A crucial organ
The liver is well named: you can’t live without it. The liver, which at three pounds is the largest organ in the body, is located on the right side above the waist. It is one of the major detoxifying organs in the body and also helps with digestion and nutrient storage. The liver produces about 400 enzymes which power all processes in the body, as well as a number of proteins. For all these reasons, it’s extremely important to have a well-functioning liver.
The liver is assisted by the gallbladder, which is located just under the liver, in its digestion of fats. A poorly functioning gallbladder will cause a person to be intolerant of fats and oils. Unlike the liver, the gallbladder can be removed without causing death, but much gallbladder removal is unnecessary.
Liver problems
Like any organ, the liver can develop problems. Liver problems can lead to difficulty removing toxins from the body, which can then lead to toxin-related illness. Because of the role of the liver and gallbladder in digestion, especially of oils, liver issues can limit nutrition regardless of diet. Liver problems include hepatitis, fatty or dry liver, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
How do you know whether you have a liver problem?
Symptoms of liver problems include abdominal bloating, jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes), bad breath, fatigue, and mood swings. Since the liver is so important in detoxification, chemical sensitivity can occur when it isn’t working correctly. Liver enzymes are routinely tested in the CBC, the comprehensive screening blood test often given during a health exam. If the liver enzymes are high, this tells the doctor that your liver is stressed, although further testing needs to be done to figure out exactly what has gone wrong.
Causes of liver problems
Chemicals of various types can cause liver disease:
- Beverage alcohol is a major contributor to liver disease and failure.
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol), especially in combination with alcohol.
- Chlorinated hydrocarbonssuch as cleaning solvents and chloroform, as well as other organic chemical compound
- Heavy metalssuch as arsenic found in some anti-protozoal medications, barium from gastrointestinal testing, and copper and lead from old pipes.
Microorganisms, most notably the viruses that cause hepatitis, can cause liver disease and failure, as can entamoeba histolytica.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a viral infection that targets the liver. There are several kinds, the most common of which are hepatitis A, B, and C. Infection is usually via blood products, including contaminated needles used for IV drugs. Sexual transmission through fluids is another method of infection.
Hepatitis can be acute – coming on suddenly after exposure – or chronic. It is not at all uncommon for a person to be diagnosed with hepatitis years or even decades after exposure. Symptoms include abdominal discomfort, nausea, pale stools, dark urine, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, and jaundice.
Fatty and dry liver
With fatty liver, one cannot process fats and oils properly, so they build up in the liver, as well as in the arteries. High blood pressure can result. Fatty liver can also occur with diabetes or obesity.
Dry liver is a condition in which the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K are not processed for use by the body, causing deficiency symptoms and free radical damage due to loss of their antioxidant effects. Cholesterol levels of less than 135 can be an indicator of dry liver. Both kinds of liver dysfunction can be a result of alcohol abuse.
Cirrhosis
In cirrhosis, healthy liver tissue is gradually replaced with hardened scar tissue, which prevents the liver from functioning properly. Causes are chronic alcohol abuse, infections such as hepatitis, fatty liver, chemicals, or pretty much anything that damages the liver.
Gallbladder problems
Symptoms of a gallbladder problem are pain in the upper right abdomen that can radiate to the back or shoulder and that can come and go, and nausea and vomiting that are most likely to occur when fatty foods are eaten.
Gallstones are pieces of solid material that form in the gallbladder. These can be a combination of bile and cholesterol. A person can have one large gallstone or many small ones, and they can form if the gallbladder doesn’t empty properly. One of the greatest risk factors for gallstone formation is obesity; other risk factors are diabetes and the taking of statin drugs to lower cholesterol.
Gallbladder surgery
Since the gallbladder, unlike the liver, isn’t a vital organ whose removal would cause instant death, it is frequently surgically removed at the first sign of trouble. This surgery takes care of the symptoms, but there are long-term negative effects, including poor fat digestion, no small matter since oils are so crucial to health. But in many cases gallbladder removal isn’t necessary; just clean out the gallbladder and reuse it.
Liver and gallbladder flush
A liver and gallbladder flush is often done at CAM to clean out the liver and gallbladder. This flush removes toxins and can often flush out gallstones as well. The details are available in the book Detox or Disease, available at CAM or on this website, or a variation on the basic flush tailored to your particular situation can be recommended by your CAM practitioner. This flush involves the drinking of lemon juice and olive oil in combination with certain supplements. Many people who were told they would need to have their gallbladder removed found that the flush took care of the problem, resulting in a better functioning gallbladder rather than a missing one. A colonic after the flush can help increase the benefit of the flush.
Liver and gallbladder support
Milk thistle is an herb that is known for its ability to support, protect, and heal the liver. Beneficial oils such as omega-3 oils and olive oil help the liver and gallbladder; this is especially important when gallbladder disease causes a person to avoid necessary oils.
