It appears that we are taking better care of ourselves than ever. We are more aware of the benefits of eating fresh and organic foods, taking high quality supplements, exercising, and practicing stress reduction. The fact remains that we are exposed daily to a variety of toxins in the air, water, food, clothing, and environment (non-stick pans, heavy metals, chemicals in drinking water, pesticides, mercury dental amalgams, car exhaust fumes and air pollution, BPA in plastics, phthalates, artificial sweeteners, food colorings and the list goes on. Unfortunately, this load is greater than the liver and body can eliminate. This is known as bioaccumulation.
These toxins put the whole body at risk, and they have a real impact on your liver. The liver processes virtually everything you eat, drink, breathe and put on your skin. The liver performs over 500 vital functions. Look at some of the functions here:
* Manufactures several essential proteins that ensure the transport of substances in the blood, blood coagulation, and resistance to infection
*Regulates the body’s fuel supply. The liver produces, stores, and supplies rapid energy (glucose) to keep your mind alert and your body active. It produces, stores, and exports fats
*Regulates hormones. This includes sex and thyroid hormones, cortisone, and other adrenal hormones
*Regulates your body’s cholesterol levels. The liver produces cholesterol, excretes it and converts it into other essential substances
*Produces bile. Bile eliminates toxic substances from the body, facilitates digestion, and activates transit
*Cleanses the blood. The liver metabolizes alcohol and other drugs and chemicals, neutralizes and destroys toxic substances
*Regenerate at night. If the liver is clogged, it can disrupt sleep. Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep is a common (yet overlooked) symptom of a toxic or overloaded liver
Although it is difficult to control exposure to all toxic substances, we can make strategic changes to our diet and lifestyle to lessen their effects by aiding the liver’s detoxification pathways
To learn more about how to implement healthier habits see our blog
What does a Healthy Diet Look like? – Total Gym Pulse (totalgymdirect.com)
