Other liver friendly foods are avocados and walnuts and also the spice turmeric.
Avocados help protect the liver from toxic overload. They also boost its cleansing power. Even eating 1-2 avocados a week for 30 days has been demonstrated to heal a damaged liver.Walnuts also help detoxify the liver and oxygenate the blood.Turmeric is amazingly powerful spice which has the capacity to maintain a healthy liver. It actively protects it against toxic damage, shrinks engorged hepatic ducts. It even regenerates damaged liver cells. It boosts bile production and improves overall function of the gallbladder. This is a companion organ to the liver.The importance of the gallbladder
The throw away organ we cannot afford to do without.
The gallbladder is a muscular pear-shaped organ located just beneath our liver whose purpose is to store and eject bile when needed. i.e. it does this when we eat a fatty meal. Without this infusion of bile, we can’t absorb our fat-soluble nutrients, vitamins A, D, E and K, and those all-important essential fatty acids.
In women it lifts our oestrogen levels and helps maintain mucous membranes. Omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 fats help keep vaginal tissues healthy and encourage our body to produce the hormones necessary to prevent vaginal dryness.
The problem is, all too often, the gallbladder becomes lazy, congested, and even blocked with sludge and bile stones. When bile stagnates in an underworked gallbladder, it thickens and begins to stick to itself and form gallstones. This happens because of decades of processed foods and low-fat and non-fat diets which are devoid of nutrition. This is further compounded by increased toxic exposures, all too common in today’s climate.
Once our gallbladder is removed, we have lost our natural ability to properly digest fats, and our ability to remove toxic hormones and waste from our system. Without your gallbladder, there’s a continuous trickle of bile from the liver directly into our intestine—regardless of whether we’ve consumed fats. The problem comes when you need a large bolus of bile to process a fatty meal. Without a gallbladder, we have no bile reserve, and this has adverse effects on fat digestion and nutrient absorption.
Even if we still have our gallbladder, bile deficiency is a massive problem in the western word due to aging, diminished stomach acid, and inadequate intake of fat-metabolizing foods. Food allergies and sensitivities, stress and overeating further compounds the issue. In order to gain a better appreciation for the problem, let’s take a closer look at the many benefits of bile.
Bile is an emulsifier breaking them down into smaller particles so they can be absorbed by our gut. Every day, our liver synthesises and secretes more than a quart of this thick greenish-yellow liquid and sends it to your gallbladder for storage.
Not only is bile the key to absorbing and assimilating fats, but it serves as a toxic waste sponge, soaking up excess chemicals, hormones, drugs, heavy metals and other toxins for elimination. Our liver continuously uses cholesterol for bile production, which helps keep cholesterol levels in check—another benefit.
Once our gallbladder is removed, we are at greater risk of gaining weight and suffering nutritional deficiencies, as well as toxic overload. The number of toxins you can eliminate directly depends on the amount of bile our body can produce each day.
Without a gallbladder, our risk for weight gain increases substantially as oversized fat globules make their way into our bloodstream, and because they’re not broken down into a usable form, our body has no other option than to store them as fat—along with fat-soluble toxins.
Congested bile is linked to a whole host of seemingly unrelated symptoms including hormone dysfunction, hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid), hot flushes, constipation, depression, migraines, insomnia, dry skin, chronic fatigue, yeast overgrowth, parasites the list goes on and on. Researchers in Finland found hypothyroidism is seven times more likely in individuals with reduced bile flow.
The less bile we have, the more toxic and nutritionally compromised our body becomes. The result is big-time fat storage, along with accumulation of toxins stored in body fat. This has serious implications. By the time we reach 75% bile deficiency, we’ve already begun developing allergies, arthritis, and/or inflammation in our joints and muscles. Once our deficiency reaches 90%, we may be suffering from cancer or another equally devastating illness. So how can we prevent decreased bile production and thereby support our metabolism? If there are symptoms of poor fat digestion such as nausea, bloating, constipation or pale stools, or if you’ve had your gallbladder removed, then it is essential to increase your intake of bile-building foods and consider supplements to improve your bile.
It is possible to be healthy without a gallbladder. However, the same cannot be said for living without healthy bile.
Foods that assist bile production
Beetroot contain a substance which thins the bile and helps prevent gallstones. This substance is also a rich source of hydrochloric acid, which is critical for digestion and triggers our gallbladder to release bile. Beetroot protects our liver from chemical toxicity.Globe artichokes are brilliant to encourage bile production and protect our liver’s.Bitter foods trigger our pancreas to secrete digestive enzymes and our gall bladder to release bile. Bitter greens such as rocket, endive, dandelion and chicory shoots are excellent for this, as is horseradish. I would advise caution using Swedish bitters, which generally contain herbal laxatives such as rhubarb and senna.Choline is an essential nutrient that acts as an emulsifier, assists fat digestion, reduces cellulite, decongests the liver, improves nerve and brain function, and builds hormones. Ninety percent of us are choline deficient. Foods rich in choline are eggs and peanuts in particular but also wholegrain pasta and brown rice.Lecithin is one of the primary emulsifying agents in bile, containing significant choline. Lecithin breaks down fats making them more absorbable. Lecithin also reduces risk of heart problems. Lecithin from non-GMO soy or sunflower seeds makes a great fat-flushing supplement.Apple cider vinegar contains malic acid, which helps our body digest protein and thins the bile. Take one tablespoon of raw ACV in a glass of water before meals.Taurine is a key component of bile acids, made in the liver. Many are deficient, especially vegans and vegetarians, because taurine is derived from organ meats and other animal proteins. Taurine helps thin the bile, assists detoxification, improves lipids, and lowers the risk for obesity.Capsaicin ignites our fat burning engine! It is found in heating spices like cayenne. Capsaicin stimulates metabolism by activating brown fat, as well as helping optimise our cholesterol and triglyceride levels.Cumin spice can boost our metabolic rate, promote weight loss, reduce body fat and LDL, and stimulate pancreatic enzymes. In one study, just one teaspoon of cumin increased weight loss by 50 percent. It can be used in just about everything from soups to salad dressings, bread making, curries and casseroles.
