Give Your Liver Some Love
Our liver works hard for us, but we often don't return the favor. We often ignore it, until we have no choice but to pay attention. We seem to notice it when something serious happens, when there
Give Your Liver Some Love
Our liver works hard for us, but we often don't return the favor. We often ignore it, until we have no choice but to pay attention. We seem to notice it when something serious happens, when there's a diagnosis of a fatty liver, cirrhosis, or cancer. But it's important to discuss the regular self-care the liver needs - before a crisis situation.
The liver, located on the right side of your mid-torso, has a left and right lobe. You can touch your liver if you palpate just under your right rib cage. The gallbladder is located at the right lobe and stores the bile secreted by the liver to support healthy digestion.
So what kind of magic does the liver do for our bodies?
Detoxification. The liver serves as the body's filtration system. When eating, our body breaks down the food which then travel into the blood stream and then to the liver for further purification and filtering. Those toxins can be present in the waste created inside of us (i.e. ammonia), or in what we put inside of our bodies - including alcohol, prescription and recreational drugs.
Metabolism. Our liver metabolizes carbohydrates, fats and proteins while producing bile, needed for digestion. It transforms more complex substances to usable molecules. It regulates and stores glycogen, our main source of energy.
Nutrient Storage Center. In addition to glycogens, the liver also stores vitamins (A, D, E, and K), making these sources of energy and nutrients available when needed. So if you're constantly tired, you may need to take a look at your liver. If you're low in Vitamin D, your liver may also need a little care.
The list doesn't stop there. There are at least 500 known functions of the liver. Other roles include helping in hormone creation, regulation of pH levels, regeneration of red blood cells, regulating blood volume and blood pressure.
Ayurvedic Understanding of the Liver
From an Ayurvedic perspective, the liver is fiery, illustrating the connection between the liver, agni (the fire principle), pitta dosha, and the force of transformation and metabolism. Emotionally, it plays an important role in processing emotions—particularly those that are closely aligned with the liver. On the healthy side, it is associated with a powerful will, courage, and enthusiasm. However, it is also a home for anger, resentment, jealousy, and excessive intensity. I