Your Liver: The Silent Hero of Your Health
I have been talking a lot about cholesterol in clinic recently and celebrating some fantastic client wins getting markers back into optimal ranges. But while cholesterol often steals the spotlight, let’s not forget the mighty liver and just how central it is to metabolic health.
Your liver is involved in hundreds of vital processes within the body.
Helps regulate Cholesterol production
Plays a huge role in blood sugar balance
Supports hormone balance
Helps absorb and process fats
Supports detoxification
Stores nutrients including iron
…and SO much more.
Which is why liver health is something I pay very close attention to when reviewing blood tests in clinic.
One condition that is really important when discussing metabolic health is:
Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)
You may know this by its older name, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
It is estimated almost 40% of the global population are affected - and those numbers are continuing to rise rapidly.
And before you think:
“This doesn’t affect me…”
You can be any age.
You can be any weight.
This is exactly why I do not assess health through weight alone.
Why The Liver Often Goes Unnoticed
One of the reasons liver health can be so overlooked is because the liver is super resilient.
It quietly keeps going.
Compensating.
Adapting.
The liver can tolerate a significant amount of strain before symptoms appear or blood markers become obviously abnormal. Many people have no obvious symptoms at all in the earlier stages.
You often will not “feel” your liver struggling in the same way you may notice digestive symptoms, headaches or joint pain.
This is one of the reasons I am so passionate about prevention and looking for subtle clues before the body reaches the point where it can no longer compensate.
When I review blood labs in clinic, I do not just look at one isolated marker. I look at the wider picture to identify whether there may be clues suggesting the liver is under strain.
This may include:
Liver enzymes
Blood sugar markers
Triglycerides
Cholesterol markers
Inflammatory markers
Iron status
…and more.
Ps. if you have high cholesterol take note - it is estimated that around 70% of patients with MASLD have elevated lipid (Cholesterol) levels, which is one reason conversations around Cholesterol and liver health are often so closely linked.
The Positive News 🌿
It is estimated that many cases of liver disease are preventable.
And there is so much we can do through nutrition and lifestyle.
One food I use all the time for both myself and my clients when it comes to liver support is:
Beetroot ❤️
I use it all the time.
Fresh and roasted
Raw and grated into salads
Vacuum packed for convenience
Even dried powders (I often use JUX powders here)
Beetroot contains compounds that may help support blood flow, nitric oxide production and overall liver function - plus it really is easy to include regularly.
Happy Eating
Tasha
