Abby's

Volume 5 Issue 2

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Page 72 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com Liver Bile Bile is a complex fluid secreted by the liver for the digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble substances. Bile is stored in the gall bladder (see figure above), where it then flows through the bile duct to the small intestine, from which it is eventually eliminated in stool. Many fat-soluble toxins, including excess estrogen hormones, are eliminated from the body into the intestines with the aid of bile. However, some women, such as those on birth control pills, may have difficulty eliminating excess estrogens, and this may be linked to an inhibited bile flow. Methionine, found in an over-the-counter dietary supplement called SAMe, has been shown to improve bile flow, thereby helping to reduce excess estrogen levels. Liver function and hormone balance are intimately connected. Liver function has a critical effect on hormones and, at the same time, is affected by hormones—the ones produced in the body as well as those used as therapy. The liver can be protected by using bioidentical hormones, by not taking excessive levels of hormones, by ensuring that the liver has adequate nutrients available for processing hormones, and by avoiding other chemicals that compete for liver function. Healthy liver function is the underpinning of hormone balance. One of the best ways to achieve and maintain good overall health is to be kind to your liver. This includes reducing the burden on the liver whenever possible, and providing adequate supplies of nutrients to assist with detoxification. Liver stress can be reduced by avoiding overeating and heavy alcohol use. Other ways to reduce liver burden are to eliminate processed foods, high-fat foods, and those with preservatives or other additives from your diet, and to drink plenty of water to facilitate elimination of toxic and excess substances. Reducing exposure to toxic chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides in your home, yard and workplace will also reduce the burden on the liver and promote liver health. As discussed previously, the liver is dependent upon many nutrients to complete its job of breaking down and detoxifying any excess and toxins. To promote healthy liver function, we must ensure that those nutrients are available with a proper diet and/or supplementation, when necessary or appropriate. If you are wondering if your liver function is up to par, ask yourself the following questions: • Are you overweight? • Do you engage in heavy alcohol or tobacco use? • Do you have high exposure to chemicals such as herbicides or pesticides? • Are you on hormone therapy, or other prescription drugs? • Have you been diagnosed with gallstones? • Have you been diagnosed with a liver disease? If you answered yes to any of these questions, discuss your liver health with your healthcare practitioner. We are fortunate in that the liver is quick to heal itself, if we give it the chance to do so. Courtesy of Women's International Hormone Delivery As mentioned earlier, most drugs are metabolized during Phase I. However, the delivery method is key. Orally administered drugs, including birth control pills and other hormones, are absorbed through the digestive tract and at least partially metabolized by the liver and excreted before they can be made available to the rest of the body. This is known as "first-pass effect." Avoiding the first-pass effect is not intended to protect the liver, but to provide greater absorption of the hormones. Delivery methods that avoid the first-pass effect include creams or gels applied to the skin, suppositories or inserts administered in the rectum or vagina, and lozenges or drops delivered under the tongue in the mouth (not swallowed). Maintaining a Healthy Liver The liver is responsible for literally hundreds of functions that affect the entire body, including regulating hormones. Maintaining a healthy liver is central to maintaining hormone balance, which in turn helps to maintain overall health.

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