The liver is really the most versatile and complex organ we have in the body, so no wonder if affects every system in the body.
When the liver is working well, it is very difficult to be very ill. I see that even common colds and flu hang up at the liver/gall bladder junction. I almost always do a liver/gall bladder release to get someone over flu faster.
The more serious diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes, all have a liver function component. When the liver is clogged, not detoxifying well, a disease state can develop, and probably will.
Our livers are being forced to do far more detoxification than ever intended, apparently. Since we can identify 200 different toxins in the umbilical blood of newborns, our livers must not be doing a very good job of filtering out all the environmental chemicals and poisons that we encounter in every day life. http://www.wereyouwondering.com/what-role-does-the-liver-play-in-the-human-body/
It used to be that you could drink alcohol in moderation, and not do much damage. But add alcohol and all the current medications that many people use, to a liver already struggling with plastics, pesticides, cleaning products, synthetic fragrances, petro-chemical by-products and toxic building materials, and the poor liver can barely keep up.
You can assist your liver tremendously if you eliminate toxins and chemicals as much as you can. Ditch the perfumed candles (except natural oil scents) and fragranced household products, drink water from glass or steel containers, eat organic food, and use more natural personal products. Many medications are difficult for the liver to process and may cause damage. Tylenol is one of the most toxic drugs for the liver and should never be taken in excess. Statin drugs for cholesterol inhibit normal liver function to artificially lower cholesterol. Since it has never been proven that high cholesterol plays any role in heart disease, inhibited liver function seems like a large price to pay.
Foods that help the liver include beets, to help the gall bladder, which is the helpmate for the liver. The gall bladder catches some of the bile produced by the liver, and releases it to break down dietary fat. The gall bladder works kind of like dish soap on a greasy dish. This is a very important job, despite the fact that medical doctors remove gall bladders like they were hangnails. It is vital to have fat broken down into fatty acids to be used as nutrients in the body.
All of the strong smelling vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage contain sulfur compounds, which are vital for Phase II Liver detoxification. Phase II is the point where toxins are completely broken down and can be eliminated from the body.
Your liver will still need plenty of help, just dealing with all the toxins that you cannot avoid. One of the best things you can do for your liver is to take Milk Thistle on a regular basis. A good Milk Thistle can even prevent hangovers by helping your liver to detoxify alcohol. MediHerb makes the best Milk Thistle product, called Livco. Just two tablets a day can work wonders for general liver support, but take two even for moderate drinking.
Many common, chronic, conditions that cause problems for people can be helped by assisting the liver. Skin issues, sleep problems, hormone imbalance, digestion and constipation, can all be helped by treating the liver. When the liver is over-burdened it is impossible to feel well. Fatigue, weight gain, bloating and cravings for sugar and junk foods are just a few of the symptoms. I often treat migraine headaches by treating liver/gall bladder.
Baby your liver. It needs to last the body a lifetime. It is truly a miracle organ and it can regenerate. Milk Thistle/Livco will help.