How to detox: We’ve got a built in system

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Everywhere you turn nowadays, you hear about cleansing diets and the best way to detox.  At the same time, we’re constantly bombarded about just how fat we’re becoming and the toll on health this excess weight can take. Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers are among the well known maladies linked to high waist measures.

But one increasingly common consequence is our built-in system for detoxification:  the toll it can take on our livers. Fatty livers and the potential concerns, though, are rarely mentioned yet they can go hand in hand with expanding girth.

While the condition may remain stable for years, it can also lead to serious damage to the liver. When this happens, the liver, which is the body’s primary detoxification system, can no longer regenerate itself.

The result can be inflammation, the production of scar tissue and impaired liver function — a serious ailment called cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is irreversible and can lead to total failure of the liver. It’s also associated with an increased risk for developing liver cancer – pretty serious stuff indeed.

Once seen primarily as a result of alcohol abuse, fatty livers are now becoming much more common. According to the Harvard Health Letter, the epidemics of obesity and diabetes are to blame. Fatty liver affects between 70% and 90% of people with those conditions, so as obesity and diabetes have become more widespread, so has fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver, as this condition is called, can often go unnoticed though some people may suffer from fatigue. If you think about it, though, in our fast-paced society, who doesn’t complain about being tired nowadays? But if you suspect that your lifestyle is putting you at risk for a fatty liver, check it out with your physician.

The good news is that you can both prevent the development and treat this condition through active living and enlightened eating. And many of the strategies can offer a wide range of other health benefits.

Tomorrow I’ll post tips on keeping your body’s detox system in top form.

Do you seek out cleanses and ways to detox your body? Please share in the comment section below.