Is
Your
Liver
Making
You
Look
Fat?
You
probably
don’t
think
much
about
your
liver,
but
I’m
sure
body
fat
is
one
thing
that
enters
your
mind
frequently.
Did
you
know
that
the
two
are
related?!
When
I
was
little,
my
mom
used
to
make
liver
and
onions
for
dinner.
Wasn’t
one
of
my
favorites…
As
I
got
older,
I
acquired
a
taste
for
it,
and
now,
as
an
adult
I
have
a
whole
new
level
of
respect
and
adoration
for
liver.
The
kind
you
eat
and
the
one
working
hard
for
you
in
your
body
right
now!
Why
do
I
love
the
liver?
Well,
let
me
count
the
ways!
The
liver
is
the
body’s
second
largest
organ,
weighing
in
at
around
3
pounds.
Only
the
skin
is
larger
and
heavier.
The
liver
performs
many
essential
functions.
•
•
•
•
•
Digestion
-‐
The
liver
plays
an
active
role
in
the
process
of
digestion
through
the
production
of
bile.
When
you
eat
foods
containing
fats,
bile
is
released
to
turn
the
large
clumps
of
fat
into
smaller
pieces
that
have
more
surface
area
and
are
therefore
easier
for
the
body
to
digest.
Metabolism
-‐
The
liver
is
tasked
with
many
of
the
important
metabolic
jobs
that
support
the
cells
of
the
body.
It
is
responsible
for
processing
carbohydrates,
lipids,
and
proteins
into
biologically
useful
materials.
The
liver
also
plays
a
vital
role
in
maintaining
blood
sugar
level
balance.
When
this
balance
is
thrown
off,
it
can
lead
to
an
accumulation
of
fat
in
the
abdominal
area
of
the
body.
Detoxification
-‐
As
blood
from
the
digestive
organs
passes
through
the
liver,
it
monitors
the
contents
of
the
blood
and
removes
many
potentially
toxic
substances
before
they
can
reach
the
rest
of
the
body.
Liver
enzymes
metabolize
many
of
these
toxins
such
as
alcohol
and
drugs
into
their
inactive
metabolites.
And
in
order
to
keep
hormone
levels
within
healthy
limits,
the
liver
also
metabolizes
and
removes
from
circulation
hormones
produced
by
the
body’s
own
glands.
Immunity
-‐
The
liver
functions
as
an
organ
of
the
immune
system
by
capturing
and
digesting
bacteria,
fungi,
parasites,
worn-‐out
blood
cells,
and
cellular
debris.
Nutrients
storage
-‐
The
liver
provides
storage
of
many
essential
nutrients,
vitamins,
and
minerals
obtained
from
blood.
The
storage
of
these
nutrients
allows
the
liver
to
maintain
the
balance
of
blood
glucose.
The
liver
also
stores
vitamins
and
minerals
-‐
such
as
vitamins
A,
D,
E,
K,
and
B12,
and
the
minerals
iron
and
copper
-‐
in
order
to
provide
a
constant
supply
of
these
essential
substances
to
the
tissues
of
the
body.
These
functions
make
the
liver
a
vital
organ
without
which
the
tissues
of
the
body
would
quickly
die
from
lack
of
energy
and
nutrients.
See
it’s
pretty
cool,
huh?!