Can Your Liver Make You Fat?

Your liver probably isn’t the first thing you think of when you’re trying to get rid of those last stubborn pounds, but it plays a vitally important role in metabolizing fats. An unhealthy liver can lead to a build-up of abdominal fat that won’t shift until you address the underlying problem.
The liver is one of the most important fat-burning organs in your body. A healthy liver function allows your body to metabolize excess fat efficiently. When your liver is constantly being poisoned by your diet and lifestyle choices, it is unable to function normally and your metabolism suffers. Instead of the fat getting burned and removed from your body, it stays in your system.
So if you’ve counted your calories correctly, exercised everyday and still can’t shed those pesky last pounds, you should consider reducing some of those toxins that could be clogging up your liver.

Where do these toxins come from?

As part of our modern lifestyle, these days our livers get put through their paces by a wide variety of toxins. Some of them are very tough to avoid, like pollution in the air or chemicals in the water we drink. Others are less obvious, but no less troubling.
Food is the worst culprit. The processed and packaged food that you buy in the supermarket can contain a bewildering array of preservatives and chemicals. Even foods that look fresh, like meat or vegetables, contain artificial toxins that are hidden from view. Good examples are the heavy use of pesticides on farmed vegetables, the thin layer of wax used to keep apples looking fresh, and the hormones pumped into beef and chicken (buy organic to avoid all of these!).

Medical drugs are another culprit that can really slow your liver down - never take more than you really need. Even beauty products can impair your liver function, as their chemicals seep into your bloodstream.
Avoiding all toxins is virtually impossible. However, if you are conscious of what you are eating and drinking, you might be able to lessen the load on your liver. Give it a chance to break down that extra fat!

What are the symptoms of a clogged liver?

A healthy liver should help with all kinds of health issues. Here are a few that you might recognize. The symptoms of a clogged liver include:

• Constipation
• Bad breath
• Fatigue
• Foggy brain
• Weak immune system
• Allergies
• Headaches
• Acne
• Excess fat (especially on the abdominal area)

Most importantly, cleaning your liver will allow it to process fat more efficiently, and help you to drop those last few pounds.

How can you make your liver healthy again?

Replace the artificial sweeteners

Even though something may contain no calories, it can still slow down your liver. Artificial sweeteners contain few calories, but they are toxic for the liver and indirectly contribute to weight gain. Sometimes choosing a little organic honey will actually help you lose weight more than the artificial sweetener.

Stay off the processed food

Avoid all processed food, deep fried food and junk food. These are full of preservatives and other chemicals that your liver needs to process. Check the ingredients on everything you buy and avoid anything that contains too many ingredients that you don’t recognize.

Quit the cigarettes & alcohol

You can do your liver a big favor by laying off the cigarettes and alcohol. Let your liver focus on metabolizing fat, rather than fixing your body after a big night out!

Buy organic

The reasoning for this is kind of similar to the processed food. Meat and vegetables are produced commercially, and there are often few restrictions on what pesticides, hormones and chemicals end up in your food. Buying organic food may be a little more expensive, but organic farmers comply with strict regulations that mean your food is much more nutritious and healthy.

Do a liver detox

Give yourself a head start by doing a liver detox. Here are a few simple guidelines to follow:

• Start your day with a simple liver tonic. Just add a 1/4 squeeze of fresh lemon to warm water.
• Stick to organic fresh-pressed juices, fresh raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds and whole grain foods as much as possible.
• For an extra liver boost, eat artichokes, cinnamon, rosemary, turmeric and dandelion leaves. These are all super liver boosters.
• Some veggies are rich in sulfur, which helps to detoxify the liver. Here are a few to try - garlic, onions, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, and Brussels sprouts.

You can also try this liver detox recipe once a day. Its a delicious, easy drink to make. Just add all ingredients to the blender and voila!
Liver Detox Recipe
A handful of spinach
1 apple
1 banana
1 lemon (squeezed)
Half a chili pepper (optional)
1 garlic clove or as much as desired (optional)
1 glass of water