Author: Randeep Singh / go to all articles on Yoga cure
Yoga for liver: How to make liver strong with yoga Liver is the roughly triangular shaped largest organ, also a gland resting on the right side of the abdominal cavity under the lungs.
In spite of its enormous size one cannot feel one’s liver, as it remains encased within the lower part of the rib cage. Externally, the liver has a rubbery feel to it. A set of Yoga exercises help in maintaining the health of this vital organ.
The digestive system supplies it with the blood loaded with the nutrients for further processing through the portal vein, and the heart delivers freshly oxygenated blood to the liver, via hepatic artery, as a fuel for its own functioning. The blood flows out of live through hepatic veins which are three in number.
Liver is the only organ, gland present within the human body which is capable of regenerating itself from its own tissue within a span of 8 – 15 days. Liver is meant to produce bile for fat and vitamin metabolism, store iron from hemoglobin, facilitate the clotting of the blood, store glycogen, metabolize proteins, filter blood, produce albumin, and synthesize angiotensinogen. In broader terms the function of liver is to remove the toxins form the body.
Detoxify the Liver with Hatha Yoga
Liver filters the water soluble toxins from the blood and extricates them from the body through urine, the toxins which are fat soluble are separated and stored within its tissues preventing them from entering the body cell. Twists majorly comprise the Yoga exercises for liver which form the part of Hatha yoga as they compress out the stagnant blood or remnant byproducts of the functions of the liver out of it.
This works well with the aged as the flow of any liquid within the circulatory system becomes sluggish due to the prolapsing of the organs under the impact of gravity. Yoga activates it by churning the liver up from its otherwise resting position.
Internal organs are also prone to descending from their optimal position due to the weakening of the ligaments and muscles responsible for holding them in place with age. In the process some of the organs descend over the blood vessels or other circulatory pathways passing from under them, restricting their normal flow rates.
The Yoga asanas for a healthy liver reopen these passages by realigning the organ systems in their previous positions which increases the circulation to the related systems. Thus yoga is a natural medicine for liver circulation related issues. Any type of Yoga does help all the organs equally, liver being one of them, as it improves the functioning of the heart and the lungs which are responsible for the quality of the blood flowing through the body.
One study on the effect of hatha yoga for liver on its health have found that after practicing yoga asanas like Bhujangasana or Dhanurasana and yoga pranayama for liver like Ujjayi help reduce the levels of Globulin ( Protein) and Alkaline Phosphate ( enzyme) to a significant level. High levels Globulin and Alkaline Phosphate are the indicators of a unhealthy liver.
There is a condition called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the main cause of which has been found to be the sedentary life style. Yoga asana adequately stretches and strengthens the muscle groups which get stiff and short due to prolonged sitting. These yoga poses and yoga pranayama induce relaxation in body which rejuvenates all the organs along with the Liver.
Asana and pranayama for liver help build the immune defense against external infections of the liver like Hepatitis group of infections which can be fetal. Other than the practical part of Yoga like the asanas and the pranayama yoga also has its ramifications in the diet and healthy lifestyle sections related to healthy living in general and for the liver in particular.
Exercises for liver prevents the deposition of the fat within the liver as well as around the abdominal area which unnecessarily presses upon the liver affecting its normal functions.
Yoga recommends a diet with only required quantity of fat in it. Hepatitis infections are indirectly related to the development of the liver cancer. Hatha yoga helps prevent cancer by keeping the liver infections like hepatitis at bay.
Another study has also found that in case yoga is practiced regularly over a period of time the levels of enzymes Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transminase and Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transminase are considerably reduced which is a indicator of a healthy functioning of the liver.
The weight of the individuals who participated in the study was also found to be reduced wit yoga which is a positive sign for the overall health of the liver.
Techniques for Healthy Liver
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