Why your liver needs support: symptoms and natural solutions
WHAT DOES YOUR LIVER DO?
The liver is the second largest organ in the body (after the skin), and one of the hardest working, performing over 500 processes. It’s key functions are:
Detoxification: filtering the blood to remove waste, dead cells, hormones, and chemicals.
Regulating blood sugar: storing excess sugar as glycogen.
Bile production: bile is used to break down fats in our digestive system.
Storing vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Producing blood proteins.
WHY DO WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE LIVER?
As you can see, the functions of the liver are vital in keeping our bodies working.
Liver disease is on the increase, with more than 10,000 deaths annually in the UK. While incidences of other major diseases are falling, liver disease has seen a four-fold increase over the last 50 years. The major causes of preventable liver disease are alcohol, overweight, obesity, and viral hepatitis. You can find more information and support from The British Liver Trust.
One of the biggest problems with liver disease is that serious symptoms do not show up until the very late stages, making it difficult to treat. However, there are subtle signs and symptoms to look out for which may indicate that your liver is not performing at its best.
SIGNS THAT YOUR LIVER IS OVERBURDENED
These symptoms may indicate that your liver is not functioning optimally:
Feeling tired on waking
Poor sleep, especially between 1am-3am
Energy slump after lunch
Hormonal imbalance
Irritability or oversensitivity
Skin issues, especially itching
Dark circles under the eyes
Brain fog
Increased sensitivity to alcohol, caffeine, and medications
WHY ARE OUR LIVERS STRUGGLING?
There are several aspects of our modern lifestyles which cause the liver to work harder, become more congested, and succumb to fatty liver diseases. These are:
Medications: these have to be filtered and detoxified through the liver. They include hormonal medications (e.g. HRT and birth control pills), antibiotics, antihistamines, and over-the-counter pain medication.
Alcohol: around 1 in 5 people in the UK drink more than the weekly recommended amount.
Overweight and obesity: excess calories are stored in the liver and turn to fat.
Excess sugar: this is stored in the liver and over time turns to fat.
Processed foods: chemicals have to be processed by the liver.
Excess saturated fat: puts a burden on bile production.
Environmental pollutants enter the bloodstream and need to be detoxified.
how can we help ourselves?
The good news is that all of these causes are preventable and reversible. The liver has the greatest regenerative capacity of any organ in the body, meaning that it can heal itself, given the right conditions.
Here are some simple ways to optimise your liver function:
Reduce unnecessary medication: cut down on painkillers and antihistamines especially. You may want to seek homeopathic help to achieve this [See Hay Fever: My Top 5 Homeopathic Remedies].
Stick to guidelines on alcohol.
Reduce sugar and processed foods.
Stay hydrated: the liver needs water to function, so drink 1.5-2 litres per day.
Eat a balanced whole-food diet: the liver needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to keep healthy.
Cruciferous vegetables are great for the liver: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, chard, brussels sprouts, cabbage, pak choi, watercress, etc.
Other liver-friendly foods include: garlic, asparagus, beetroot, lemon (lemon water), mung beans, onions, rosemary, artichoke, blueberries, and pomegranate.
Consider a gentle detox or cleanse: my 7-Day Cleanse Ebook is free when you sign up to my newsletter (see the bottom of the page).
natural liver support
In my practice I am using herbal or homeopathic liver support more and more to help my clients. Almost everyone with hormonal imbalance needs some degree of liver support. And anyone who has even a couple of the signs listed above is likely to get some liver support from me too. It helps resolve issues more quickly, and helps other homeopathic remedies to work better too.
herbal REMEDIES
There are several herbal remedies that can help the liver. Two of the most frequently used are:
Carduus Marianus. Also known as Milk Thistle (see picture at the top), this helps liver congestion, especially where there has been over-indulgence in alcohol or sugar. There may be pain in the liver area, gallstones, nausea, digestive issues, and brain fog.
Chelidonium (Celandine). An excellent support for liver diseases, including jaundice. There may also be digestive problems, with constipation or diarrhoea, gallstones, and irritability.
homeopathic remedies
Homeopathic remedies will be chosen on an individualised basis by your homeopath. For something as complex as liver issues, I would always recommend getting help from a professional homeopath.
The prescription that my clients get will include a remedy to treat them as a whole person. Often, these remedies have an affinity for the liver. Some of these include:
Nux Vomica: the person needing this remedy tends to work hard and play hard, often over-indulging. They can be irritable and oversensitive, with digestive issues, nausea, and a sore liver.
Sepia: a wonderful remedy, particularly for hormonal balance, it also supports the liver. The person will be fatigued and overwhelmed, irritable and tearful. They tend to be chilly, have a slump in energy mid-afternoon, and may wake at 3am.
Sulphur: there are often skin symptoms where Sulphur is needed, with itching and redness. The person may be forgetful and irritable, making many plans that are not always put into practice. They can wake frequently, especially between 2am-5am, and feel weak and hungry at 11am. They tend to be hot and thirsty.
Lycopodium: an indication for this remedy is digestive disturbance, particularly with bloating and gas. The person will lose energy between 4pm-8pm, looking for something sweet to boost their energy levels. They tend to lack confidence and be anxious about upcoming events. They may have a sensitive liver, with right-sided abdominal pain, and brown spots on the abdomen.
how i can help
If you recognise any of the signs of poor liver function in yourself, do get in touch to find out how I can help. I will prescribe homeopathic and herbal remedies to treat you as a whole, and to support your liver. I will also advise on any lifestyle changes that I feel would help. I specialise in addressing hormonal issues, where this kind of combined treatment can be very effective at rebalancing the body and mind.
I offer a FREE DISCOVERY CALL where we can have a chat and find out if homeopathy and working with me is right for you.
Thank you for reading and I look forward to hearing from you.
Alice
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