NUTRITION AUTHOR
Jonathan Mendoza, DC, RN, FNP-C
GETTING TO KNOW THE BODY’S FILTER: THE LIVER n Learn how the liver is the body’s foundation of physical health.
A
ccording to the CDC, heart disease was the number one killer of Americans in 2020 (and has been for close to 95 years). Additionally, one in three Americans is prediabetic. The culprit? Processed “food” we are eating. Our processed diets are overwhelming our livers, spiking our insulin levels and slowly shortening our life spans. Heart issues can be directly related to what we store in our liver. If we store unhealthy fat and cholesterol in our liver, we will release this type of inflammatory fat into our circulation, leading to issues such as coronary artery disease. The same goes for sugar and carbohydrates.
JULY 2021
However you have the ability to help your body in ways you never thought possible — simply by thinking of your liver.
The Foundation of Physical Health
The liver is the most important detox organ we have in the body. It is so incredible that, if you cut a healthy liver in half, it would regenerate completely. This organ acts as a “pantry,” storing sugars, proteins and fats, and it also regulates our hormones and rids the body of toxins. It also contains a gene known as the MTHFR gene that regulates our antioxidant and neurotransmitter production along with providing DNA repair. The MTHFR gene is also known
16
as the methylation gene, and most people have an issue with this vital SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism). The liver will take macronutrients we consume (carbs/proteins/fats) and store them as energy. Moreover, the liver stores vitamins such as B12, B6, B9, D, A, E and even K, while also containing micronutrients such as selenium, zinc, magnesium and copper. While it is an essential piece of the metabolism process, an unhealthy liver can lead to many health issues and deplete nutrients. A standard western diet that consists of processed carbohydrates, proteins and fats can lead to the development of a “fatty liver.”
