THE LIVER - YOUR VERY OWN BORDER PATROL
The liver is considered as vital on organ as the heart and the brain. It supports near
ly every organ in the body in some form yet we don't give it much thought at all. It is a large reddish-brown glandular vertebrate organ that is located in the upper right portion of your abdominal cavity immediately under your diaphragm. Some say it is shaped like a football, some say it is shaped like a boomerang. It is one of the largest organs in your body, second only to your skin. It weighs approximately 3.2 lbs. and plays an integral part in keeping your body free from dangerous aliens. It literally serves as your body's very own border inspection station. Virtually every nutrient we consume, whether it has a valid passport or not, must pass through the liver so it can be transformed into a different biochemical form. That transformation is what allows the nutrients to be used, transported to a different location or stored as an extra inch of fat on your thighs.
The liver is considered as vital on organ as the heart and the brain. It supports near
ly every organ in the body in some form yet we don't give it much thought at all. It is a large reddish-brown glandular vertebrate organ that is located in the upper right portion of your abdominal cavity immediately under your diaphragm. Some say it is shaped like a football, some say it is shaped like a boomerang. It is one of the largest organs in your body, second only to your skin. It weighs approximately 3.2 lbs. and plays an integral part in keeping your body free from dangerous aliens. It literally serves as your body's very own border inspection station. Virtually every nutrient we consume, whether it has a valid passport or not, must pass through the liver so it can be transformed into a different biochemical form. That transformation is what allows the nutrients to be used, transported to a different location or stored as an extra inch of fat on your thighs.
Blood flows into the liver through 2 large blood vessels. The hepatic artery brings blood, rich in oxygen, from the heart and the portal vein, rich in absorbed food material, from your gut. All the blood that has come from your small intestines flows through your portal vein in your liver, so almost all of the nutrients you eat have to pass through the gauntlet of the liver before heading to the heart for generalized distribution. Your liver decides what gets kept out, what gets patted down and inspected, and what's allowed to be distributed throughout your body.
Within your liver there is a network of bile ducts (bile is a greenish liquid that helps break down fat). Your liver uses bile to clear bilirubin from your blood (bilirubin is a substance that comes from the break up of hemoglobin in dead red blood cells). An increased level of bilirubin leads to jaundice-a yellowing of your skin and eyes. Your eyes are where it's detected earliest-a sign of most liver diseases.
This was a brief overview of what I am and what I do. I'll go into more detail in the next segment about the 3 main things I do.
Morgan da Organ
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