Why Liver Health is Important to Your Fertility

Liver Health – The liver is the organ responsible for breaking down and expelling toxins that enter the body and that each system of the body, including the reproductive system, depends on to properly function. LiveLiver Health

A. the kidneys

B. the colon

C. the liver

I hope you got it right! If not, the answer is, C – the liver.

The liver, the master detoxifier, is indeed responsible for a large part of our overall health and particularly instrumental in fertility health.

The role of liver health in fertility The liver has two main jobs:

To convert food, fluid, and the air we breathe (including that which the body absorbs through the air we breathe) into the life-sustaining vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and nutrients that fuel and protect the body.
To break down and expel toxins and excess hormones.

It does these jobs by…

filtering toxins from the blood at a rate of over one quart per minute
making bile, the fluid that helps the body break down fats and prevents constipation
metabolizing excess hormones
participating in healthy immune system function
producing interferon, a protein that acts as the body’s natural defense system against pathogens (viruses, bacteria, germs, parasites, etc.)
storing vitamins, minerals and enzymes for use when the body needs them
converting amino acids into glucose for energy production

A liver that is tired, congested and overworked can produce a multitude of symptoms that are often thought to be caused by hormones and particularly hormone imbalance. Common symptoms of a sluggish liver are crashes of energy, poor digestion, skin issues (more below), weight gain and many more…

anger or irritability
bouts of general depression, headaches or body aches without an identifiable cause
inability to properly balance hormones in the absence of other contributing fertility health issues
poor digestion, nausea after meals (especially after eating fatty/oily foods) and constipation
skin issues – irritation, some liver spots, itching, swelling with bags under the eyes, slight yellow hue, acne
tiredness/fatigue without having overexerted oneself

Main contributors to liver sluggishness are eating a diet low in fiber that lacks fresh whole vegetables and overeating dairy, fatty meat, oils, alcohol and refined sugars. Repeated use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and tranquilizers, and exposure to environmental toxins and chemicals also contribute to poor liver health.

How to Improve Liver Health

The liver is an amazing organ! Thankfully it is able to renew and regenerate itself. This can take some time depending on the degree to which it is damaged – in general anywhere from three months to a year.

“Optimum nutrition is the best liver protection and the key to liver healing…” ~ Dr. Linda Page

A liver health program designed to help revitalize the liver should first and foremost focus on diet and exercise. Without the foundation of a whole food, clean diet and regular, moderate exercise, natural therapies supportive of liver health will not be as effective.

Dietary Choices for Optimal Liver Function

Foods for Liver Health A liver health program should include a whole food Fertility Diet including Fertility Smoothies. This way of eating is high in the following which are particularly healthy for the liver:

Fresh vegetables, specifically dark green leafy vegetables and sea vegetables, chlorophyll-rich foods that boost liver health and function. FertiliGreens is a great way to get one complete serving of greens each day.
Fiber which absorbs excess bile, promotes regular elimination including elimination of excess hormones – whole grains, beans, and legumes.
Lean protein (mostly vegetable)- sprouts, whole grains, wheat germ, nutritional yeast, legumes, nuts and seeds
Potassium-rich foods – dried fruits, some seafood
Sulphur-rich foods – garlic, onion, cage-free eggs, cruciferous vegetables
Enzyme/probiotic-rich foods – fermented foods or kefir
Clean, filtered water – 6-8 glasses a day (add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice too)
Bitters that stimulate digestion – artichokes, beets and radishes and their greens, endive and arugula

Foods to avoid:

alcohol
soda
refined sugar
refined grains
fried foods high in saturated/trans fats

Dairy products that are organic, grass-fed and whole fat should be limited (avoid low-fat and nonfat dairy options).

Lifestyle Choices

Regarding lifestyle, normal, healthy blood flow (circulation) and fresh oxygen are required for the liver and reproductive organs to operate at their best.

Move around and work out! Don’t forget to work out outside where there is plenty of access to fresh air. The lungs need oxygen in order for the liver to function correctly. Make sure to sweat while exercising to naturally cleanse (take a sauna or steam in a hot bath).

Get an air purifier for your home or place of business, and change or clean your furnace filter as advised if you want to breathe clean air.

Stress Management

According to herbalist Matthew Wood, “The liver will typically be implicated if we have a mental state where there is anger, frustration, and battling against the flow or a lack of confidence in the natural path of events. In Greek and Chinese medicine, the concept of a “choleric,” or liver personality, corresponds to these mental problems.

These individuals also frequently “suffer from issues due to strain in other regions of the system… The sexual and urinary tract are one of the most severely affected areas.

The liver’s ability to function and the body’s capacity to create sex hormones both depend on healthy levels of stress hormones.

Herbs, Nutritional Supplements and Natural Therapies

Herbs and nutritional supplements can give your body the boost it needs to achieve optimal liver health.

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Nutritional Supplements

Immune system enhancing supplements are known to help support liver regeneration.

Vitamin C – a powerful antioxidant that strengthens the immune system
Probiotics – supportive of healthy gut flora to fight pathogens
CoQ10 Ubiquinol – another powerful antioxidant for fighting free radicals
Systemic Enzyme Therapy – promotes a healthy immune system response
Choline – a micronutrient, B vitamin, known to support the liver’s natural ability to detoxify and prevent fat build-up within itself. Suggested daily use is 425 mg. Foods rich in choline are eggs, don’t skip the yolks, Brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, wild Alaskan Salmon, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, lentils and peanuts

Natural Therapies

Castor Oil Therapy: Applied over the liver area three times a week, aids in liver detoxification and increases liver circulation.

Fertility Yoga: Improves blood circulation throughout the body, stretches muscles and ligaments, promotes calm, relaxation, and stress reduction, and improves breathing and oxygen flow into the lungs.