Liver Dysfunction

The liver has everything to do with how we live, that's why it is called the liver. The state of your liver will have a huge bearing upon how well you live, how long you will live and how you will look and feel.

In today's world, the liver has to work harder than ever before, and all over the world we find that liver problems are increasing. Globally, one in every ten persons suffers with some type of liver, bile duct or gall bladder disease. Liver cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and has a poor outlook.

350 million people worldwide suffer from hepatitis B which kills more than 2 million annually. Hepatitis C is the most rapidly spreading infectious disease in many countries and is a time bomb waiting to explode. These problems are increasing, and thousands of people are waiting anxiously for liver transplants that many of them will never be lucky enough to receive.

There are 25 million Americans with liver disease with thousands waiting for liver transplants. Unfortunately there are not nearly enough donor livers to meet the ever-increasing demand and so more than ever the message is that we need to take care of our livers from an early age.

A number of diseases can affect the liver

• acute and chronic hepatitis
• cirrhosis
• tumors
• hemochromatosis
• Wilson's disease
• sclerosing cholangitis
• primary biliary cirrhosis

The underlying causes of these disease states include viral infections like hepatitis A, B and C, alcohol, drugs, metabolic disorders and immunological factors. Chronic liver disease passes through a long period of minimal vague symptoms until the final stages of jaundice and mental confusion appear.

Thankfully nutritional medicine has been able to give many people with liver disease, from hepatitis B and C, to auto-immune disease, a healthy normally functioning liver. It is never too late as the liver has remarkable powers of healing and regeneration.

Liver dysfunction

This is different to liver disease in that the liver has not yet sustained permanent or sufficient damage to cause gross impairment of its vital functions. In those with a dysfunctional liver, the routine blood tests of liver function are generally normal. A dysfunctional liver is not working efficiently, and is overloaded, toxic or sluggish. Liver dysfunction is much more common than liver disease, and may be a forerunner to liver disease. In my experience of over 20 years of clinical medicine, I have found that approximately one in every three persons has a dysfunctional liver. Even if the level of dysfunction is only slight, it will still have a negative impact on your immune system and energy levels.

Many people suffer with the symptoms and signs of a dysfunctional liver for years, and yet the treating doctor or naturopath does not recognize the significance of these symptoms. The result is that the symptoms get treated while the underlying problem of an overloaded, toxic and inefficient liver is ignored or only partially treated. Inevitably, the patient's symptoms deteriorate, and increasing doses of drugs such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication, immune-suppressants, pain killers, cholesterol lowering drugs etc, are needed.

The full range of symptoms indicative of "dysfunctional liver syndrome" can only be defined after a study of Eastern and Western medical disciplines. Chinese doctors have long considered the liver to be the most important organ in the body and indeed they call the liver, the "General of the Army" of the body. I consider the liver to be the most strategic organ in the body, because by improving its function we are able to help many other body systems.

Support your liver function

A liver formula containing milk thistle, sulfur containing amino acids, anti-oxidants, B vitamins and selenium can support optimal liver function. Improving liver function will increase the ability of the liver to burn fat and pump fat out of the body through the bile.  It will also help to breakdown fat-soluble toxins that would otherwise become trapped in the fatty tissues and may lead to cellulite.

Recommended books

• "The Liver Cleansing Diet" book is a revelation to those who suffer from poor health, liver disease and excessive weight.  Everyone can benefit from the LCD as it is designed to improve overall health and immune function.  The LCD also includes an 8 week liver-cleanse-diet.