Growing up in an environment where my mom always brewed herbal teas and other Chinese traditional medicine for me to nurse my health, she always said to me “Take care of your liver, and don’t ask why”. Now, I’m taking a nutrition class, and I find it fascinating how our organs function to make sure we stay healthy and alive. Our hearts pump every second non-stop to send blood throughout our blood, carrying oxygen to each cell. But the most fascinating thing I find is our organ- the liver.

The Liver in the GI Tract:

The liver is a powerhouse and production site of enzymes and hormones for food digestion and absorption through a pathway called the GI tract.

Whenever you eat, the food will be first broken down in your mouth from your saliva and mucus. They will be in charge of sticking your chewing pieces together, forming a bolus (a mixture of food, mucus, and saliva), then killing bacteria before sending it down to the esophagus area (the throat). Then the lower esophageal sphincter will open its entry for the bolus to travel to the stomach for further digestion. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach will be used to lower the pH level of the stomach. Then gastric lipase (an enzyme) to digest lipids and pepsin to break down proteins. However, that is not the end of our digestion process. This mixture of bolus and acid is formed into chyme and will be processed further down in the small intestine where 90% of the digestion happens there. The liver with the gallbladder is very important in this process because the liver produces bile that emulsifies fat. The gallbladder will store any excessive bile production for further use. If without bile production, the small intestine will lead to malabsorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. But why does it matter? It is because lipids or fats are essential nutrients for our body just like protein, carbohydrates, water, minerals, and vitamins. In a worse case, it can lead to diarrhea where the indigested fats and lipids will travel to the colon turning into poop, irritating the lining of the colon and stimulating salt and water secretion. Therefore, the digestion and absorption process of food cannot be completed efficiently without the help of the liver.

It’s Foe

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about the party? Is it the vibe? Friend? Or alcohol? I am personally not against drinking. I believe moderate drinking actually increases your health, especially when drinking wine. Because red wine has something called resveratrol that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may decrease the risk of cancer. However excessive drinking can lead to the risk of liver damage. In the worst case, excessive drinking can lead to cirrhosis which is an irreversible stage of liver damage. In addition, long-term alcohol use is the number one cause of Cirrhosis.

As you can see in the image above, there is an enlargement in the liver size and there are bumps on the surface of the liver. The color is also different. It is due to the growth of connective tissue destroying liver cells.

Without a properly functioning liver, your life will end. After realizing how important my liver is, I begin to search for vitamins that can help to maintain the health of my liver. But what I found is surprising: “Your liver is a factory with the ability to regenerate and detox itself,” says Dr. Mazen Noureddin, a hepatologist with Houston Methodist. Liver, itself can filter toxins out of the body without any help. Thus from new informations, I learned to appreciate my body functions and organs that keep me healthy and alive 24/7. I hope this also inspire you to take care of your body.