The liver is an amazing organ that
can regenerate itself.
The are more than 500 functions
of the liver that affect the
body, mind and spirit.
Did you know that the word "Liver" comes from the old English word for "life." As you come to understnd the functions of the liver you will come to
understand just how true that is.
you will see that truly the quality and the length of
life depends on how well the liver functions.
Liver Functions:
With a multitude of important/ complex functions, here are the 6 main fuctions:
Digestion
The liver produces and secretes bile to aid in the breakdown and digestion
of fat. It also aids in the intestinal absorption of fats and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K for better and healthier performance in the body.
The bile also removes waste products from the liver and into the intestines for elimination.
Regulates Blood Sugar
The liver converts glucose to glycogen, the body's main source of energy. It metabolizes and stores carbohydrates in the form of glucose (sugar).
Storage
The liver stores many vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, D, K and B12. It also produces certain amino acids that are the building blocks of necessary proteins.
Produces Urea
The liver manufactures urea, which is the main component of urine. It helps the body secrete excess waste, ammonia, nitrogen and protein.
Filtering Process
The liver acts as a filter to remove chemical substances and waste products from the blood making it clean and pure for use in the body. It produces immune factors to help the body resist infections and removes bacteria from the bloodstream. Harmful substances are often removed by the liver into the kidneys which later leave the body through urine, or through the intestines and leave the body through stool.
Cholesterol
About 80 percent of the body's cholesterol is produced in the liver. The body needs cholesterol for every cell and for balance in hormones, sodium and water.
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Many people struggle with excessive weight and sluggish metabolism all their lives finding that, as they age, they gradually gain more weight and become resigned to a large protruding abdomen and stubborn fat deposits. After years of dieting they believe that nothing can possibly lead to lasting relief. Never realizing that Excessive weight is a symptom of liver dysfunction not only due to the number of calories you eat.
Since the liver is the major fat-burning organ in the body the focus for maintained weightloss should be improving the health of the liver resulting in an improved metabolism.
Then the process of weight loss begins naturally and without excessive effort on your part. You do not have to count calories or weigh your food, and even better, you never have to go hungry.
Fat Burning Mechanism:
Lots of people go to the gym, hoping they will burn fat and lose excess weight, without even knowing how the "fat-burning" mechanism actually works. If you want to lose fat, it is absolutely important to know what the body uses as energy source.
Our body uses gylcogen as a primary source of energy. Glycogen is actually the storage form of glucose (carbohydrates) in animals and humans.It is stored in the liver and muscles.When there is no glycogen available, the body will reach for its secondary energy source - stored fat and muscle protein.
An average person has to do about 30-40 minutes of moderate intensity cardio in order to burn the stored glycogen.This means that if you do cardio for an hour, you are burning fat only the last 20 to 30 minutes, while the first 30-40 minutes you are only depleting your glycogen stores.
There are a few ways to burn mostly fat when you do your cardio workout:
Do morning cardio or fasted cardio sessions
When your body goes longer periods without food (like fasting or 8-9 hour sleep) it depletes glycogen in order to sustain itself.This is why morning cardio will burn mostly fat. It is a good idea to take a protein shake prior to the workout to prevent muscle breakdown.
Work with weights before the cardio session
Weight training is a glycogen depleting activity and it is a good practice to do your weight workout before the cardiovascular workout.
Lower the amount of carbohydrates you are consuming
This way the body will not have excess carbohydrates that can be stored as glycogen, so even light activities will burn fat. Many diets are built around the idea of reduction of carbs - just take the Atkins diet for example (lots of protein and fats, but almost no carbs)
Knowing what glycogen is and how your body uses it will certainly help you maximize your cardio sessions to burn the maximum amount of fat, but this is not the only factor that comes into play when trying to lose fat.
Below are a few other tips that will help you to lose fat.
Keep a training journal and record your meals and the calories for each meal:
The journal will help you tailor your meals and workouts for you and help you find out what works best for you over time.
Avoid empty calorie sources such as fruit juices, sodas and sweets:
Eliminating empty calories can be the easiest and quickest way to cut calories out of your diet.
Drink plenty of water everyday (1/2 your boyd weight in ounces):
Water helps metabolize the fat.
Don't be lazy:
Even small things matter. Walking the dog or climbing the stairs will also add up to the whole fat burning process.
Disclaimer: This information has not be evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or
prevent disease.
