Hold The Onions: Your Liver and Its Importance In Fighting the Battle of the Bulge

Hold the onions! Let's talk "liver". No, not beef liver, but human liver and its relationship to weight loss. This king of the organs is so important in our battle of the bulge, it's worth spending some quality time discussing it.

According to the American Liver Foundation, the liver is responsible for the following functions (and more):

? to convert the food we eat into stored energy, and chemicals necessary for life and growth;

? to act as a filter to remove alcohol and toxic substances from the blood and convert them to substances that can be excreted from the body;

? to process drugs and medications absorbed from the digestive system, enabling the body to use them effectively and ultimately dispose of them;

? to manufacture and export important body chemicals used by the body, one of these being bile, a greenish-yellow substance essential for the digestion of fats in the small intestine.

It is the fourth function that we are mostly concerned with, but it cannot be viewed except in light of the others. What I mean is that the liver has the ability to do only a certain amount of work in a day. If it is damaged or busy removing contaminants from the body, there is not enough time for it to deal with the fats that we consume. If not dealt with immediately, excess fat will be stored away until it can be.

The bile produced by our liver is passed along to the gall bladder, which then releases it in order to emulsify the fat. An emulsion is simply the combination of two or more items that will not naturally mix on their own. Think of oil and vinegar. On their own they separate; if mixed with a chemical emulsifier, they can be "forced" to remain together in an emulsion.

What practical application can this have for you? This means that you need to make sure that your liver isn't working overtime to remove toxins and such from your system, and make sure that you eat things that will help the liver to work at its utmost efficiency.

In the avoiding toxicity category, here are a few simple suggestions:

1. Avoid unnecessary drugs. Medicines are chemicals and must be removed by the liver. If you don't take them, your liver won't waste time removing them.

2. Avoid drinking alcohol. Your liver will have to work to remove it from your blood.

3. Avoid absorbing chemicals into your body. Wear a mask when using aerosols, wear rubber gloves when handling liquid chemicals, and NEVER use a solvent to "clean" paint, ink, or other sticky contaminants from your skin. Doing so causes the solvent and the contaminant to be absorbed into your body.

4. Avoid steroids and other hormones whenever possible.

As far as consuming, or not, certain foods, here are some guidelines:

1. Eat lots of fresh, preferably organic, fruits. Do not eat the canned fruit in sugary syrup.

2. Eat lots of fresh, preferably organic vegetables. These can be juiced and seasoned if the raw veggies alone are not palatable.

3. Reduce (dramatically) the amount of processed (refined) carbohydrates such as pasta, pastries, bread, and most other commercially baked goods.

4. Avoid hydrogenated fats. If a fat can sit in a can for ten years and not go rancid, how can you expect your body to easily process it? Margarine, shortening and most oils should be avoided. Extra virgin olive oil is one exception to this rule.

5. Avoid dairy products ? especially those that can contain hormones and pesticides.

6. Avoid deep fat fried foods. Duh...

7. Try to drink a gallon of water a day. A reader once asked if lemon squeezed into water would help you lose weight. I read recently that fresh lemon juice helps the liver to produce bile, which is definitely advantageous.

8. Drink Aloe Vera gel or juice. Aloe Vera helps to cleanse the liver and to flush fat deposits from the liver.

9. Eat more fiber. Not only does fiber readily attach itself to fat and help to clean the digestive tract, but it also helps to sweep toxins out of your system, thus limiting their ability to circulate back into the blood.

Some of these tips may seem redundant or obvious but it's very important to think of them in light of your liver and its ability to metabolize fat. If you do all that you can do to make your liver as effective as possible, it will do its best job as a fat-removing machine. As we can see here, there is more to keeping our liver efficient than just eating the right foods!

Reference: www.liverfoundation.org The Liver Foundation

Michael Callen is the author of the Weekly Weightloss Tips Newsletter (ccwebgroup.com/tips) and the Chief Technology Officer for http://www.wellnesspartners.com, an online retailer of dozens of health and wellness products such as http://www.wellnesspartners.com, http://www.wellnesspartners.com, and Green Tea Extract.

best cleaning company Wilmette ...
In The News:

Ford's new privacy promise pledges not to sell driving data to insurers or brokers, but disabling connected car data sharing could cost you key features.
Google says Videostrong deliberately installed backdoor malware in over 1.3 million Android TV boxes, turning them into a botnet for criminals.
Foundation Future Robotics co-founder Mike LeBlanc says the MK 2 humanoid is ready to engage enemies with machine guns in Ukraine's combat zone.
EAIGLE says its AI camera technology cuts truck check-ins from 10 minutes to under 30 seconds, potentially reducing fuel waste across supply chains.
The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
After the military, some veterans are left wondering what's next? Nonprofit organization Vets to Drones is helping them take on a new path by becoming certified drone pilots.
Natasha Lopez says a Flock camera system helped a Georgia deputy track her family, and after she spoke out, a fake Facebook page targeted her children.
Data broker opt-outs may not keep your personal information private for long. Five common myths leave retirees especially vulnerable to scams.
What's Nvidia's future after the resignation of CEO Jensen Huang amid scandals? Weigh in here!
Meta's AI age-estimation technology now scans Instagram accounts worldwide, placing millions of teens into stricter safety settings automatically.
The FTC sent warning letters to 25 companies over misleading health insurance ads as open enrollment brings a surge of deceptive offers online.
Michigan's new prison scoring system claims 30% better violence prediction, but Recidiviz says it doesn't actually use AI to classify inmates.
University of Texas at Arlington researchers reveal how AI analyzes public Instagram posts to craft spear phishing emails that feel personal.
VOLTA-AUTODOXER malware uses AI to analyze stolen data and rank victims by potential value, helping criminals target the most profitable accounts.
Daimler Truck's Oregon demos show how a Freightliner Cascadia's automatic emergency braking responds when dummy cars suddenly cross a moving truck's path.
Facebook ads promising to recover stolen funds are targeting scam victims again, and Meta confirmed removing flagged accounts after investigation.
Tesla Cybertruck production is winding down at Gigafactory Texas to make room for Cybercab robotaxi manufacturing, but key questions remain for owners.
Identity theft can hide in phone accounts, medical records and utility bills long before it shows on a credit report. Eight places to check now.
JR East's towering ZIZAI ZX-3 chainsaw robot tackles dangerous branch-cutting along Japan's Koumi Line while a trained operator controls it remotely.
A massive DHS data leak exposed records of over 41,000 employees, revealing links to undercover ICE operations, Palantir tools and AI platforms.
The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
UCLA's PhoneBot turns old Android phones into the brain of a two-legged humanoid robot that walks, follows people and stands up after falling.
A fake Amazon invoice charging $988.18 for an iPad lists the same customer support phone number three times to steer panicked victims into calling.
A handful of food delivery robots from Uber Eats and other platforms have gotten kicked and knocked over in Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
Data broker opt-out forms may not protect your family. People search sites can still expose your info through a spouse's or parent's profile.

Hypnosis for Weight Control - Why Diets Dont Provide a Long-Term Solution

One of the difficulties with dieting is the well known... Read More

Find the Right New Year?s Resolution to Get into Your Best Shape Ever!

Yep, it is that time of year again! Time to... Read More

Mindfulness - The Key to Avoiding Overeating

I made myself a sandwich today and thought I'd be... Read More

Hydrate to Lose Weight: Drinking Water & Its Relationship to Weight Loss

It all begins with water .... Water makes up 75%... Read More

The Psychology of Weight Loss: Part 6 ? Its Not About Numbers!

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE NUMBERS!The health clubs are always racking... Read More

Finally, Natural Weight Loss Availalble, Judge Lifts Ban on Ephedra

April 14, 2005 federal judge Tena Campbell of the federal... Read More

It?s Not Just About Dieting

You may not like what I'm about to say, but... Read More

Today?s Diets ? What?s Hot!

For the person who wants to shed a few pounds... Read More

Add High Water Content Fruits and Vegetables to Your Diet For Fast Weight Loss

Include in your diet things that contain more water like... Read More

7 Strategies To Stop Eating Junk Food!

FACT: Obesity accounts for 300,000 deaths a year in the... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #12

Are you just exploding with the presence of light all... Read More

Court Overturns Ban

In December 2003, the FDA incorporated an ephedra ban making... Read More

Avoid Commont Fitness Pitfalls

While exercising isn't complicated, it's very easy to make mistakes.... Read More

Nothing More Powerful Than Your Words

Telling yourself you have to "struggle with this weight issue... Read More

Does Fat Free Really Mean Free Of Fat?

Do you know what the words really mean on food... Read More

How High-Carb Diet Plans Treat Carbohydrates

A number of popular diets are focused on carbohydrates. Some... Read More

Role of the Stress Hormone in Weight Control!

Eating when under stress isn't just about filling an emotional... Read More

Gastric Bypass Patients at Risk for Stomach Blockage: How to Avoid This

In a gastric bypass the connection between he stomach pouch... Read More

Weight Loss Superfecta

If you are a fan of horse racing, you are... Read More

Healthy Recipes for Low Carb Success

Using healthy low carb recipes are an important part of... Read More

How Many Calories Can I Have And Still Lose Weight?

How to Estimate How Many Calories You Can Have and... Read More

Are You Overweight Because Youre Not Sleeping Enough?

If you're like me, you probably wish that there was... Read More

The Pros and Cons of Fad Dieting

It is very tempting to try that fad diet that... Read More

Gastro-Physics And Dietary Anti-Matter

Do a little people-watching, next time you're in the grocery... Read More

Weight Loss Tips: Get Effective Weight Loss Tips!

Looking for Diet Programs on net is like looking for... Read More

eco-friendly cleaning service Highland Park ...