The liver is one of the hardest-working organs in the human body!
Not only is it responsible for turning the food we eat into usable energy, but it also regulates blood sugar levels, produces the bile needed to break down fats, and most important of all, the liver filters toxins from your body.
Our livers work hard to keep toxins from spreading through our bloodstream and damaging our bodies. Unfortunately, our modern lives have so many ways that we can be exposed to or end up absorbing toxins.
For example, our skin absorbs the pollutants in the air around us, and there are toxins in the food we eat and the water we drink. Heck, even our skincare and beauty products sometimes unknowingly contain toxins, which our liver needs to filter out to protect our bodies. Add to that the strain placed on the liver by alcohol, high-sugar foods, high-fat foods, and high cholesterol levels, and our hard-working organ can start to get overworked.
When this happens, you’ll probably start noticing the signs pretty quickly. These signs are your body’s way of telling you that your liver is overworking and needs a detox to flush all the harmful chemicals, fats, sugars, and toxins away.
Here are the most common signs to watch out for:
Stomach Problems – Two signs that your liver is in need of a detox are excessive gas production and bloating. Both are the result of decreased bile production or stagnant bile flow, as a lack of bile leads to an increase in unfriendly stomach bacteria. This harmful bacteria can cause digestive imbalances, including an excessive production of gas which can lead to bloating.
Of course, the negative side effects will only grow from there, as the bad bacteria produces toxins that can actually interfere with detoxification pathways in the liver and increase the strain on your liver.
You’ll typically notice the bloating and excessive gas production after you eat, and it could be one of the signs that your liver is struggling to purge enough toxins from your body.
Excessive Fatigue – Fatigue is a symptom of a lot of different health problems and conditions, including reduced liver function caused by excessive stress on the organ.
You see, your liver is responsible for turning the food you eat into energy that is not only made available directly in your bloodstream, but also stored for later use. The liver is also responsible for releasing the stored energy as your body needs it, making sure to regulate your energy levels and keep you from feeling tired.
Unfortunately, if your liver is having trouble due to excessive build-up of toxins, it will be less effective at regulating your blood glucose levels. You may experience a post-meal spike of blood sugar and high energy, which could lead to a crash where you feel more tired than usual. Fatigue is one of the side effects of this inability to regulate blood sugar levels, but many people with struggling livers also experience strong food cravings.
Allergies and Chemical Sensitivities – Our livers are responsible for purging harmful chemicals from our bodies. Unfortunately, if our liver is under stress from a build-up of toxins, it will be unable to purge those chemicals as efficiently as normal, which could leave our body vulnerable to chemical sensitivities.
Things like pesticides, natural gas, solvents, glues and adhesives, fabric softeners, cleaning agents, and even medications can trigger unpleasant allergic reactions or sensitivities that we didn’t have before. It’s all because our livers are unable to purge the chemicals from our bodies.
Another sign that your liver is overworking: your allergies get worse. People with seasonal allergies and food sensitivities often find that their problems worsen as a result of reduced liver function. Histamine builds up in the body, and without the liver to eliminate it, those high histamine levels trigger more visible allergic reactions.
Hormone Imbalances – This is a problem seen mostly in women, as the liver is responsible for combating excess levels of estrogen. With liver function impaired, however, the estrogen isn’t properly eliminated, leading to a higher accumulation of this hormone. PMS symptoms may become more pronounced, and women with high estrogen levels can also experience moodiness, menstrual disturbances, weight gain, fibroids, and fibrocystic breast changes.
Sleep Difficulties – Yes, impaired liver function can be linked to sleep problems! People with chronic liver conditions often experience sleep disturbances, due to an impaired hepatic melatonin metabolism, or our body’s ability to regulate the hormone that controls our sleep rhythms.
These five signs are the most important ways that you can know that your liver is in need of a proper detox! The question now, then, is what can you do about it?
We’ve got good news for you: detoxing your liver is easy, inexpensive, and something you can start doing right away! Here’s our simple 4-step plan for giving your liver the detox it needs:
Step 1: Clean up your eating habits. Cut back on salt, fatty foods, and any food with a high sugar content. These all strain your liver. Try to eat more raw, fresh, fiber-rich food.
Step 2: Improve your drinking habits. Cut back on alcohol, limit your coffee and tea intake, and drink a lot more water to help flush out your liver.
Step 3: Get Active. Exercise stimulates organ function and improves your health overall. It also encourages better elimination of waste, helping your body detox more easily.
Step 4: Add Supplements. Chlorella can help to eliminate heavy metals that build up in your liver. Milk thistle can detoxify your liver and improve its function. Dandelion leaf contains antioxidants that can help flush toxins from your body. Protease and Lipase are vital enzymes that will help your body digest proteins, fats, and oils, and break down nutrients more efficiently. Artichoke leaf extract can help to restore and increase liver function.
Don’t wait until your liver starts to suffer, but work on improving its function by taking these simple steps today!