Signs Your Liver is Asking for Help – And What You Can Do About It

Our bodies have a way of signalling when something isn’t quite right, and the liver is no exception. It may not always be obvious, but subtle symptoms like fatigue, bloating, and irritability can be signs that your liver is struggling. Many people mistake these issues for common annoyances or attribute them to ageing, but they can often be traced back to liver function.

Symptoms of Liver Dysfunction

The liver performs over 500 functions, including filtering toxins, metabolising hormones, and digesting fats. When it’s not working optimally, this can lead to a wide variety of symptoms:

1. Fatigue: One of the most common signs of liver dysfunction is chronic fatigue. When your liver is overwhelmed, it can’t process toxins efficiently, leaving you feeling drained.
2. Digestive Issues: Bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhoea can all be signs of poor bile production – a key function of the liver. Without sufficient bile, digestion becomes sluggish, and waste isn’t eliminated effectively.
3. Brain Fog: If you struggle with focus, memory, or mental clarity, your liver might not be detoxifying properly. Toxins that accumulate in the blood can make their way to the brain, affecting cognitive function.
4. Skin Problems: Acne, rashes, or itchy skin can often indicate that the liver isn’t clearing toxins properly, leading them to be pushed out through the skin.
5. Hormonal Imbalances: The liver helps break down and eliminate excess hormones. When it’s not functioning well, it can result in symptoms of hormonal imbalance, such as PMS, mood swings, or irregular periods.

What Causes Liver Dysfunction?

Liver dysfunction is commonly caused by a combination of poor diet, high toxin exposure, and stress. Overconsumption of alcohol, sugar, and processed foods puts an immense strain on the liver. Meanwhile, environmental toxins like pesticides, air pollution, and household chemicals contribute to a higher toxic load.

Chronic stress can also lead to liver dysfunction, as stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) must be processed by the liver. When your stress levels are consistently high, the liver has to work overtime to metabolise these hormones, leaving less capacity for other functions.

How to Support Your Liver

If you recognise some of the symptoms above, it might be time to consider how you can support your liver. One of the first things you can do is look at your lifestyle, and see if there are any areas you can change to reduce the burden on your liver, followed by incorporating specific detox practices.

1. Eat Liver-Loving Foods: Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale) and foods like garlic, turmeric, and beetroot all contain compounds that support liver detoxification. Incorporating these into your diet can be a great starting point.
2. Herbal Supplements: Milk thistle is one of the best-known liver-supporting herbs. It helps regenerate liver cells and aids in detoxification. Other herbs like dandelion root, burdock, and artichoke leaf can also provide significant support.
3. Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water helps the liver flush out toxins more efficiently. Aim for at least three litres of water a day to support liver function.
4. Reduce Stress: High stress levels put additional pressure on the liver. Incorporating relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises can help alleviate this stress and support liver health.

It is important to remember, the above is all a great starting point to help support the body. To truly heal chronic symptoms that you may have been dealing with long term, a structured and personalised plan will be vital. Healing the body is so multi-faceted, with detox just being one part. With our 1:1 clients, we take them through an entire programme focussing on gut healing, nervous system work, detox, parasite cleansing, and addressing heavy metals. We also utilise HTMA testing to help us identify any deficiencies that may be present, so we can then help rebuild and remineralise the body to make this one of the most complete healing programmes you will find. Are you ready to start feeling better?

Written by Ellie Dobbs