Is it possible that the inability to lose weight is due to a liver problem? Nutritionist: "Three major liver-damaging behaviors" need to be changed when you hit a wall in weight loss
The accumulation of toxins in the body makes it harder to lose weight! Is liver protection the basis for weight loss?
When the season changes in the hot summer, you find that you can’t fit into your previous jeans? Do you feel like you have a lot of extra fat in your belly, and your waistline has grown bigger without you realizing it? Are you trying hard to implement your weight loss plan but find yourself stuck frequently? Li Liangyi, a nutritionist at Lianxin Clinic, said that if you have the above problems, it is recommended to check your lifestyle first and conduct basic blood tests to check whether liver and kidney indexes and thyroid function are normal.
Nutritionist Li Liangyi pointed out that from a physiological point of view, the liver is responsible for multiple biochemical reactions in the body, such as lipoprotein synthesis, fat burning and metabolism, which are also carried out in the liver. Therefore, if there are too many toxins in the body, or the oxidative pressure is too high, the liver will delay burning fat and process the toxins and detoxify first. Therefore, protecting the liver well is the basis for successful weight loss.
If you can’t lose weight, is there a liver problem? Nutritionist reveals 3 major liver-damaging behaviors
However, regardless of protecting the liver, many people develop “fatty liver” due to their unhealthy diet, which leads to internal fat accumulation. Data show that the prevalence rate of fatty liver in Taiwanese people is about 33.3%. If left unchecked, it will lead to irreversible “liver fibrosis” or even “liver cancer”. Therefore, it is best to pay attention to maintenance before the formation of fatty liver. If you want to take good care of your liver, you must first pay attention to whether the following three conditions exist:
Improper diet. Eating out for a long time and ingesting too many high-fat, high-calorie foods, or frequently drinking sugary drinks for “daily pleasure”, these foods must be metabolized in the liver, and the fat that cannot be metabolized will accumulate in the liver. , eventually forming fatty liver.
Excessive drinking. Alcohol is mainly metabolized by the liver, which requires alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to convert alcohol into acetaldehyde and acetic acid. These metabolites will inhibit the synthesis of mitochondrial “ATP” in the liver, causing fat to accumulate in the liver. , and cause liver toxicity. Since Taiwanese people generally lack the alcohol metabolism gene “ALDH2”, it is recommended to drink as little alcohol as possible and drink in moderation even when drinking is necessary.
Life is stressful and there are too many environmental toxins. When humans encounter stress or environmental toxins, their bodies will produce a large number of free radicals, which will make the liver busy detoxifying. Therefore, we should pay attention to the balance of body and mind and minimize exposure to environmental toxins.
Changing your eating habits is the first step to protecting your liver! Eat this daily diet to lose weight and nourish your liver
Nutritionist Li Liangyi said that the simplest method of “nourishing the liver” is to choose the type of food that can nourish the liver. Whether eating out or cooking at home, as long as you choose the ingredients consciously or deliberately, you can simply protect the liver. When choosing food, it is recommended to eat as few processed products as possible and use the following ingredients as a base:
Sulfur-containing compounds and cruciferous vegetables: such as garlic, onions, leeks, broccoli, cabbage, etc., can improve the detoxification ability of the liver.
High-quality protein: Consuming more plant-based protein, or eggs, fish, and chicken will allow the liver to have enough energy to synthesize sufficient albumin, lipoproteins, and immunoglobulins, and assist in the transportation of nutrients and waste.
Rainbow fruits and vegetables: Contains phytochemicals and antioxidant vitamins, which can increase the antioxidant capacity of glutathione in the liver.
Mineral selenium: Helps scavenge free radicals and reduce the burden on the liver. It can be obtained from seafood, Brazil nuts, eggs and fermented foods.
Vitamin B12/folic acid/magnesium: You can consume meat, dairy products, eggs and dark green vegetables to assist liver metabolism.
In addition, getting enough sleep can also help nourish the liver. It is recommended to lie down on the bed before 11 o’clock so that the blood flow can smoothly enter the liver and get complete rest and repair. For those who are used to watching dramas and staying up late, remember to set a stop loss point and never go to bed late or stay up late because the drama is too exciting. In addition to making the body and mind happy, high-quality sleep can also promote the production of leptin in fat cells, which can effectively suppress appetite.
Is it effective to take health supplements to protect the liver? Regular health check-ups, exercise and waist measurement are essential
If you want to take safe and effective liver-protecting health products, nutritionist Li Liangyi recommends choosing products containing the following ingredients:
Artichoke: Also known as artichoke, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed artichoke as one of the 28 selected medicinal plants in the world in 2009. It can promote the secretion of bile in the gallbladder, assist fat metabolism, lower cholesterol, and make The liver speeds up the elimination of toxins. Additionally, artichokes have been shown in the literature to be effective in reducing mild hypercholesterolemia.
Salvia ginseng: Also known as blood ginseng, red ginseng, and purple ginseng, its main components are monophenolic acid B, cryptodanginone, danginone, etc. Clinical studies have found that in addition to being anti-inflammatory, it can also increase the liver’s response to inflammation. Absorption of LDL (Low density lipoprotein). In addition, ginseng can also convert white fat (WAT) that causes obesity into brown fat (BAT) that is easier to burn, thus helping to lose weight and improve fatty liver.
Turmeric: Turmeric contains “curcumin”, which can work synergistically with other antioxidants to produce a certain degree of protection in the liver, and assist the liver in detoxifying and metabolizing fat.
Glutathione and cysteine: can bind toxins, enhance toxin elimination and strengthen the liver’s detoxification function, and have liver-protective effects.
Finally, it is recommended that the public check their liver index regularly every year and observe the liver condition through abdominal ultrasound. If they have fatty liver after the examination, they should actively control their dietary patterns and lifestyle. In addition, “waist circumference” reflects the severity of fatty liver and metabolic syndrome, so it is recommended that people keep a tape measure and scale at home. In addition to maintaining an ideal weight, the waist circumference of adult men should be less than 90 cm and the waist circumference of women should be less than 80 cm.
Aerobic exercise helps burn visceral fat and can effectively burn body fat. In addition to jogging, swimming, etc., the popular home ultra-jogging and Nordic walking are also good choices. Nutritionist Li Liangyi said that the health of the liver and weight loss are mutually causal, so slowing down and listening to the signals from the body, checking regularly, and treating the “silent organ” of the liver well are the best ways to stay healthy. .
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