Foods For Liver: 10 Foods For A Healthy And Clean Liver.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/09/13/foods-for-liver_n_1880715.html

Think of your liver like your own personal filtering system: Suck in the bad and spit out the good.

"The liver has many important functions that keeps a person healthy. It removes harmful material from the bloodstream and helps digest food," says holistic nutritionist Hermeet Suri from Mississauga, Ont.

The liver, weighing in at an average of three pounds, is a rubbery and reddish-brown organ that sits on the right side of your stomach, according to WebMD.com.

A functioning liver works as our bodies' fat-burning organ: It converts nutrients from the food we eat into essential blood components, storing vitamins and minerals and producing proteins and enzymes to maintain hormone balances in our bodies, Suri says. Our livers also help our immune system fight infections, remove bacteria from the blood and make bile, which is essential for digesting our meals.

Problems with your liver can be inherited or can occur if your body is infected by any viruses or harmful chemicals, according to The Mayo Clinic. Mistreating your liver can raise the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, chronic fatigue, headaches, digestive problems, allergies and many other ailments, Suri says.

"Although the immune system protects our body from many dangers, it is the liver that protects the immune system from becoming overloaded," he says.

Suri says avoiding an excessive consumption of tobacco, alcohol, coffee and white sugar and adding in low impact exercises (like daily walks) and drinking lots of water are all ways to ensure good liver health.