Fat, Carbs and Your Liver

There are always fad diets out there telling you to eat one way or anther for weight loss and health. The reality of it is that there really is no one size fits all type of diet.  Every person is unique and has different biochemical requirements.

That being said, most modern day Western diets consist of excessive grains, sugars, poor quality fats, additives and preservatives. They contain very little nutrient dense foods such as quality protein, whole fruits and vegetables, and nuts or seeds. People still think that eating tons of fiber dense grains is a way to improve health, but on the contrary, excessive grains raise pro-inflammatory markers in the body.

Some diets even tell you to eat high fat and protein in order to bring you into a ketosis state allowing for greater metabolism of fat. Unfortunately, your muscles and brain prefer glucose (a form of sugar) in order to function optimally. Anything in excess without supportive nutrients and fiber can actually hinder health long term. Why? Because your liver requires a variety of nutrients!! We’ll talk about ketosis cycling another time.

What really happens when you over consume fat and carbohydrate? The main organ that is directly impacted is the liver. The liver is the powerhouse within your body. Without a liver, you will die. It’s a fascinating organ because it’s constantly filtering, repackaging and has the ability to regenerate itself. It is especially important for detoxification of toxins from the environment, your food and your own metabolic byproducts. It helps make blood sugar when you don’t get enough from food, it stores excess fuel, and facilitates the synthesis and repackaging of the almighty antioxidant known as cholesterol.

The liver requires multiple nutrients and enzymes to help it do it’s job. This is why it’s important to not over-load the liver with things like excessive fat, carbohydrate and alcohol. Excess of these things can cause the liver to work harder in order to process and re-balance your body. It will use up vital nutrients and enzymes to complete the task. Luckily, you can replenish these nutrients with nutrient dense foods and supportive supplements.

Think about your liver next time you take on a diet that includes excessive amounts of fats, carbohydrates and alcohol. Unlike your lungs, heart and digestion where you can feel your breathing, heart beat, and hunger or constipation….you can’t feel your liver until it’s under severe stress.

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is a result of this “backing up” of the liver and it’s inability to keep up with excess intake of fats and carbohydrates. Common side effects of a congested liver is chronic fatigue, brain fog, poor focus, joint pain, headaches, autoimmune flare ups, and skin rashes. You may even see other clinical signs like cholesterol imbalances, elevated blood sugars, and high blood pressure.

If you’d like more information on restoring balance to your diet and your liver, please contact me via email: info@eatwellandbeyond.com.   Diet planning as well as detox protocols may be exactly what you need to bring the joy, healing, and clarity back into your life.