liver

FOODS HELPS LIVER TO FUNCTION WELL

| Rupali

Human body depends upon major internal body organs to survive and reproduce. These body parts are responsible for performing vital functions. The brain, heart, kidneys, liver and lungs are the main five organs essential for survival. Every organ has its own functions and they work together to make you feel fit and fine, so that you can perform your daily activities without any hassle. Liver is one of the most important body organs which performs hundreds of chemical actions that a body needs to survive. Liver’s main task is to process the nutrients broken down from food in the small intestine and pass them as necessary to the rest of the body where they are required.

Liver is instrumental (the only organ) in breaking down fat into energy and sending remaining to the body fat reserves to be stored for later use. Producing bile, a fluid essential for digestion of fats and nutrients that are part of the food is vital for liver to function properly. An unhealthy liver can directly impact digestion and absorption of nutrients in the body and restrict breakdown of fats.

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Factors responsible for poor liver function in kids

There are many childhood liver conditions and problems. The most common cause of liver disease in children between 2- 19 years is fatty liver. 40% of obese children have fatty liver. According to American Liver Foundation, the number of children affected by fatty liver disease is on the rise, having more than doubled in the last 20 years. It is caused when too much fat builds up in a kid’s liver and can develop in children of 10 years and even younger.

Main factors

There are two main factors responsible for fatty liver in kids. First is an unhealthy food choice. Drinks full of sugary content with processed and packaged foods which are high in saturated and trans fat, badly affects a child’s liver. The second factor is the lack of physical activities in kids. Regular exercise is key to having a healthy liver. It decreases stress on the liver by storing excess food as fat in the fat reserves. 

A viral infection (causes hepatitis, an inflammatory condition of the liver), genetic disorders, cholestasis (a condition in which the flow of bile from the liver stops or slows) are some of the other reasons that can affect your child’s liver. Jaundice is the most common liver disease among kids. It often affects newborn babies and goes away on its own. Jaundice happens because babies’ liver aren’t fully developed enough to break down and excrete bilirubin (yellowish substance in blood which forms after red blood cells breakdown). It is extremely important to keep the liver healthy and free of fat. It helps the body organs to function and be active. Proper liver function can directly impact the growth and health of the child.

Sign or symptoms of Liver disease
  • Skin and eyes appear yellow
  • Abdominal pain and swelling
  • Itchy skin
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Lack of appetite
  • Dark urine colour and pale stool
  • Swelling in legs and ankle
FOODS THAT HELP LIVER TO FUNCTION PROPERLY
Grapefruit

It contains antioxidants (naringenin and naringin) that protect the liver from injuries by reducing inflammation and protecting the liver cells. The compound also reduces fat build up in the liver by increasing enzymes that burn fat. It is a good food for liver to function properly. (What are some good fats to eat for the body?)

Beetroot

Beetroot is one of the liver healthy foods as it helps protect the liver from oxidative damage and inflammation. It Increases liver’s natural detoxification enzymes. It works effectively to prevent deposition of fat in the liver. Betaine in beetroot breaks down fatty acids in the liver and helps to treat fatty liver disease. (Easy beetroot recipe)

Avocados

Avocados help to protect liver as they are high in healthy fats. Research suggests that it is good food for the liver as it contains chemicals that helps to slow down liver damage. They are also rich in fiber which attaches to bile and helps in digestion and excretion of waste, leading to a healthy weight. (How does avocado help with dryness in skin?)

Sugarcane

Sugarcane juice is a perfect tonic for people with liver disease.  It is considered as one of the best liver healthy foods as it helps in strengthening the liver function. Sugarcane juice is good for fatty liver and as it is alkaline in nature, sugarcane juice helps in maintaining acid levels in the stomach. (What are some natural sugar to use during cooking?)

Radish

Radish is a rich source of antioxidants and minerals like calcium and potassium. Radishes act as real panacea for liver and stomach health. They are exceptionally useful for jaundice treatment because they remove the bilirubin and maintain its production. It is also a good source of natural nitrates that improves blood flow. If the blood flow is not proper, toxins and waste in the blood can keep floating in the body, causing harm. Liver helps to remove these toxins and cleanse the blood before sending off the nutrients to the body cells where required. These qualities made radish good food for liver health (What are some other foods rich in calcium and good for bones?)

Papaya

Papaya is rich in antioxidants, including carotenoids (Vitamin A).  It can balance free radicals (what are they?). Taking one teaspoon of papaya seeds regularly can protect your liver from disease. It can help to detox liver from unhealthy substances. It is one of the best choices for liver to function properly.

Yogurt

Yogurt is one of the best natural resources of probiotics (good bacterias) which helps in maintaining lower fat levels in the liver.  Micro organisms (good bacterias) in our intestinal tract are crucial for liver cells functioning. Yogurt helps to maintain a healthy gut and hence, contributes to liver health and becomes good food for liver. (How do probiotics help with sneezing and allergy?)

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What is Detoxification meaning and How Fasting Helps?

| Rupali
Detoxification meaning

Detox is a popular buzzword these days. Detoxification meaning is cleansing up your body while removing the impurities from blood. Toxins are the pollutants, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals which enter our body along with our regular food and affect our health negatively. Detoxification is the process of removing these toxins from our body. Our body is naturally equipped to remove toxins and doesn’t necessarily need any fancy diet or products to do so.

The digestive system removes undigested food, the lungs give out carbon dioxide and the skin gets rid of waste in the form of sweat. Due to the changes in our food habits and lifestyle over a period of years, there is a pressing need to occasionally enhance this natural detoxification by following simple methods to detox. In simple terms, detoxification meaning is following a particular diet or using special products to help the body get rid of toxins, thereby promoting health and general well being. A good detox or cleansing method helps the body in getting rid of old deposits in tissues and gives a good rest to the overworked organs of the body. It helps to recharge, rejuvenate and RENEW YOU.

How to detox your body?

Sound sleep cycle, consuming more water and fluids, fasting, reducing salt, sugar and generally all the processed foods, thereby increasing foods rich in antioxidants and probiotics are few of the methods to cleanse the body. Fasting is one of the most common and effective ways of detoxification. Fasting means willfully refraining yourself from eating or drinking for a specific period of time. Physiologically, numerous metabolic adjustments occur during fasting inside our body. It includes complete abstinence from food for twenty four hours or just having one meal a day. Fasting is a popular topic of research nowadays and it has been found to manage weight and prevent numerous diseases.

Fasting- Good Way to Detox

How can you use fasting to detox your body? What is the science behind fasting? Studies support the benefits of fasting as it has been found to cleanse the body at cellular level. When you fast, the body’s access to glucose (to make energy) is reduced, forcing the liver and muscles to start using the stored glucose in the body. After about 8 hours of fasting, once this stock of stored glucose is over, the body begins a natural process of gluconeogenesis in which the body produces its own glucose (for energy). The liver and kidney helps in this process by converting non-carbohydrate materials like lactate, amino acids and fats into glucose energy.

How fasting helps

Since our body conserves energy during fasting, our basal metabolic rate (the amount of energy the body burns while at rest) improves, resulting in lowering our heart rate and blood pressure. Digestion is the most important system in our body. It takes a lot of work. When you are fasting, you allow your digestive system to take rest as well. Your body works on breaking down fat cells. It is the most efficient way to cleanse the body and this is how you can use fasting to detox your body.

Later in the fast cycle, the body burns the stored fat as its primary power source and this process is called ketosis. This stage aids in weight loss and balancing blood sugar levels. Much later in the cycle of fasting comes the starvation mode (not preferred!), where the body begins to break down muscle tissues for energy.

The changes that the body goes through during fasting makes the cells stronger and enhances their capability to cope. This process puts the cells under mild stress which results in their improved performance and adaptability, resulting in younger, active body cells. Fasting has the same effects on the cells as exercise has on muscles and cardiovascular systems and hence helps to make cells stronger.

Recently, intermittent fasting has gained popularity in the health and fitness world. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern which defines a strict fasting period and eating period. While there is no scientific study supporting the direct claims made by IF however dozens of clinical trials and animal studies do state the series of benefits fasting has shown on health. There is scope to perform long term studies.

What is the Religious significance of fasting?

Almost every religion has some type of fasting ritual. Muslims refrain from eating and drinking during day time for the entire month of Ramadan. Hindus observe fasting during festivals like navratri, shivratri and also specific days of the week or month. Buddhism, Jainism and Christianity also have some or the other form of fasting. In Chinese tradition, fasting is a part of preventive health care.

The foods that should be avoided to cleanse your body and the ones that you are not allowed to eat during religious fasting are almost the same and hence, fasting may work perfectly to detox the body.

What foods are best avoided (also during fasting) for cleansing the system?
Eggs and meats:

Eggs and meats though are high in protein and other nutrients but can be a lot of task for the digestive system to breakdown. Avoiding these foods occasionally can give a good rest to your digestive system and make you feel lighter.

Salt:

During fasting, the regular consumption of food goes down and hence it is necessary to cut down on the salt intake too. Too much salt in the body can cause hypertension and hence a break from salt reduces bloating and water retention. Sendha namak (rock salt) is usually preferred during fasting due to its added health benefits. It is low in sodium and high in potassium, therefore helps in keeping a balance of electrolytes in the body.(What are the benefits of Epsom salt?)

Wheat & Grains:

Though wheat and grains are an important part of a balanced meal, but sometimes overconsumption may affect your digestive system and hence cause constipation or diarrhea. For this reason, gluten free flours like Kuttu (buckwheat flour) and Singhada (water chestnut flour) are preferred during fasting. They are easy to digest since they are not a grain, but seeds of a fruit. wheat and grains are also low in calories, and good source of fiber. They contain high amount of antioxidants and are excellent source of vitamin B6 which helps in haemoglobin formation to supply energy to the body, and improves the mood during menstruation and depression. (Do kids need vitamin supplements?)

Sugar:

Staying away from sugar helps to keep the blood sugar levels low and continue with the fasting period. It also enables reduced calorie intake and lesser inflammation. Cutting sugar from the diet also directly benefits calcium levels in the body. (How does sugar impact bones?)

Alcohol:

Consuming alcohol frequently affects the liver by forming a fatty layer around it. It is also combines with enzymes in the liver, producing a substance called acetaldehyde, which can become harmful in the long run. Alcohol is a diuretic, which makes the body produce more urine and release more water. This can result in dehydration. It is a good idea to avoid alcohol during fasting to remain hydrated. (How to prevent fatty liver disease?)

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