The liver and the menopause.

“ The liver is the regulator of your health and you are as healthy as your liver.”

Alfred Vogel, Naturopath.

Our liver performs over 500 different biological functions:

– Cleaning the blood.

Our liver works 24/7 in protecting the body from all sorts of toxins ingested through food and drinks, things we put on the skin and from the air we breathe. If the liver is under pressure it can’t work efficiently and the body will offload toxins through the skin causing rushes, itching or spots. 

– Making bile for digestion.

Bile is not only important for the digestion of the fats we eat. It also helps the gut to  move. Lack of bile disturbs the normal digestive process, impending the absorption of food and leading to bloating and wind.

 – Storing vitamins.

The liver helps to store many substances, including vitamins A, D, K, B12 and iron. Lack of these can contribute to common menopausal symptoms such as tiredness, osteoporosis, and feeling irritable and moody.

– Synthesising hormones.

When the hormones have done their job they are sent to the liver to be deactivated, so they  can no longer have any effect. If the liver is struggling, this may not be done efficiently enough and can contribute to hormonal imbalance, which can trigger menopause symptoms.

How you can support your liver function:

Having a good healthy diet, lots of water and regular, efficient bowel movement are really important. The biggest enemies of the liver are sugar, caffeine, processed foods, white bread and alcohol. So, do try to avoid these!

You could also take Milk Thistle. This often comes in combination with herbs such as Artichoke and Dandelion. These herbs are with a long history of use in supporting liver function.  You can take this for a month in Spring and Autumn as a form of “detox”.