3 Signs Your Liver Needs Support
Breakouts or acne
Breakouts or acne are visible messages from your body that your liver is struggling. Androgens (a type of sex hormone commonly associated with males) stimulate the oil-producing glands in your skin, initiating a cascade of events that ultimately result in the painful breakouts visible on your face.
Your liver is responsible for transforming substances that the body doesn’t need into forms that can be excreted, thus preventing them from building up to harmful levels. Substances that the liver processes include pharmaceuticals, alcohol, caffeine, sugar and trans fats (from foods like deep-fried chips and margarine).
If your liver has more toxins ‘lined up at its door’ than it can efficiently process, excess androgens can potentially build up, exacerbating your symptoms. This is why a nutrient-dense, whole-food diet with limited caffeine and alcohol is so important for acne sufferers. A highly-processed, nutrient-poor diet also lacks many of the nutrients required for phase 1 liver detox, including B vitamins.
Heavy menstruation, PMS or endometriosis
Each of these states are related to estrogen excess. As with androgens, estrogen is detoxified by the liver, and so it stands to reason that suboptimal liver function plays a role in these conditions. If you experience heavy or painful periods, PMS, or endometriosis, it’s worth considering liver support as another tool to manage your symptoms.
Excessive burping, bloating or reflux
The liver is an accessory organ of the digestive system, and thus, poor liver function generally presents with digestive symptoms. Excess burping, bloating or reflux are associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and should never be ignored.
Solutions
Eliminate alcohol.
Consume bitter greens to support your liver and enhance digestion. Try dandelion greens or rocket.
Eat more brassica vegetables (think cauliflower, broccoli, kale and brussels sprouts), which contain multiple nutrients required for phase 1 liver detox, as well as sulfur, which your liver uses to make glutathione.
Herbal medicine including globe artichoke, dandelion root, St. Mary’s thistle and turmeric are all brilliant liver-supporting herbs.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gemma is a fertility and women’s health naturopath in Auckland, New Zealand. She is a mother to 3-year-old Laura and an avid (perhaps slightly obsessive) cook. In her spare time, you’ll find her rummaging through her cookbook collection, hitting up local restaurants or pottering in the veggie garden.