Your liver is a vital organ in your body. Everything that comes into your body is filtered by the liver. (source) It is also your largest internal organ, weighing 3-4 pounds. Can you believe it’s the size of a football?Yes, you have heard about this detoxes and cleanses. I firmly believe in detoxing. However, let’s compare it to debt. If all someone was focused on was paying off debt that they had, it would not be enough. This person would need to focus also on not accumulating new debt.The same is with your liver. Detoxing is good, and reducing the number of toxins (poisons) you put into your body is even better. Since you cannot avoid toxins 100%, I recommend both of the above approaches.The same analogy can be made with your entryway in your home. You can clean it every day, and that would be excellent. Just as good or even better would be leaving as much dirt, mud, and sand outside as possible.Your liver aids in food digestion and toxin elimination. When the liver is damaged, your life could be in danger.According to the Mayo Clinic, here are some symptoms of a damaged liver: (source)
- Skin and eyes that appear yellowish (jaundice)
- Abdominal pain and swelling
- Swelling in the legs and ankles
- Itchy skin
- overeating
- overly spicy foods
- fried foods
- refined carbohydrates, including those containing gluten
- sugar
- too much caffeine (black tea, coffee, soda)
- alcohol
- rich, complicated meals (combining too many different food types at once)