What Has The Liver Got To Do With Fat Loss?

If you want to lose weight this year there is no better way than to get your liver in shape. A healthy liver regulates fat metabolism and can pump excess fat out of your body via the bile. A healthy liver is the furnace of the body and generates heat and energy, so little wonder you will suffer fatigue if you have a sluggish liver. People with an overworked liver commonly perspire excessively and are very sensitive to high temperatures.

Over the years, and remember I’ve been a medical doctor for nearly 50 years, I’ve seen so many people struggle with their weight. And a lot of these people will have an underlying fatty liver or just a sluggish liver that is not burning fat. And once we improve their liver function, they start losing weight. It may be as simple as taking a good liver formula, such as Livatone Plus, eating more vegetables, eating more protein, and you’ll find that your liver starts burning fat. It’s like a switch. You’ve got to get your liver healthy to be able to burn fat and control your weight.

Lack of energy is a common problem and takes away your desire to exercise and cook healthy meals, leading to more weight gain. I help many of my overweight and fatigued patients to restore their health by giving them a plan to improve their liver function. So in this busy and stressful life what can we manage to do to improve the function of this vitally important organ the liver?

Eat foods high in the mineral sulfur – such as free-range eggs and cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, collards and broccoli. Vegetables from the onion family such as leeks, onions, garlic and shallots are also high in sulfur. Sulfur is needed to break down toxic chemicals in the liver cells where it is an integral part of the powerful liver protector glutathione. Alternatively you can take a natural sulfur supplement in the form of MSM.
Take a good liver tonic such as Livatone which contains a large dose of Milk Thistle – plus supporting herbs and taurine. This helps improve the efficiency of your liver cells and repair inflamed cells.
Drink plenty of water – to increase the elimination of toxins that the liver has broken down.
Restrict your intake of sugar, flour and grain-based foods – these include bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, breakfast cereals and foods containing flour, such as cakes and cookies. Your liver is very good at converting excess dietary carbohydrate into fat. Most people eat far more carbohydrate than their body requires. If you have excess fat on your body it probably means you ate more carbohydrate than your body needed and you have converted it into fat. Try to base your diet on vegetables, salads, fish, eggs, chicken, red meat, fruit, legumes (pulses), raw nuts and seeds. The book I Can’t Lose Weight and I Don’t Know Why contains an easy to follow low carbohydrate eating plan.
Grow an organic herb garden – if you don’t have a backyard, you can grow herbs in pots on your veranda or windowsill. Powerful herbs to improve your liver and gut health are – parsley, mint, cilantro, basil, thyme and oregano. These herbs grow easily in a sunny spot with regular watering and good soil. You can also grow garlic and turmeric, as these vegetables have proven liver benefits. These herbs and vegetables can be added to salads or raw juices. The green herbs are liver cleansing and stimulate the ability of the liver to remove toxins. They are high in magnesium and powerful antioxidants that can reverse liver damage. They stimulate the flow of bile and improve digestion which is helpful for those with gallbladder problems and gallstones. Thyme and oregano have powerful antibiotic and antiviral properties, which is very helpful for those with frequent or chronic infections. Many of these herbs have strong flavours and very small amounts can be effective. Personally I enjoy the flavours of these herbs when they are included in a raw juice with fresh pineapple, orange, lime and carrot.
Buy a sprouting machine and grow sprouts from beans and seeds – these are high in protein and easily absorbed and digested.