Surprisingly Toxic Items to Your Liver
We need to drink water to survive but consuming just any water could
seriously jeopardize your health. That is why most drinking supplies
pass through a water treatment facility before reaching the tap. The
purpose of the water treatment facility is to filter out anything
harmful from the water before it reaches our mouth.
Just as we need the water to survive, our bodies require blood to
course through our veins and nourish all our cells. However, the
circulation of toxin-laden blood could also seriously jeopardize our
health. That is why we have our own means to filter anything harmful
from the blood before it reaches our cardiovascular system. Our beloved
liver is our natural blood treatment facility.
When our liver is operating below its optimal functioning level, its
ability to cleanse the blood diminishes. Any person with liver disease,
including hepatitis, fatty liver and liver cancer, has a compromised
blood treatment facility. The ideal way for anybody, particularly
someone with liver disease, to prevent the liver’s overload and
consequent shutting down, is to reduce the load of toxins it must
process. The two most common routes our bodies are affected by toxins
are through ingestion and inhalation. Taking common sense steps to
reduce the daily toxic onslaught is recommended for individuals with a
diminished capacity to remove toxins from their blood.
While many are aware of some of the more commonly known toxins
(alcohol, cigarettes, formaldehyde, etc.), our experts have highlighted
five toxic substances that may surprise you:
1. Artificial Sweeteners: They definitely lurk in diet
foods, especially soda, but are also found in an increasing number of
staple foods. Aspartame®, Splenda®, sucralose, NutraSweet® and Equal®
are all chemically manufactured sweeteners capable of creating toxic
reactions in the human body. The government cautions against the use of
any artificial sweetener by children and pregnant women. People with
liver disease should definitely be added to this list.
2. Fried Potatoes: French fries and potato chips contain a
toxin called acrylamide, a chemical used to produce plastics and dyes.
Acrylamide causes DNA damage, which can result in reproductive damage
and cancer. When starchy foods are heated to high temperatures, they
spontaneously form acrylamide, even though none was present in the raw
ingredients. Both American and European scientists agree that the foods
with the highest levels of acrylamide include french fries and potato
chips. Additionally, deep fried foods are high in liver-toxic lipid
peroxides (rancid fats, which are immuno-suppressive and damage liver
cell membranes) and trans-fatty acids (which suppress the production of
PGE1, an important liver-protecting prostaglandin).
3. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): This flavor enhancer for a
variety of foods has been used for many years. Many mistakenly assume
that only Asian restaurant foods contain MSG, but it is found in
everything from soups, to snacks, to main courses. Although the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) claims that MSG is generally recognized
as safe, its toxic effects have been reported for decades. Based on
peer reviewed studies, there is no question that glutamic acid is
neurotoxic.
4. Acetaminophen: While many drugs (over-the-counter or
prescription) are toxic to the liver, excessive acetaminophen ingestion
is a leading cause of liver failure. Brands including Tylenol®,
Anacin-3, Arthritis Pain Formula Aspirin-Free, Datril Liquiprin Elixir
and St. Joseph Aspirin-Free Fever Reducer for Children may be casually
used to ease a headache or reduce a fever, however, more than 15 grams
can lead to irreversible liver disease in adults. Although liver
toxicity may be increased with prolonged use, when taken in combination
with alcohol or if taken while fasting, the use of any acetaminophen
products by a person with liver disease must be monitored by a
physician.
5. Fuel Exhaust: This is important information for any
person with liver disease who is considering or currently engaged in a
job in the automotive industry. Auto and diesel exhaust contain dozens
of liver damaging poisons such as lead, sulfur and nitrogen oxides,
acetaldehyde, cadmium and peroxyacetylnitrile.
Avoiding excessive toxin exposure is an important step in reducing
the impact of liver disease. The most common sign of toxic overload is
fatigue, while headaches, nausea and dizziness are close behind. The
sensible approach is to reduce your toxin exposure rather than
attempting to eliminate every known toxin. If you have liver disease,
and thus have less ability to cleanse your blood of toxins, reduce your
exposure to car fumes, save diet soda for a special occasion, choose
foods without MSG and opt for a pain reliever that doesn’t contain
acetaminophen. Your body will notice even the smallest efforts, and
will thank you by increasing the capacity of your personal blood
treatment facility.
by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.
References:
Van Rijn CM, Marani E, Rietveld WJ, The neurotoxic effect of
monosodium glutamate (MSG) on the retinal ganglion cells of the albino
rat, Histol Histopathol. 1986 Jul;1(3):291-5.
www.drlam.com, Toxic Food, Michael Lam, MD, 2004.
www.foodandhealth.com.au, Love your Liver and Live a Little Longer, Gowings Food and Health, 2006.
www.liver-cirrhosis-failure.com, Liver damage and Failure: Causes, Liver Cirrhosis and Transplant, Legal Center, 2006.
www.mercola.com, The Five Absolute Worst Foods You Can Eat, Dr. Joseph Mercola, 2006.
www.nutrimed.com, Toxic Overload: No Fast Solution, Nutrimed Labs, Inc., 2006.
http://www.liversupport.com/wordpress/2006/09/five-surprisingly-toxic-items-to-your-liver/
 |
Information 
Subscribe to this comment's feed