Category Archives: A Healthy Liver

Is The 7 Day Belly Blast Diet Bogus?

Posted by master on 2011/11/10 None comments

Is the 7 Day Belly Blast Diet a scam? To be honest, I’m not really sure. There are a lot of products out there promising you quick and easy results. A lot of these courses usually never live up to the hype, but there are some diamonds in the rough. I’ve been getting a lot of emails lately from clients as well as the fat loss gurus touting the diet as a great addition to your fat loss efforts. So what I’ve decided to do was look over everything and see if this is the real deal or not.

I went on Josh Bezoni’s website and found that he is actually a real nutritionist who has been featured on many day time television shows. A lot of the information he presents has to do with dieting to rid excess belly fat. If you are expecting a fat loss exercise program, then this is not the course for you.

 

Inside, I found some good information about different types of foods that you can add into your daily diet that have been found to help shed unwanted pounds. Some of these foods were:

  • Beans
  • Eggs
  • Salmon
  • Dark Chocolate
  • Berries
  • Oatmeal
  • Cinnamon
  • Chili Peppers
  • Yogurt
  • Green

There are a host of others, but these are the main ones.

He also goes into detail about different methods you can use to lose weight such as the principle of a calorie is not a calorie. Basically what this means is when you consume protein, carbs, or fats, each one gets broken down differently. Protein is harder for the body to break down, therefore your body burns more calories as compared to carbs and fats.

The one thing I did not like about the manual was he did not give any detailed information about how much you should eat, when you should eat, and the ratio of carbs, proteins, and fats per meal. However, my guess that this information is being held for the actual people that purchase the course.

A great addition to the 7 Day Belly Blast Diet would be my 6 month Dynamic Burn Fat Loss Program. Download it for here.

Healthy Liver Foods and Functions

Posted by master on 2011/05/08 None comments

Even a healthy liver can take a beating.

Last week my husband had a biking accident and ended up with some fractured ribs and a bruised liver. There is very little that medical professionals can do in this situation, other than diagnose the problem and provide pharmaceutical pain relief. The body will heal itself, aided by rest and time, with possibly some ice or heat applied to the injured area.

In the short list of recommendations from the physician, nothing was mentioned about diet. This surprises me since the liver is an organ that can be greatly affected by what we eat and drink, and because healing in general can be helped or hindered by food choices that we make during the process. Our bodies are continually repairing and rebuilding, but an injury puts an extra load on the system.

It’s the largest internal organ.

You probably know that the liver is that large organ that is located in the upper right section of the abdominal cavity, partially tucked up under your lowest ribs and next to the diaphragm. Most of the time you don’t even notice that it is there, but if it is not functioning properly due to disease or injury, you will soon become aware of its importance in helping you to feel good and be healthy.

Here is a list of the functions of a healthy liver.
*The liver helps maintain normal blood sugar levels by storing extra glucose when blood sugar levels are high and by changing stored glucose to its usable form and releasing it into the bloodstream, when blood sugar levels are too low. It can also convert fat and protein to glucose.
For example, when you exercise or work hard, the glucose in your blood that is needed by your cells for energy is quickly depleted. The liver responds to signals from hormones and changes some of its stored energy into usable glucose and releases it into your bloodstream, so that you can keep going. This is a simplistic explanation of a very complex process, but you get the idea.

*It helps control fat metabolism by removing fats from the blood and converting one kind of fat into another and converting some carbohydrates and proteins to fat.

For example, when you eat a meal, there will be some fat in the food you choose. When it is digested, the fat will circulate in your bloodstream where it can be picked up by your liver to be converted to a form that your body needs for a variety of functions.

*The liver helps metabolize protein by removing nitrogen from amino acids, and forming waste products that can be excreted by the kidneys, creating certain plasma proteins such as those used for blood clotting, and changing one amino acid to another.

For example, when you eat a steak, your body may not need all of that protein to build new tissues, etc. The liver can help by removing the nitrogen component of the protein, so that the remaining portion can be used to provide energy.

*The liver acts as a storage facility for glycogen (storage form of blood sugar), Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, and the mineral, iron. It can also store several hundred milliliters of extra blood for use if needed by the body.

For example, it’s been cloudy and cold for a few days, and you haven’t had a chance to get any sunshine. The Vitamin D levels in your blood drop below normal and your liver releases some of the Vitamin D into your bloodstream, so that you can continue to enjoy the advantages of optimum Vitamin D levels in your blood.

*The liver filters and detoxes the blood by removing damaged red blood cells and toxins such as alcohol and other chemicals.

For example, if you drink alcohol, the liver can remove it from your blood and metabolize it before the levels become toxic enough to kill you. However, if you outrun your liver by drinking too much too quickly, you can die from alcohol poisoning. You may have heard about cases where a college student succumbs to alcohol toxicity during a drinking game or hazing event.

*The liver aids digestion by secreting bile that is stored in the gallbladder and sent to the digestive tract (duodenum) to help digestive enzymes and the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins.

For example, when you eat bacon and eggs for breakfast, your liver will secrete the bile necessary to emulsify the fat so that it can be easily digested. At the same time, the bile facilitates the absorption of the fat-soluble Vitamin A and Vitamin D from the eggs.

There are ways that you can help maintain a healthy liver.

After the accident, I did some research on what we can do, with regard to diet, to help support the liver and maybe shorten the healing time. Although our bodies are marvelous organisms, with an amazing ability for regeneration, there are some ways we can improve our diet to help maintain a healthy liver.

You will also find that many of these guidelines are useful for anyone who wants to improve their general health.

*Limit or avoid alcohol, since your liver has to metabolize it and may be overloaded in that process and unable to perform its other functions well.

*Avoid processed foods, especially those with high fructose corn syrup, a portion of which must be metabolized by the liver and if consumed in excess, can lead to a fatty liver.

*Limit fats, particularly deep-fried foods and hydrogenated oils, which place a burden on the liver. Choose low-fat versions of dairy products.

*Eat organic foods, whenever possible, to reduce the detoxification work of the liver. If you can’t eat all organic, the most important foods to buy organic are meat, eggs, butter and cheese, where the chemicals are more concentrated.

*Eat lots of fruits and vegetables for their fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are needed by the liver to perform its important functions.

*Avoid cured and smoked foods, and other foods high in salt.

*Maintain a healthy weight, since excess weight puts an unnecessary load on your liver and gallbladder.

*Add some turmeric to your diet, since it has been shown to improve a sluggish flow of bile and thus aid digestion.

*Try some ginger in your diet to aid digestion, which helps the liver.

*Drink some chamomile tea for its digestive healing properties.

*Brew some green tea for its ability to help keep toxins from damaging your liver.

*Eat sulfur foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, onions, garlic and egg yolks (in moderation), which help the liver perform its detoxification function.

*Use milk thistle to help detoxify the liver. You can buy the seeds and grind them or make tea, or you can use an extract in supplement form.

Liver, heal thyself!

My husband is on the mend and soon will be able to resume some of his normal activities. He is so active by nature, that I have to practically tie him down to get him to rest and allow his body to heal itself.

In the meantime, it is my hope that some of the things we learned about ways to keep a healthy liver will continue to be applied long after he is back on his bike, risking life and limb–or should I say life and liver–for the sheer joy of the sport.

I am convinced that what we eat and how we eat plays a major role in how we feel and particularly, how well we are. For this reason, I would like as many people as possible to become more aware of what healthy eating involves, and of the extreme benefits that can be found in being conscious of what and how we eat.

Click Here for healthy diet plan solution!

What Foods Are In A Healthy Liver Diet?

Posted by master on 2011/05/08 None comments

Your liver performs a multitude of functions that play a huge role in metabolism and digestion. Therefore, keeping your liver in top shape with a healthy liver diet is one of the smartest things you can do for your personal wellbeing.

Happily, a healthy liver diet contains a lot of the same food that also keeps your heart healthy – and keeps you living longer.

Low-fat, low cholesterol foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and fish are all contributors to a healthy liver. But there are also some foods that are particularly good for the liver and you ought to make sure some get into each of your meals.

High fiber foods are among the best: cereals, rice and whole grain breads. There are also many foods that are believed to detoxify the liver naturally. Cabbage, cauliflower, dandelion greens, mustard greens and romaine lettuce are among the most popular.

Many foods are high in antioxidants which promote health at the cellular level. Foods that contain beta-carotene lead this list. Beets and carrots have high levels of this strong antioxidant. You should also work garlic into your meals when you can because it contains selenium and glutathione, which are both very potent antioxidants.

Foods with vitamins A, B, B12, C, and E are important parts of a healthy liver diet. Vitamin B is abundant in broccoli, eggs and spinach. You can find B12 in fish, eggs, certain types of meat and milk.

Many different foods have high yields of vitamin C, including Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, papaya, peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos. Vitamin E is present in certain varieties of nuts, especially almonds and walnuts. You can also find vitamin E in avocado, asparagus, and tomatoes.

Once again, eating several servings of fish per week is among the best things you can do – not just for liver health, but also for overall wellbeing. Many types of fish contain high levels of a fatty acid called omega-3 which is especially good for your liver and heart. Fish that have a lot of omega-3 are mackerel, salmon, sardines, and tuna.

That’s the short list of foods that make up a healthy liver diet. There are, of course, some foods you should avoid – or at least keep to a minimum – for your liver’s sake.

Foods that contain a lot of high-cholesterol animal fats can wear down your liver and gallbladder. The liver and gallbladder work together to process fats from the food you eat, and they usually do a great job. But sometimes there’s a limit. Year after year of feeding them a steady flow of cholesterol is likely to take a toll someday. A high fat, high cholesterol diet is one of the major reasons for gallbladder attacks. Cholesterol also contributes to a less-well-known condition called fatty liver disease. Fatty liver occurs when fat deposits begin to accumulate in the liver, which compromises liver function and has a big ripple effect on overall metabolism. Fatty liver disease can ultimately destroy liver cells and lead to the scarring of liver tissue. This process of liver scarring is known as cirrhosis, which is a leading cause of liver failure.

Which foods contain high levels of cholesterol from animal fats? You probably know the list by now: red meat and fried foods – especially the type you find in most fast-food restaurants. Burgers and fries anyone? You’d better not consume these in mass quantities for years on end if you want to keep your liver healthy.

Some types of baked goods like donuts, cookies and cake are just as bad for you, as are many so-called convenience foods. When you’re shopping, take a few seconds to read the labels on prepackaged foods that come in boxes or wraps, and look for the words trans fat and saturated fat. These are both bad news. Trans fat is typically found in food that is manufactured artificially. Foods with a lot of trans fats include frozen foods, margarine, Ramen noodles and soup cups.

Saturated fat is the type that’s in animal-based foods. But it can also be found in certain oils, nuts, seeds, and avocados. Remember, most vegetables and nuts contain no cholesterol. But this is not universally true. That’s why it’s important to read labels.

It appears the nutritional jury is still out on both alcohol and caffeine. There’s no question that alcohol is toxic to the liver. But some studies suggest that modest amounts of red wine, consumed regularly, can be heart healthy. As with all things, moderation is the key.

Caffeine has also done well in recent research. For a long time, coffee was considered to be bad for the liver. But there’s now reason to believe coffee may actually be good for liver health. More research is needed on this topic. Meanwhile, some varieties of tea contain caffeine but are also have high antioxidant content, which boosts the immune system – a good thing for your liver. Green tea is generally considered to be one of the best in the tea category.

Nutrition research is being done constantly, and more news is coming out almost every day. Still, where liver health is concerned, your doctor is your best source of information. Talk to him or her if you have questions about a healthy liver diet.

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