Your liver is a hard working, vitally important organ in your body. A number of different health problems are associated with liver damage. You do not have to drink any alcohol at all to end up with a sick liver. Fortunately the liver has a remarkable ability to repair itself, but only up to a point. If you have a liver problem it’s vital to address it as soon as possible, before permanent damage occurs.

There are many different liver diseases and different substances that are capable of harming the liver. The most common potential liver toxins include:

  • Liver infections such as hepatitis and Epstein Barr virus
  • Excessive alcohol ingestion
  • Some medications, illegal drugs, or environmental toxins
  • Obesity
  • Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

Sometimes liver damage is acute and can come on suddenly. This can happen if you take too much medication, such as acetaminophen (paracetamol). Viruses and autoimmune conditions can also cause this. Most of the time liver diseases and liver failure are chronic conditions. That means they occur gradually and the liver is damaged slowly over time. Symptoms can come on gradually and be mild in the early stages.

The following symptoms may indicate liver damage:

  • Fatigue
  • Low of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Discomfort or pain in the right upper part of the abdomen
  • Itchy skin
  • Yellow discolouration to the whites of the eyes
  • Poor quality sleep
  • Irritable mood
  • Brain fog and poor motivation
  • Swollen legs or ankles
  • Swollen belly
  • Light colored poop and dark colored urine
  • Easy bruising
  • Red palms

Those symptoms aren’t always due to a liver condition. They could be caused by other factors. If you are concerned about your health, please see your doctor and request a blood test. You may also need to have a scan of your liver.

Strategies to help repair your liver

  • A good liver tonic can help reduce inflammation and repair the liver. The herbs and taurine in Livatone help to repair liver cells and increase the liver’s production of bile. This aids digestion and has a detoxifying effect in the body.
  • Selenium is immensely beneficial for anyone with an inflamed liver because it is required for the production of glutathione. This is your body’s own powerful antioxidant and detoxifier. Selenium levels are low in the soils of much of the world, therefore foods tend to be deficient. Anyone with poor digestive health will not absorb selenium well enough from food, therefore supplementation is usually necessary.
  • Gut toxicity, dysbiosis and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) increase the severity of liver disease. This is because gut wastes arrive at the liver, inflaming it. BactoClear capsules help address this because they are a natural anti-microbial remedy. Ultimate Gut Health powder and bone broth are both wonderful for soothing an inflamed gut and enabling faster tissue repair. They help to reduce the toxin load that arrives at the liver from the intestines.
  • Certain foods help and other foods harm the liver. You can find out exactly what you should be eating in my book Fatty Liver: You Can Reverse It.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.