Sluggish Liver

Symptoms

Many naturopaths believe that indications that your liver is "sluggish" or not functioning as well as it could may include:

• Intolerance of alcohol and/or fatty foods 
• Constipation 
• Nausea 
• Headache 
• Indigestion 
• Acne and other skin conditions such as psoriasis 
• High cholesterol and blood lipid levels

Other more serious symptoms may indicate the presence of more complex conditions requiring professional treatment (such as hepatitis). These include: 

• Jaundice (yellow discolouration of the skin and eyes) 
• Fever 
• Nausea and vomiting 
• Loss of appetite 
• Severe generalised pain in the abdomen, or localised to the liver region 
• Swelling and hardness of the liver (hepatomegaly) 
• Dark urine with a strong smell 
• Stools may be unusually light or dark in colour; floating stools may indicate that fats are not being properly broken down by the liver and gall bladder 
• Hair loss 
• Swollen feet or legs 
• Red palms 
• Confusion, sleep disturbance, and occasionally mental disturbance 
• Generalised itching over the whole body