Let’s dive into an important topic: could your liver be the reason behind your fatigue?
If you constantly feel exhausted, wake up unrefreshed, and struggle to get through each day, your liver might play a key role in these symptoms.
You might have noticed dark circles under your eyes or experienced an afternoon slump where your energy levels crash.
Perhaps you find yourself reaching for a sugary snack or even needing a quick nap to power through the rest of the day.
Maybe you’re also waking up several times during the night, particularly in the early hours, or dealing with roving body aches and pains that seem to move around and don’t settle in one specific area. Possibly, you feel unusually tired after meals.
These are all signs that could indicate that your liver is overwhelmed and could be contributing to your fatigue.
When I discuss this with my clients, many are surprised, often saying, “But I don’t drink alcohol! How could my liver be burdened?“
I often say, “Hold on a minute, your liver has over 500 different jobs to do!” It’s the ultimate multitasker, an incredible organ that handles countless tasks—at least 500.
So, when the liver becomes overwhelmed by all these daily responsibilities, it can start to feel burdened and fatigued. And when your liver is struggling, you might find yourself feeling the same way—fatigued, run-down, tired, and experiencing brain fog.
Many people think of the liver primarily as an organ that detoxifies alcohol, but its roles extend far beyond that. For instance, the liver is a storage powerhouse. It stores vital nutrients like iron, copper, B12, and vitamin D.
It’s also a reserve for hormones, particularly thyroid hormones, stored for when the body needs them later. Additionally, if you have excess sugar in your system, the liver helps store that too.
So, it’s clear that detoxification is just one of the liver’s many functions—there’s a lot more going on!
The liver also plays a significant role in metabolism, especially when it comes to fats and sugars. If you have a diet high in sugar, the liver stores it and helps regulate your blood sugar levels, keeping them steady throughout the day and night. However, if your blood sugar is constantly spiking and crashing, it places a heavy burden on the liver.
If you’re looking to burn fat or lose weight, your liver is crucial for fat metabolism—not just for weight loss, but for daily bodily functions as well. For instance, when cholesterol levels start to rise, I often focus on supporting the liver to aid in cholesterol metabolism.
Also, the liver is involved in bowel regulation as part of its metabolic duties. If your bowels are sluggish and not moving as they should, it could be due to liver burden and an inability to produce sufficient bile acids. These acids are essential for stimulating the intestines and helping your body eliminate waste efficiently.
Another vital function of the liver is the breakdown or inactivation of substances, including the breakdown of hormones.
For example, after your body has utilised hormones like estrogen and progesterone, the liver breaks them down and eliminates them. This process is essential to prevent these hormones from lingering in the body and potentially causing health issues.
The liver also helps in breaking down stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. After a stressful day, when your body has been running on these stress hormones, the liver ensures they don’t keep circulating and keeping you in that heightened state.
The liver’s breakdown role doesn’t stop at hormones. It also tackles microbial toxins, which can be produced when there’s an imbalance in gut bacteria, a condition known as dysbiosis.
Similarly, if you’ve been battling an infection—whether it’s a cold, flu, or something else—your liver works hard to break down the toxins produced by the viruses or bacteria. As we approach the end of winter, many of us might still be recovering from seasonal infections, making this liver function particularly relevant.
The liver is truly incredible, isn’t it? We’ve only covered three of the liver’s categories so far!
Then, of course, there’s the well-known function of detoxification. This is what most people think of when they consider the liver.
Detoxification
Detoxification includes processing the foods we eat—breaking down the chemicals, additives, and preservatives they may contain.
Whether it’s the caffeine from your morning coffee, a glass of wine, or even the juice you sip on, the liver is hard at work managing and detoxifying these substances. Additionally, everything you breathe in, including environmental toxins, must be processed by the liver as well.
Even the chemicals you apply to your skin —whether it’s your personal care products like shampoos, conditioners, moisturisers, body soaps, or perfume—get absorbed into your body and sent straight to the liver for detoxification.
Think of your liver as a large filter that has to process everything you come into contact with each day.
It’s a big job, isn’t it?
Feeling a bit overwhelmed yourself just thinking about all the liver has to manage?
Now, let’s talk about digestion. Your liver plays a crucial role here, particularly in producing bile acids that help break down fats, allowing your body to absorb those essential fatty molecules inm the intestines. The range of tasks your liver performs is vast and incredibly varied. So, let me ask you this: as you go through your day, juggling tasks like taking the kids to school, picking them up, driving them to after-school activities, working, cleaning the house, shopping, being a partner—whatever it is you’re doing—how would you feel if I asked you to take on an additional project? Let’s say I ask you to spring clean your entire house or maybe plan a bigm party for one of your closest friends, and I want it done by tomorrow.
Would you feel overwhelmed?
Would you have the energy to tackle that extra task on top of everything else you already have to do?
You might find yourself feeling burdened, tired, moody, or irritable, wondering how you’ll get through the day without reaching for some sugar or caffeine to keep going.
If any of the above sounds familiar, it might be a sign that your liver is also feeling overwhelmed, contributing to your tiredness and fatigue.
But here’s the good news: the liver is an incredibly resilient organ.
With the right support and care, it has an amazing ability to bounce back. I’ve seen some dramatic improvements in clients’ energy levels and overall well-being just by giving their liver the support it needs.
So, how can you start supporting your liver to help overcome that tiredness and fatigue?
1. Eat Clean, Whole Foods
The first step in supporting your liver is to eat clean on a daily basis. This means focusing on whole, unprocessed foods as close to their natural state as possible. Incorporate a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and essential fats into your diet.
These nutrient-dense foods, such as broccoli, cabbage, turmeric, and rocket lettuce, are not only delicious but also powerful allies in supporting liver function. The more you nourish your liver with these natural foods, the healthier and more vibrant you’ll feel.
2. Stay Hydrated
Hydration is key to aiding the liver in its detoxification processes. The liver works hard to convert toxins but needs water to flush them out of the body effectively through the kidneys and bowels.
Ensuring you drink plenty of water daily helps support your liver in eliminating toxins and keeping your body functioning smoothly.
3. Support Gut Health
Maintaining a healthy gut is essential for liver function. A balanced gut microbiome helps the liver in its detoxification duties and prevents the creation of additional toxins due to dysbiosis.
Beneficial microbes in your gut play a vital role in supporting your liver, so prioritising gut health is another way to keep your liver—and, by extension, your whole body—healthy.
4. Reduce Your Liver’s Burden
Reducing the overall burden on your liver can make a significant difference. This involves cutting back on processed foods, caffeine, and alcohol, all of which can overburden the liver.
Additionally, be mindful of the chemicals in your personal care products, such as moisturisers, shampoos, and perfumes, as these can add to the liver’s workload.
The goal is to decrease the number of tasks your liver has to manage, allowing it to function more efficiently.
5. Regularly Use Foods, Nutrients, and Herbs to Support the Liver
Instead of opting for an occasional intense detox, consider providing your liver with consistent, daily support through nutrition and herbs. Just like having regular help around the house keeps things in order, daily support with specific nutrients and herbs can keep your liver functioning optimally.
Nutrients like choline, B vitamins, and zinc are essential for liver health, as are herbs like St. Mary’s thistle (milk thistle), Globe Artichoke, Schisandra, and Dandelion.
While it’s always best to seek qualified advice to determine what’s right for you, even incorporating herbal teas into your routine can make a positive difference.
By giving your liver the support it needs, you can reduce your overall burden and start feeling more vibrant, energised, and ready to take on each day.
If you’re curious whether your liver might contribute to your fatigue, I’ve compiled a free checklist that you can download.
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This is how gut microbes can influence weight!
Probiotics can help you gain weight or lose weight by interacting with our genetics, food and metabolism.
And yes, I did say lose or gain weight……..
Firstly, let me explain that the trillions of microbes in the gut need to be varied, meaning that there should be a large variety of species. There are many different species (or breeds) of microbes, and they all have their place in aiding health — the more variety and balance, the better health results.
Back to the weight loss or weight gain issue….
Do you eat yogurt and berries for breakfast? Thinking that it’s helping you lose weight?
Well, Lactobacillus acidophilus (like the species found in yoghurt) has been connected to weight gain.
I am not saying throw your yoghurt and berries in the bin. Instead, I am suggesting looking at the overall picture. If Lactobacillus acidophilus is the predominant micro-organism of the gut, then weight gain can result.
It is about the variety of species of gut microbes. Imagine if we only have trained german shepherd guard dogs in the world. It may be a safe world, but I am sure that other breeds may be more suitable as a family pet.
While Lactobacillus acidophilus is associated with weight gain, other Lactobacillus species correlate with weight loss.
Species like Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Bifidobacteria animalis have been found to support weight loss.
Want to lose weight?
Look at your gut flora to support your goal.
Tests can be performed to identify the predominant species of the gut, and specific species can be utilised to support weight changes.
Want more information about your gut health?
Or want to look at all the factors contributing to weight gain, I’d love to be able to help.