Liver - Part 1
Part 1
Part 1: What Your Liver Actually Does
(And Why It’s Struggling)
You don’t smoke, you don’t go to McDonalds daily (not even monthly), and you don’t drink a lot of alcohol.
And yet…you feel puffy, foggy, sluggish. A little off.
If that’s you, your liver might be quietly asking for help.
Your liver has an enormous job to do today, even when you eat a healthier-than-average diet. Add in hormonal changes and you get a very unhappy liver.
But, the liver is AMAZING and resilient, and with a bit of support it can be happy again.
Let’s start by exploring what your liver actually does (spoiler: it’s so much more than a detox organ), why it can get overwhelmed, and what kinds of symptoms that can create (especially in your 40s and 50s).
Your Liver’s Real Job Description
We’ve been sold the idea that the liver is just a filter for toxins. And yes, that’s part of the picture…but it’s also:
Your hormone processing hub (especially estrogen and cortisol)
A key player in fat metabolism and blood sugar balance
Your personal biochemist, converting nutrients into usable fuel
A bile producer — helping you digest fats and absorb vitamins
Your body’s cleanup crew, neutralizing medications, alcohol, and chemicals
A frontline defense against inflammation, skin flares, and digestive sluggishness
Your liver is always working, it never takes a day off. But that also means it can easily become overloaded, especially if your detox pathways aren’t fully supported.
Why the Liver Gets Sluggish (Even When You’re Eating Healthy)
A sluggish liver is usually a sign of modern life (not personal failure).
Here are some of the most common contributors to liver overwhelm:
Hormonal changes (especially in perimenopause and menopause)
High stress and elevated cortisol
Medications (especially painkillers, antacids, antidepressants)
Nutrient deficiencies (low B vitamins, magnesium, protein)
Alcohol, fragrance, plastics, and environmental toxins
Blood sugar dysregulation or insulin resistance
Gut imbalances, constipation, or poor bile flow
Some of these are unavoidable and some are small daily exposures that add up over time.
You don’t have to live in a bubble, small changes can have a big impact :).
A Quick Note on Fatty Liver (NAFLD)
You’ve probably heard of fatty liver (or maybe even been told you have it) even if you don’t drink much (or at all). This is called Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), and it’s more common than most people realize, especially for women in perimenopause and menopause.
It’s not caused by bad choices or poor habits, it’s often connected to blood sugar imbalances, stress, and nutrient deficiencies…all things that can sneak up on even the healthiest eater.
And. NAFLD is often completely reversible with gentle, consistent liver support :).
Signs Your Liver Might Need a Bit More Love
Liver dysfunction doesn’t usually show up as a dramatic crisis. Instead, it tends to whisper through everyday symptoms that we often ignore or blame on something else.
You might notice:
Waking between 1–3am regularly
Bloating or upper abdominal heaviness, especially after fatty meals
Fatigue or brain fog, especially in the morning
Skin flares like acne, rashes, or itchiness
Sensitivity to smells or alcohol
Mood swings or anxiety that feel hormonal but don’t follow a clear cycle
PMS, heavy periods, or worsening menopausal symptoms
Weight resistance, especially around the belly
Feeling puffy, pitted, or inflamed even with a healthy lifestyle
You don’t need to have all of these, but if you nodded yes to two or more, it might be time to give your liver a little more love. And, giving your liver support BEFORE feeling any of these symptoms is also helpful :). As you’ll see in Part 4, liver support doesn’t need to be difficult, so keep that in mind even if you aren’t feeling any major symptoms.
With small improvements you can have:
Deeper sleep
Smoother digestion
More stable moods
Clearer skin
Better hormone balance
That subtle but unmistakable feeling of lightness returning
In the next part, we’ll explore how your liver and hormones are deeply connected and why supporting your liver might be the missing piece in navigating perimenopause, menopause, and everything in between.
If you have any questions, jump to our private Facebook Group or the Ask Lisa page :)