Rejuvenating Life through the Liver Rejuvenate to make somebody become, feel or appear young again or return something to original condition or make it more vigorous, dynamic and effective. Want to rejuvenate your life? Then learn how one organ can make your daily experiences more vigorous, dynamic and effective. This organ is like the gatekeeper to your happiness. It allows in what your body craves and guards against what your body disdains. It gives you that extra skip in your step and the extra curl in your smile. The saying If Momma ain t happy then nobody is happy could be applied to this organ If it ain t happy then you will never be happy. This organ, the most active organ in your body is the liver. It is assigned with over 500 different tasks including its central role in processing, storing and redistributing the nutrients provided by the meals we eat. If the liver s numerous roles are upset by liver damage or disease the effects on health and nutritional status can be profound. An example of this is fatty liver disease which did not exists 20 years ago and it is the reason now for over 25% of all liver transplants. And yet, this disease starts and ends with food choices. That means most health problems can be avoided if we learn how to care for and rejuvenate the organ vital to our youthful living. This organ when it is sick will make you unhappy in more ways than you can imagine but yet it itself rarely complains. Check out the list below of symptoms a sick liver can manifests and yet we treat the symptoms not realizing the liver is the one behind the problems. Most liver diseases go unnoticed for years before the organ finally cries out enough is enough, I can t cope any longer Then you have a full blown disease with sometimes little hope of recovery. Today you can give a hand to this overworked, non-complaining organ. Read what it does for you, then read what symptoms can result from it being overworked. And finally give it a break every year in the fall by allowing it to clean house without the interruption of more toxins and food coming through the pike. It is hard to clean house until you stop bringing the dirt in even if only during the time of cleaning. Who can mop a floor with when your son s baseball team has just come in with their muddy shoes and are walking everywhere? Give your body a break and it will give you years of happiness. Functions of the Liver Detoxification of: Toxic chemicals Drugs Alcohol Hormones
Allergens Antigen-antibody complexes Microbes Microbial metabolites Microbial antigens Metabolism Production of: Bile Cholesterol for sex hormones and adrenal hormones Globulin Albumin Blood-clotting Factors Glucose tolerance factor Glutathione Conversion of: Glucose to glycogen Glycogen to glucose Amino acids to glucose Fat to energy Glucose to fat Fat to phospholipids Beta-carotene to vitamin A Synthesis of nonessential amino acids Storage Glycogen Blood Vitamins B, A, D Iron Symptoms of a Sluggish Liver Premenstrual syndrome (depression, irritability, mood swings, fatigue, tender breasts, fluid retention, etc.) Fibrocystic breasts Food allergies Chemical hypersensitivities Being overweight Acne Elevated blood cholesterol Fatigue Depression Headache Dizziness Nausea Bad Breath
Constipation Bloating Greasy, fatty stools Intolerance of fatty foods Light or clay-colored stools Very dark urine Yellowish skin or sclera Tender or swollen liver Gallbladder problems Achy joints and muscles Sore feet Slow wound healing Itching Peeling skin Dry skin Burning feet Rashes Psoriasis Bitter taste in the mouth Unexplainable worry or nightmares Hypoglycemia Bowel toxicity Fat-soluble vitamin deficiency (A, D, E, and K) Essential fatty acids deficiency Gall Bladder and Liver Cleaning the liver bile ducts is the most powerful procedure that you can do to improve your body s health. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ that averages three to six inches in length. It lies underneath the liver in the upper right side of the abdomen. It is connected to the liver and small intestine by small tubes called bile ducts. Bile, a greenish-brown fluid, is utilized by the body to digest fatty foods and assists in the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. The gallbladder serves as a reservoir for bile. Between meals, bile accumulates and is concentrated within this organ. During meals, the gallbladder contracts and empties bile into the intestine to assist in digestion. Gallstones Gallstones are lumps of solid material that form within the gallbladder. There are two major types of gallstones: 1. Cholesterol gallstones are composed mainly of cholesterol, which is made in the liver. These account for nearly 80% of all cases of gallstones in the United States. 2. Pigment gallstones are composed of calcium salts, bilirubin, and other material. They account for the remaining 20% of gallstones in this country.
Formation: Excess cholesterol is removed from the blood by the liver and is then secreted into bile. When bile contains too much cholesterol, small crystals form in bile and they fall to the bottom of the gallbladder. This is like adding too much sugar to coffee and finding sugar at the bottom of the cup. Cholesterol crystals fuse together in the gallbladder to form stones of varying sizes. Pigment gallstones are formed by the secretion of excess bile pigments and bilirubin. The excess pigments and bilirubin form crystals in the gallbladder. Gallstones vary in size. They may be as small as tiny specks or as large as a small ball. The vast majority measure less than 20 mm, about 1 inch, across. Over time, gallstones may grow in size and/or numbers. However, many gallstones remain the same size for years. Gallbladder sludge occurs when multiple crystals of cholesterol and bilirubin pigments accumulate within the gallbladder but do not fuse together to form a gallstone. Gallbladder sludge typically occurs with fasting and resolves spontaneously. In some, but not all people, gallbladder sludge can develop into gallstones. In the majority of cases, gallbladder sludge is asymptomatic. However, sludge may cause symptoms identical to those attributed to gallstones. Suggestions Diet: Increase your intake of vegetables, fruits, and high-fiber foods, especially those containing soluble fiber. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts/seeds are low in saturated fat and high fiber foods that are needed in the diet for healing gallbladder disorders. Raw vegetables are good sources of fiber because they contain the cellulose the body needs to break down the fiber. The best source is raw carrots; their fiber binds many colon toxins. Red Beets are one of the best foods to support the liver and gallbladder. Carrots are excellent for liver rejuvenation and cleansing. Kale can ease liver congestion. Apples (especially green) cleanse the liver and gallbladder. Blueberries are excellent for the liver and blood. Coconut oil can be used by anyone, but it is especially good for those suffering from gallbladder disorders or for anyone who has had their gallbladder removed. Using coconut oil in place of other oils will greatly benefit anyone. Because coconut oil is made of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA), the metabolism of these fatty acids does not require bile or pancreatic enzymes. Therefore, the fats from coconut oil are easily digested with or without a gallbladder. A high fiber diet protects from gallbladder disease by binding cholesterol and bile salts and decreasing intestinal transit time. A high fiber diet can only be achieved with unprocessed, unrefined foods. Gallbladder disease may be prevented by increased intake of vitamin C and drinking
plenty of fresh, live juices. * Unfortunately, the typical American diet provides very little of the needed foods daily. Suggested supplements: Milk thistle, which is a liver detoxifier, helps the liver regenerate and detoxify. Lecithin not only maintains the integrity of liver cells but also may help regenerate damaged tissue and normalize bile function. Alfalfa is a liver cleanser, rich in vitamins and minerals. Fiber binds cholesterol and bile salts. Omega is required of every living cell and is needed for repair and prevention of gallstones B-complex All B vitamins are necessary for proper digestion. Vitamin C vitamin C deficiency can lead to gallstones. Turmeric helps tone the liver and is known as a liver regenerator. For those of you who want to make sure your liver is working properly, a liver cleanse might be the answer you want. This is highly recommended for every member of the family to do at least once a year. One Week Liver and Gallbladder Cleanse You will need: 6 quarts apple cider 6 teaspoons Epson salts 1/2 cup cold-pressed olive oil 1/2 cup lemon juice The Liver and Gallbladder Cleanse is an important detoxifying agent. It helps restore normal functional capacity of the liver and gallbladder. Note: It is not recommended for people under age 25, pregnant women or people with known large gallstones. Plan to stay home the evening of the 6th day. Steps to follow. 1. Day 1 thru 6, drink 1 quart of apple cider daily (fresh extracted vegetable juices may be substituted for apple cider. It is preferable that you purchase additive free apple cider. Keep your diet vegetarian style (fat free) for a more thorough cleansing. Eat as much as you like of fat free food. Continue with your regular supplements.
2. At noon on day 6 eat a normal vegetarian lunch. 3. Three hours later, take 2 teaspoons Epson salts dissolved in about one ounce hot water. That taste may be questionable to some people. If so, you may follow Epson salts with a little citrus juice (fresh squeezed if possible). 4. Two hours later, repeat step 3. 5. For your evening meal on day 6 you may have only citrus juices or citrus fruits (e.g. grapefruits, oranges, etc). 6. At bedtime, in a blender, whip 1/2 cup of warm olive oil (cold-pressed) with 1/2 cup lemon juice. (It is better to use fresh lemon juice, but bottled juice is permissible). Drink the entire mixture quickly - do NOT sip slowly. Some people occasionally reported slight to moderate nausea when taking the olive oil and lemon juice. This nausea will slowly disappear when you go to bed. If the olive oil induces vomiting, you need not repeat the procedure. This occurs in only rare instances. 7. Follow step 6, go immediately to bed. Lie on your right side with your knee pulled up close to your chest for at least 30 minutes. 8. The next morning one hour before breakfast, take 2 teaspoons of Epson salts dissolved in two ounces of hot water. 9. Resume your normal diet on day 7 and continue your nutritional supplements. Note: People who have chronically suffered from gallstones, biliousness, blackheads, nausea, etc. occasionally find small gallstone type objects in the stool on day 7. These objects are light green in color. They are very irregular in shape, gelatinous in texture, and vary in size from grape seeds to cherry pits. If there are several of these in the stool, you should repeat the liver cleanse in 2 weeks.