According to many scientific studies, and rightly so, the intestines are our second brain. This is now a proven scientific fact! But by dint of emphasizing this part of our body, we forget others, sometimes just as important. Let's approach the largest and hottest organ in our body: The Liver.

The liver: that forgotten organ that doesn't hurt

The liver is easily forgotten because we do not feel it. It becomes silent and if it is in pain, pain will not be a marker to consider at first. Indeed, the liver is an organ without nerves and therefore, we do not experience any unpleasant sensation when we abuse its capabilities. Obviously, the liver swells as it becomes sick, but it does not make us suffer.

From an anatomical point of view, the latter is located in a protective pocket provided, it, with nerves, which, at its contact, calls out to us that a health concern is present. Unfortunately, when the liver is so large that it manages to touch this protective pocket, it may be too late.

Inflammation, cirrhosis, and cancer are the most severe cases that can be achieved with a diseased liver. At the same time, steatosis, an accumulation of fat on the liver, should sound the alarm because our human body is not adapted to so much fat. Only migratory birds store so much fat to survive long journeys.  

The mission of the liver

The liver's job is to detoxify everything we swallow, what we metabolize, what we need to purify and what we need to eliminate. Nevertheless, given our Western lifestyle, we often consume foods that are harmful to our bodies: too much salt, too much sugar and too much fat, but above all too much food.

In fact, our civilized countries consume far too much food throughout the day. From then on, the liver no longer keeps up and becomes completely overwhelmed and weakened in its primary role.

The liver: is a detox or fast the real solution?

Between detox or fasting to accompany the liver, the answer is none!

Every year, at various specific times (after the holidays, in the spring and in the fall), we are invaded - in health magazines or on the internet - by articles advising detoxification and liver cleansing.

Although some gentle methods (accompaniment by cholagogue or choleretic type plants - milk thistle, artichoke, rosemary, ...) can help the liver's role in its daily workload, the one and only method that truly relieves a clogged, overworked or tired liver is digestive rest.

Different from fasting, which can force the liver to work even harder through a decrease in digestive bacteria, digestive rest is a conscious action towards one's body, one's diet and hence, one's liver. Indeed, when the liver is simply lightened its workload, it is much better off.

The liver: back to a healthy diet

• Let's eat fresh, not frozen, seasonal and organic fruits and vegetables; we avoid the liver to work on the filtration of pesticides.

• Let's avoid industrial foods. Indeed, they are composed of chemical ingredients such as preservatives for example, which must also be filtered by the liver.

• Let's limit aggressive foods such as unrefined sugar, white flours, excessive dairy products, etc.

• Let's consume alcohol sparingly, only on occasions (parties, festive events, etc...) but certainly not in a daily routine.

The detoxification methods are effective if food hygiene follows along in a preventive routine. Indeed, giving yourself detox moments in annual cures will not be effective in the long run if at other times, junk food rules your life.

Finally, in order to prevent liver-related ailments, think about the basic rules for healthy eating but don't forget about managing your emotions as well. In fact, an individual who continually suffers from anger rooted in him could see problems appearing over the years on the liver.

Take care of yourself!