by means of a two-step detoxification process. First, it produces and secretes certain enzymes that make those toxins less harmful. Second, toxins that are already beaten are fused with molecules that make it very easy for them to be removed from your body.
Considering the amount of toxins that get into your body by means of the diet and exposure to environmental pollutants (not to mention the hundreds of duties it has to carry out all the time), the liver is prone to being damaged. This leaves the poor organ to work sluggishly, which is something that comes with terrible repercussions!
Liver that works sluggishly can cause the accumulation of poisonous substances in your body. In other words, you are gathering more toxins than the liver can neutralize and flush out by means of the kidneys and colon. The more tasks your liver does, the sluggish it becomes because it’s not invincible. Definitely, burdening your liver with tons of workload is something that’s not only bad for the said organ, but also your health.
Below are some of the signs that your liver is working sluggishly. You will notice that both your body and mind are affected when this eliminative organ of yours is not working optimally.
• Fatigue – You feel worn out even with minimal physical effort.
• Headaches – There are instances too when there’s pain at the back of your eyes.
• Joint and muscle pain – Your muscles and joints tend to be painful often.
• Excessive sweating – This is a sign that your body is trying to flush out toxins your liver cannot process.
• Skin problems – Acne, eczema and the likes show up due to the accumulation of poisonous substances.
• Frequent allergies – Coming into contact with toxins when you already have plenty of them in you is a disaster.
• Constipation or diarrhea – Often, it is accompanied by abdominal cramp and bloating.
• Weight gain – You are not eating a lot but still you are packing unwanted pounds.
• Trouble digesting fat – You may have uncomfortable digestive issues after ingesting fatty food.
• Bad breath – The kind of stinky breath you get when your liver is in a bad state is the chronic kind.
• Hormonal imbalance – Since the liver cannot eliminate excess hormones, this complication is bound to happen.
• Brain fog – Concentrating or solving mental tasks can prove to be a huge burden.
• Depression – You tend to feel down most of the time for no apparent reason.
• Anxiety – It seems like there’s something terrible that’s about to strike and you worry about it all the time.
These are just a few of the problems you may encounter if you have a sluggish liver. The best way to confirm if the liver is the reason behind what you are experiencing is by seeing your doctor.
While there are drugs and supplements available that can help improve the condition of your liver, it’s also very important for you to mind what you eat. Here are some quick tips on how you can help keep your liver in a tip-top shape:
• Ditch excessive intake of alcohol.
• Turn your back on anything with refined sugar.
• Include cruciferous vegetables in the diet as they help detoxify your body.
• Eat fiber-rich foods for the regular elimination of waste products.
• Consume healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, hemp, avocado and fish.
• Avoid inflammatory oils such as canola oil and corn oil.
• Include plant- and animal-based protein for tissue liver repair.
• Shop for organic food items as well as household and beauty products.
