Love Your Liver! (+ other Pitta Organs.)
We're becoming more liver-conscious as a culture, and it's wonderful to see how aware we are of the importance of keeping our liver healthy! This attention is well deserved, but often, the focus becomes singularly focused on eliminating alcohol and trendy cleanses when many other factors create harmony in this Pitta dominant organ.
The liver is one of our most vital organs—we cannot survive without a functioning liver. The liver plays a significant role in digestion and metabolism by constantly filtering and detoxifying the blood. It synthesizes proteins, produces enzymes and hormones, breaks down and recycles old blood cells, and regulates glycogen storage.
The liver detoxifies and safeguards our tissues from impurities. Overexposure to toxins and pollutants can harm the liver, which requires regular rest for healing and function.
This resource will provide practical tips for supporting liver health daily; nurturing your liver today can yield significant benefits for your health and longevity.
Let's first look at some amazing roles the Liver plays in the body!
The digestive system breaks down food into absorbable energy. This “food juice” enters the bloodstream and travels to the liver to be processed and filtered.
The liver removes and processes toxins so they do not enter the body’s circulation.
The liver produces bile, which is temporarily stored in the gallbladder located beneath it. The gallbladder releases stored bile into the small intestine as food is digested.
The liver and gallbladder are closely connected; both are hot Pitta-type organs.
The liver aids in breaking down substances like carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins into valuable molecules our bodies need, such as glucose and cholesterol.
The liver also regulates and stores glycogen—our primary source of energy.
The liver is crucial for metabolizing, synthesizing, and breaking down proteins. All tissues need proteins, which are vital for muscle health tissue.
The liver manages hormones, metabolizes fats, regulates pH levels, generates red blood cells, and controls blood volume and pressure.
Ayurveda Philosophy of the Liver
Ayurveda provides ancient yet timeless wisdom about the body and its organs. From an Ayurvedic perspective, the liver is a hot, fiery organ with a strong link to our Agni (digestive fire), the Pitta Dosha, and our overall energy of transformation.
Agni is the sacred metabolic fire within us. It serves diverse functions and acts as a vehicle of transformation throughout the body. Generally speaking, Agni converts our food into biologically valuable substances. Simply said, Agni is our metabolism!
The digestive process breaks down our food into its most basic form—the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. Agni transforms these elements into usable forms for the body, and this refined substance is made available to the tissues and organs through blood circulation.
Pitta consists mainly of fire and water, with Fire being dominant. Pitta is our heat, and it manifests in the hot organs of our body. The liver is a key Pitta site! Additionally, Pitta resides in the pancreas, gallbladder and small intestine. These organs are all connected and share similar roles, showing a strong connection between Pitta organs and their energy flow.
So what the hell (fire pun intended!) does all this mean?
If I have said it once, I have said it a million times: like increases like! Food metabolism and the liver's fiery nature create heat in the body. We must return to simplicity. If these organs are hot and need support - cooling the body, mind & spirit is essential.
Not everyone needs as much liver support as others. People with naturally high Pitta in their Prakruti (original constitution), have stressful lives/careers, have unresolved anger/resentments, live in a hot area of the world, or are in the Pitta phase of their life are more prone to increased fiery manifestations. However, since the liver is responsible for many bodily roles, anyone can benefit from liver support. But there is much more to liver support than a cleanse, fast, or liver flush!
Supporting the liver with Ayurveda and energy.
A cleanse or elimination of alcohol is often the first thought for many when discussing liver support. However, these measures alone will not be effective if you return immediately to the stress and heat of daily life — and they could create more issues as your body struggles to maintain balance after a cleanse. If you’d like a gentle holistic cleanse, check out my “Sping into Balance” program!
Decrease stress, minimize everyday imbalances, live mindfully, and focus on self-care to cleanse the body and mind! Remove things that cause heat, stress and anxiety! These lifestyle changes will have a much broader impact than fasting for 3 days!
Resolving past/current traumas, working through grief and heartaches, letting go of ruminating thoughts, and enjoying peace in life are all ways to control the heat in the body. Cool your tissues to keep your Pitta organs in balance.
Warm oil massage (Abhyanga) over the upper abdomen (where these fiery organs live) with a cooling body blend like my Pitta Love Body Oil or Tummy Love Targeted Tissue Roller can be a supportive way to send love and energy to the body.
Ayurveda views the mind, body, and spirit as integrated parts of an inseparable whole. Therefore, physical support for the liver is far more meaningful when we simultaneously tend to the full spectrum of influences that can affect liver health, including our emotions and overall state of mind.
Food and Fluids.
Cool as a cucumber! Think green, cooling, hydrating, calming ingredients. Cooling herbs and spices like coriander, parsley, cilantro, dill, fennel, cumin, turmeric, mint, lemon, or lime can be significant and simple additions to meals or teas.
Starting your day with lemon water gently kindles the fire of Agni, and the alkalizing nature helps purify and cleanse the blood.
“Moon Teas” with ingredients like parsley, mint, chamomile, passionflower, cucumber, rose, hibiscus, etc., are a great way to allow the cooling lunar energy to nourish our tissues. Simply make tea at night, let it sit on a windowsill or outside under the moon, and enjoy it throughout the next day. Don’t underestimate the moon's cooling power, energy, and intention to support Pitta organs!
The body's heat, or Pitta, is balanced by sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes. These flavours are cooling and cleansing in nature. Bitter greens like dandelion, kale, beet greens, nettles, and collard greens are supportive.
Raw vegetables and green juices also support the liver and excess heat but should be used with caution if heat is not a concern in your physical manifestations.
Conclusion
Toxicity comes in many forms; overuse of anything will cause it! Prescription or recreational drugs, smoke (of any kind), and alcohol add heat and dryness to the body. Alcohol is referred to as fire water for a reason, and sugar/grease/fats are directly metabolized by the liver, so even a mild decrease in these substances will support liver health. Ghee is the easiest fat for the liver to digest and can support our body's enzymes and digestive system.
