Food? digestion? blood? structure? function ?

     The body digests food and transforms nutrients into blood. Blood (watery medium) carries nutrients to all cells, tissues, while receiving wastes. The heart (pump) commands, controls the circulation of blood via its system of vessels: arteries, veins and capillaries. The liver stores, cleanses and releases the blood (blood fuels chi), which insures a smooth flow of chi (function).  Thick blood (high protein, fat, cholesterol, uric acid, etc.) clogs, weakens and swells the liver adversely affecting blood, circulation, elimination, reproduction, etc.

     All blood passes through the liver (located behind the lower right rib cage). The liver stores, cleanses, transforms and releases the blood. It also produces bile. 

• Cleanses filters, removes poisons, excess protein, fat, cholesterol, uric acid, etc. from the blood.
• Transforms (1) excess fat and protein into cholesterol and lipoproteins (regulate cholesterol) (2
• Transforms poisons, toxins into bile, cholesterol, lecithin and other substances
• Bile (fat emulsifier) is stored in the gall bladder (connecting organ) prior to its release via a bile duct into the duodenum, first part of the small intestine.

     Buildingnutrients: protein and fat (saturated and unsaturated), are thick, sticky. Cleansing nutrients: water, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, etc. dissolve, thin.  

     Animal foods (red meat, chicken, turkey, eggs, and hard cheese) are high in protein and saturated fat. Too much animal protein, fat thickens clogs and weakens the liver. Less protein, fat, uric acid, etc. are cleansed, removed more stays in the blood (clots, high cholesterol, uric acid), arteries (plaque, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure), joints (gout), skin acne, psoriasis, warts, rashes, etc.), organs (tumors, cancer), etc.

     Too much protein thickens the blood too much forming clots (thrombus). The clotting factor is protein based.

     Saturated fat is high in cholesterol (essential part of every cell, tissue, especially the brain, nerves). Too much increase

• Blood cholesterol
• Low-density (LDL) and very low-density (VLDL) lipoproteins harden cholesterol into plaque
• Plaque (thick, sticky) pastes, narrows and or blocks the arteries (atherosclerosis) and capillaries reducing circulation, nutrient and waste exchange, especially in the extremities: head, arms and legs causing fatigue, pain, dizziness, insomnia, arthritis, dryness, inflammation, shaking, etc.

     Unsaturated fat found in beans, nuts and seeds increase the number of high-density lipoproteins (HDL). HDLremoves and transports cholesterol back to the liver, where it is broken down and transformed into bile salts, eliminated in the bowels. Too much unsaturated fat especially in polyunsaturated oils (corn, safflower, soybean and sunflower) reduce, lower the amount of HDL, which in turn, fails to thin the blood, remove excess cholesterol.  Olive oil is monounsaturated, which reduces cholesterol without reducing HDL. 

 

     Clogged fatty, hardened liver tends to

 

• Enlarge, swell with blood as more blood passes in than out, decreasing circulation, especially to the head, arms and legs causing muscular tension, pain, irritability, anger, etc. 
• 
  Press out distend the ribs, upper abdomen, chest, breasts, pain (right side), difficulty swallowing, imaginary lump in throat, (plum pit syndrome).
  
• Cause sighing: body, lung's attempt to release trapped energy (chi) and blood within the liver. The lungs (right lung sits atop the liver) expand and contract, which in turn massages and helps move blood in and out of the liver.Increase body temperature, insomnia, hot flashes, via excess weight, trapped heat
• Thicken the blood (clots, high cholesterol and uric acid) and clog, narrow arteries (atherosclerosis) which attack and weaken the heart

 

     Thick blood and clogged arteries tend to

• Reduce circulation, blood (nutrient flow to the arms and legs: fatigue, pain, dryness, inflammation, numbness, arthritis, etc,
• Cause high blood pressure, red face, eyes, skin (heat rises, moves blood up, out, reddens head, skin), purple lips, excessive thinking, dreaming, wakefulness (insomnia) or loud ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
• Reduce blood, nutrient flow to the head, dizziness, poor vision, weak hearing, damaging, drying, thinning, cracking or bleeding the capillaries in the nose, nosebleeds (epitasis)
• Reduce blood, nutrient flow to the brain causing it to shrink, dry, harden and or short-circuit aneurism, dementia and Alzheimer's disease (long-term blood deficiency is also a cause).
• Darken and clot menstrual blood, cause PMS and or dysmenorrhea (painful or irregular periods). Thick high protein, fat liver blood passes directly and unevenly into the uterus. 

     The liver removes poisons, toxins from the blood and transforms them into bile, cholesterol, lecithin and other substances. One pint of bile per day passes into the gall bladder and later released into small intestine (via cystic and bile ducts), eventually passing into the feces.

     Abnormal concentration of bile (yellow) acids, cholesterol and phospholipids in the bile tend to create stones in the gall bladder, ducts. Excess bile, in the extreme can leak, overflow into the skin, yellowing the skin, eyes (jaundice).

     Long-term high protein, fat diets (increase bile production) tend to cause gallstones, which can collect, stay in place or move, travel into the bile ducts causing inflammation, nausea, vomiting, fever and or pain in the right upper abdomen or behind the breastbone. Gall bladder attacks (mimic heart attack pain), high among men (high protein, fat and starch diets) tend to occur after fried, fatty meals, in the extreme, clogging the stomach and small intestine causing a backflow (rebellion) of stomach energy, food and bile: burping, nausea, vomiting acid, bile or bitter taste.

     The colder middle diet, tomatoes, pineapple (blood thinner), ginger (blood thinner), hot peppers, bitter herbs, olive oil, dandelion tea, chicory root tea, less eating and occasional fasting is recommended for all high protein, fat, pitta diseases (hyperactive, swollen liver).

     Bitter herbs: golden seal, barberry, gentian and turmeric one capsule, or 10 drops (alcohol or non-alcohol tincture) each of in hot water (let sit few minutes, dissipates alcohol, increases absorption) can be taken one to two times per day for 1- 2 weeks. Too much bitter tends to cause headaches, nausea, constriction in the chest, difficulty breathing and or anemia.

    Aloe vera gel (2- 3 ounces) in fruit juice (apple, orange) 2- 3 times per day also helps cool, thin and detoxify the liver (swollen) and spleen. Radishes and apple cider vinegar (1 TB in one glass of water, three times per day) may help dissolve gallstones, in addition to dietary changes. Consult with a physician. Peppermint tea cools, relaxes liver (and muscle) tension. Fish liver oil supplements may aggravate, worsen and tighten the liver, as can anger.

     Coffee enemas also help detoxify the liver. For more information please read A Cancer Therapy, Results of Fifty Cases by Max Garson, M.D. Check with your doctor first. 

     Reduce pungent (hot spices), sour and salty foods, herbs, polyunsaturated oils (corn, safflower, soybean and sunflower). which aggravate high protein, fat, yang, pitta diseases. Reduce late meals and overeating (fat, oil, flour) which weaken, clog the liver. Reduce anger (emotion associated with liver). You cannot cure hot, high protein high fat liver problems without (a) reducing animal protein, fat) and (b) increasing vegetables and fruits (60% +). No nutritional or herbal supplements replace vegetables.

    Blood, protein and fat deficiency can also attack and weaken the liver. Liver blood nourishes the nails, eyes, sinews (tendons, ligaments) and uterus. Liver blood deficiency tends to cause dry nails, eyes, tendons, and amenorrhea (little or no period).

     Blood, protein and fat deficiency is generally easy but time-consuming (120 days) to rebuild, cure. The hotter middle diet (page 57) is recommended low protein, low fat diseases. Protein and fat are easier to digest, absorb and eliminate when cooked with vegetables in soups, stews. 

     In TCM, the sour taste and green color benefit the liver. Sour taste (lemons, yogurt, sauerkraut, fermented foods, etc.) heats, stimulates the liver, increases secretion of bile, which benefits a deficient liver, blood conditions, but will aggravate, tighten a clogged, fatty, swollen liver and spleen (excess heat, yang, pitta), and is therefore avoided. Green color,green vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, kale and collards), chlorophyll, etc. soothes the liver, cools, cleanses, break downs and eliminates excess protein, fat, paste and toxins.

     In TCM, the sides of the tongue represent the liver and gall bladder. Liver, gallbladder heat via long-term high protein, fat, diets, alcohol and smoking tend to dry, redden and or yellow the tongue's coating or sides. Avertical line between the eyebrows generally indicates liver congestion. Two to three vertical lines indicate gall bladder congestion (fat).