THE LIVER, HOW IT AFFECTS DIABETES

Here's something I found interesting in my studies today:The liver creates Glucose Tolerance Factor (GFT) from chromium, niacin and possibly glutathione. GFT is needed for the hormone insulin to properly regulate blood-sugar levels. Due to its critical role in facilitating amino acid entry into muscle cells, GFT empowered insulin is also a necessary co-factor for Growth Hormone to be effective in promoting muscle growth in response to athletic training programs....The liver stores various nutrients, especially A, D, B12 and iron, for release as needed

I heard something very interesting at my diabetic support group this week. If the sugar in our blood was the equivalent of pennies; the sugar stored in our Livers ready to be released when we need the extra energy is fifties. Just imagine we have a liver full of syrup ready to be released when we need the food in our muscles to work. This is why we will have a higher blood sugar reading after skipping a meal than we did just before the skipped meal.

The liver serves as the main glucose buffer, preventing high or low extremes of blood sugar. It is the key regulator of blood sugar between meals, due to its manufacture, storage and release of glycogen. Glycogen is the starch form of glucose in which the body can store a half days sugar supply. When the blood sugar is low, a healthy liver converts stored glycogen into glucose, releasing it into the bloodstream to raise blood sugar levels. When blood sugar is to high, the healthy liver will remove much of it, converting the excess into stored glycogen or fat.

In a healthy liver food is turned into glucose stored either for that day's use or turned into fat for future use. In order to get well the object is to get the liver to function better [properly] so we can live happily ever after.

A brief survey of mild liver dysfunction symptoms sounds like a description of "normal" modern life. These might include chronic fatigue and feeling tired after meals. Depression, mood instability, and irrational anger and temper flare-ups may be liver related. PMS symptoms, including breast soreness and sensitivity, depression, hypoglycemia and irritability, may be liver related. Morton Biskind, M.D., published several articles in endocrinology journals in the early 1940's linking PMS to a B-vitamin and protein deficient liver's difficulty in de-activating estrogen. Nausea, dietary fat intolerance, foul smelling gas, swollen belly, loss of appetite, constipation and diarrhea are some of the digestive toxic-liver symptoms. Aching joints and muscles, sore feet, psoriasis, and slow wound healing are common dysfunction symptoms. Headaches (especially behind the eyes,) insomnia, difficulty awakening, poor memory, and difficulty concentrating are possible brain liver symptoms.

The best ways to damage a liver are:
>People routinely consuming large amounts of overheated, hydrogenated, "junk food" fats,
>coffee consumption, regular alcohol use,smoking,
>birth control pills,
>routine driving on clogged polluted highways,
>Candida sufferers, Arthritis, rheumatism, and other
>chronic pain sufferers who were routinely exposed to higher than normal levels of pesticides,
>Industrial and service workers routinely exposed to heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury), radioactive chemicals, hydrocarbon solvents such as sulfuric acid and mixes like piranha, TCE, paint sprays and beauty parlor chemicals,
>Gas station workers and auto mechanics,
>Those on long term prescription drug therapy (Dilantin, Phenobarbital, Nizoral etc. are some of the many potentially liver toxic drugs),
>Athletes using anabolic-synthetic variations of male hormone testosterone.

WHAT HELPS THE LIVER?
nutritional measures to promote optimal liver function and detoxification, like vitamin E,antioxidants and therapies that detoxify the Liver.

A few aids in detoxifying the liver

Milk thistle~Supports healthy liver function. Powerful antioxidants work in the liver and kidneys scavenging free radicals. May have a protective effect on the liver. Turmeric and Artichoke extracts are added for additional synergistic benefits.

Vitamin E~protects the liver from free radicals during the detoxifying process. Helps support strong immune system. Useful in protecting your heart. Helps reduce the risk of death from heart related problems. Powerful antioxidant to fight free radicals and slow down the aging process. Increased vitamin E reduces risk of type 2 diabetes.
Made from 100% natural sources. food sources of Vitamin E are:
..." vegetable oils, margarine, nuts (especially almonds), and seeds (especially sunflower seeds). Moderate amounts of vitamin E are found in whole grains, egg yolk, and a limited number of vegetables (e.g., collard greens) and fruits (e.g., avocados, apples, melon). Good sources of C include green peppers, citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, turnip greens and other greens, sweet and white potatoes, and cantaloupe.
From: http://www.bcbsvt.com/pages/healthinfo/foodshighinvitec.htm

Easter C 1000~Required for over 300 metabolic functions in the body. Absorbed 400% faster than regular Vitamin C. Manufactured through an innovative, water-based process using no chemical solvents. 1000 mg per capsule.
Does not affect tooth enamel like chewable forms sometimes do. Its neutral PH makes it very easy on the stomach.
Food sources of vitamin C [ascorbic acid] include oranges, lots and lots of oranges, lemons, and limes, but be sure to eat all the pith inside the fruit along with the juice because therein lies the rutins, herperidins the bioflavinoids that cause your body to put out the welcome mat and usher all that good vitamin c inside to help you heal, detoxify, aid the immune system, heart support, eye support for diabetics and gtf[see above] and just generally feel better. "Bioflavinoids are essential for the proper absorption and use of Vitamin C; promotes vascular health; protects and preserves the structure of capillaries, which will help prevent bruising, varicose veins and hemorrhoids; helps prevent blood clotting and platelet clumping by making the blood less sticky; lowers cholesterol levels; treats and prevents cataracts, glaucoma, and other vision problems"
What a deal, eh? No wonder Linus Pauling[the genius biochemist, and Nobel prize winner] thought so highly of Vitamin C.

Remember the earlier statement: "The liver creates Glucose Tolerance Factor (GFT) from chromium, niacin and possibly glutathione" Glutathione is the master antioxident utilising the vitamins C and E to create a better functioning liver and making this GFT work better healing the liver so it does the job of keeping your blood sugar levels regulated, Food sources of Glutathione are Vitamin C and E and Milk thistle...
The website The Nutrition advisor has this to say about Milk Thistle."The herb milk-thistle, an excellent source of the antioxidant compound silymarin may help to prevent glutathione depletion in the liver. Silymarin is many times more potent in antioxidant activity than the better known antioxidant vitamins E and vitamin C. The protective effect of silymarin against liver damage has been demonstrated in a number of scientific studies. Silymarin has been shown to protect against liver damage by extremely toxic chemicals (this toxicity is mediated by their ability to produce dangerous and destructive unstable compounds called free radicals) including amanita toxin, carbon tetrachloride, galactosamine, and praseodymium nitrate. Silymarin enhances detoxification in the liver by preventing the depletion of glutathione. Glutathione in the liver is essential to the liver's ability to detoxify. The higher the liver glutathione content, the greater the liver's capacity to detoxify harmful chemicals. Chemicals which can damage the liver, (including alcohol and acetominophen), cause the concentration of glutathione in the liver is substantially reduced, making the hepatocytes (liver cells) susceptible to damage. Silymarin not only prevents the depletion of glutathione induced by alcohol and other toxins (Chrungoo VJ et al. Indian J Exp Biol. 1997 Jun;35(6):611-7.), but can increase the level of glutathione in the cells of the liver (hepatocytes) (Valenzuela A et al. Planta Med. 1989 Oct;55(5):420-2.), and possibly by up to 35%"
Let's also say here that
Scientists in Texas are looking into whether or not the whey protein isolate ingredient Immunocal could lessen the symptoms of autism by raising glutathione levels in the brain.

A team of researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas will be using the proprietary protein supplement marketed by Immunotec Research of Quebec and manufactured by Glanbia Nutritionals.

Studies have shown levels of the antioxidant glutathione are typically about 50 percent lower in children with autism.
and glutathion is also helpful to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer
from:http://www.glutathione-report.com/blog/