Liver Problems - What are the Symptoms?

Liver problems can range from mild liver congestion to a serious liver disease. Depending on the problem, many people are unaware they have a liver problem and may only have vague symptoms. One of the most common symptoms is chronic tiredness. These people generally feel lethargic and sluggish during the day, especially in the morning.
Due to the fact that the liver is one of the hardest working organs in the body and has many roles, there are a number of problems that can occur with the liver. The three main categories these problems fall into are:
1. Disease of the liver cells
2. Problems producing or secreting bile
3. Problems with detoxification
How do you know if you have a liver problem?
Tests are available through standard pathology labs that measure liver enzymes, total protein, albumin and bilirubin. Although these tests are called liver 'function' tests, they indicate whether the liver is damaged rather than how it is functioning. In other words, they are used to detect liver diseases, such as hepatitis and cirrhosis as well as liver cells being damaged from viruses, bacteria, alcohol, drugs and so on. These tests are not useful in detecting mild problems with liver congestion and sluggish detoxification. This is best done by observing your symptoms. However, it is important to consult your practitioner and have the tests performed anyway, just to rule out the possibility of liver disease.
An ultrasound can detect if there is a blockage in the bile duct. This is most commonly caused by the presence of gallstones in the biliary duct. It is estimated that around 10-20% of people over 40 years of age have gallstones and their presence is linked to a high fat, low fibre diet. The presence of gallstones in the bile duct typically causes nausea and pain. Bile flow can also be impaired through the liver, however this can be difficult to detect with standard testing.
General symptoms that can indicate a liver problem

Feel tired and unrefreshed when you wake up

Energy levels fluctuate throughout the day, with your tiredness becoming worse around mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon

Difficulty losing weight

Frequent headaches

Bad breath, digestive problems, bloating, gas, indigestion

Allergies and intolerances to foods that are worsening as time goes on

Reactions to many chemicals including cleaning products, petrol, paint, perfumes, bleaches, et

Problems digesting fatty/creamy/oily foods. They can make you feel unwell, nauseous or cause heart burn and reflux

A yellowish tinge to the skin, eyes and palms of the hand

Reactions to drugs, in particular headache tablets, antibiotics and anti-histamines

An intolerance to alcohol. Either you get drunk very quickly or you have bad hangovers that are out of proportion to the amount of alcohol you have drunk

Caffeine gives you a strong buzz and can keep you awake for hours

When you eat asparagus, you have a funny smell in your urine

Skin problems such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, general rashes, itchy skin

Hot flushes that feel as if they rise up from the torso towards the head

You frequently wake up around 1-3am in the morning

Please note: The information in this article is not intended to take the place of a personal relationship with a qualified health practitioner nor is it intended as medical advice.

By Alison Cassar

12 Effective Herbal Remedies for Liver Diseases

The liver in the body is an important organ and has important function like detoxification of the body, hormone production, plasma protein synthesis and production of biochemical required for digestion. Therefore a liver is an essential organ in the body. Any disruption in the functioning of the liver can cause illness.

Since liver performs many critical functions in the body, liver disease can cause significant damage to the body. Liver disease is also called hepatic disease. In this, the decrease in functions of the liver can lead to potential dangers. The damage to this vital organ can be by inflammation of the cells, obstruction of bile flow, accumulation of cholesterol, damage of liver tissues and disruption of blood flow to the liver. The causes of liver diseases could be the following:

1. Alcohol: This is one of the most common causes for liver diseases. Alcohol can cause inflammation and malfunction of this vital organ.

2. Drugs: Certain drugs and medications can cause damage to the liver.

3. Cirrhosis: Scarring of liver and loss of functioning cells can cause failure.

Each kind of disease has its own treatment. Some problems are treated with medications while some may require surgery. Transplant may be required if there is liver failure. Herbal remedies for liver diseases are available for curing this condition. Some of the herbal remedies for this disease are as follows:

1. Fumaria officinalis: Its used as a tonic and as a diuretic.

2. Wild Indigo: This is used in liver problems especially in cirrhosis and viral hepatitis.

3. Rheum Emodi: This helps in disorders of the spleen and liver.

4. Milk Thistle: This is one of the herbal remedies for liver diseases like hepatitis. It can also lead to strengthening of this vital organ.

5. Valerian: This herb has antispasmodic effect and is useful in liver problems.

6. Licorice Root: Licorice has anti inflammatory properties and slows the deterioration of the liver.

7. Dandelion: Use dandelion for making herbal tea. It stimulates the liver and helps in detoxification of the liver.

8. Chicory: The chicory juice promotes secretion of bile and is good for the liver.

9. Gokulakanta: This is used to treating liver problems like hepatitis and jaundice and thus one of the herbal remedies for this diseases.

10. Chamomile: This herb has cooling properties and is used to cleanse the liver and reduce inflammation of this organ.

11. Dong Quai: This herb is effective against long term infections of the liver. It has been used in combinations of other herbs to treat chronic disorders of the liver.

12. Wolfberry: This has been used to protect the liver since ages in China.

Some of these herbs, if taken in excess can cause harmful effects or taken in certain conditions. It is therefore advised to take these herbs under supervision.

Apart from these herbal remedies for liver diseases, one needs to drink plenty of water and eliminate alcohol completely. Eat protein rich food and avoid oily and fatty foods in your diet. Papaya is said to be very beneficial and helps in reducing all kinds of liver problems. Many herbal supplements are available in the markets which are made of combinations of different herbs that help the functioning of the liver.By Dr Andrew Napier

Fatty Liver Treatment - Eating the Right Foods to Lose That Fatty Liver

Eating the right foods and losing weight are one of the things we should do to lose that fatty liver. Fatty liver of course can be treated, but how? this article will help you.When you eat right and lose weight, fat build ups will disappear, together with the help of doctors prescription. So What foods must we eat in order to prevent fatty liver and lose weight at the same time?
Here are the foods one must eat:
1. Vegetables-
These foods can help you lose that fatty liver, since vegetables are healthy foods, it can also help you prevent the risk of having heart problems, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney infections and obesity. specifically you must eat vegetables that are rich in vitamins and minerals to help correct the digestion flow of your digestive system so that big bellies can be prevented.
2. Eat fruits that are rich in fibers-
We all know that fruits such as pineapple, apples etc. are rich in fibers which can help burn fat also and increase your metabolism, since a fatty liver are excess fat build ups that build in your liver, when metabolism boosts, results will follow.Pineapple juice is one of the fruits that is rich in fiber, so try to drink at least once a day.
3. Drink freshly squeezed Juice, not the powdered one or with preservatives-
Freshly squeezed juice are one of the healthiest way of living, in the past people live longer because there were no preservatives back then, all were fresh that is one of the reasons why they live longer than us.
4. Drink lots of water-
8 glasses per day is the standard requirement to drink water, the more you drink the better, but try to drink it luke warm, not cold because study show drinking cold water are one of the causes why you do not have a flat stomach, although that has not officially been proven and address to the world, still we must take precautions right?
Eating the right foods and at the same time losing weight can help you lose that fatty liver, since the liver is one of the most important part of our body, we must treat it well, 80% of people today have a fatty liver, whether you are as skinny as olive or as muscular as Popeye, or as fat as Brutus, you will never know unless you will go to a doctor and have an ultra sound, there you will find out if you have a fatty liver.

So do whatever it takes to lose that fatty liver, because if you don't things might be bad and might lead to other things. Lose that weight, and have a strict diet.
By Wendy Witter 

Natural Cure For Liver Disease

One of the greatest abilities of the Liver is that it can regenerate itself. This should provide a great deal of hope for anyone suffering from liver disease. There are a few things that you need to do in order to turn your scarred liver into a brand new healthy liver. Follow the steps below:
Start consuming Dandelion (that plant that probably grows all around your home). The leaves of the Dandelion plant can be picked, washed, and mixed in with your salads. But you can also find Dandelion tinctures or other forms of Dandelion extracts at your local health food store. Dandelion is extremely useful for the health of the liver and related organs and glands. (Note that a poorly functioning liver will only bring DOWN the function of other organs and glands). It has been used to successfully treat liver disease, such as hepatitis and liver insufficiency.
If you only had one choice for picking a natural cure for liver disease it should be Milk Thistle Seed Extract (...fortunately you have more than one choice, so why not use all of them, it will only speed up your healing). There are a few reasons why Milk Thistle Seed Extract (also referred to as "Mte") is beneficial to the liver and liver regeneration. Firstly, it protects the liver from toxins. Toxins, like Alcohol (the number one cause of Cirrhosis), compete against Mte for space on the cell membrane of the liver...except they always lose against the much stronger Mte. If your liver has Mte (milk thistle seed extract) all around itself, therefore preventing harmful toxins from destroying the liver, then the liver actually has time to regenerate. Also, Mte increase protein synthesis, which means that it speeds up the regeneration of destroyed liver tissue.
Another huge benefit of Milk Thistle Seed Extract is its interference with the enterohepatic circulation. Now, you might be wondering what the enterohepatic circulation is? Toxins are constantly being cycled back in forth between the gastrointestinal tract and the liver. Each time the toxins pass by the liver, the liver gets damaged. However, Mte interrupts the first absorption of toxins and then it helps prevent the re-absorption when the toxins are recycled. Cells that are not yet poisoned are therefore protected and become sites for new liver cell growth. In time a full restoration of the liver can be achieved.
I don't want to sound repetitive so all I'm going to say about Artichoke is that it has the same healing properties as Milk Thistle. That being said I would use both Milk Thistle Seed Extract and Artichoke extract to heal my liver (along with a regular consumption of Dandelion extract). The human liver will regenerate itself, by using the above mentioned natural healers we can restore our livers faster. Don't give in to taking pharmaceutical drugs they cause way too much damage to the liver, even if they are meant to heal your liver. Use natural cures and you will heal your liver faster, safer, and cheaper.
There are many other ways to speed up the recovery of your liver. Things like Acupuncture, Acupressure, Reflexology, Magnet Therapy, Essential Oils, Homeopathic Medicine, Home Remedies, Healing Crystals, and other Healing Herbs can all be used simultaneously to increase the restoration of the liver.

Eric Clemmer