7 Effective Ways to Maintain Your Liver Health

Posted By Suborna Fermi Posted on Sep 20, 2024

The liver is the second largest organ in our body and has numerous critical jobs. It helps remove toxins from the body, metabolises food, produces bile, maintains cholesterol levels, and regulates hormone levels. However, some people do not prioritise liver health enough and develop liver diseases. This blog post explores some beneficial ways to keep your liver healthy.

5 ways to keep your liver healthy

1. Avoid alcohol or drink in moderation: Your liver can only digest a low volume of alcohol every hour. When you consume alcohol, your liver stops doing other functions to break down or remove it from the blood. Therefore, if you overdrink alcohol, it can damage liver cells and lead to inflammation, which is also known as scarring or cirrhosis. Too much alcohol consumption can also cause fatty liver which leads to liver damage over time. For this reason, it is important to limit your alcohol consumption.

2. Have a balanced diet: Fat buildup in the liver is one of the major causes of fatty liver. Over time, it can cause severe damage to the liver. To avoid fatty liver, reduce your consumption of saturated fats, trans fats, and hydrogenated fats. Saturated fats are found in fried food, red meat, and dairy products, while trans fats and hydrogenated fats are found in processed foods. Your liver stores excess fats that can lead to fat buildup, resulting in fatty liver. To avoid fatty liver, eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and high-fibre foods.

3. Have an active lifestyle: Regular exercise is the key to a healthy liver. Regular physical activities can help increase energy levels, reducing stress on the liver and chances of developing obesity. You can try brisk walking, running, and swimming.

4. Maintain healthy body weight: Abdominal or central obesity is a major risk factor for fatty liver disease. A balanced diet and regular exercise can help maintain a healthy body weight.

5. Protect yourself from hepatitis B and C: Unfortunately, currently, no vaccines are available for hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis C transmits through sexual or blood-to-blood contact with an infected person. To prevent getting hepatitis B or C, it is crucial to practice safe sex and avoid sharing personal hygiene items, such as toothbrushes, razors and needles.

6. Get vaccinated: Hepatitis A and B are both viral liver infections. Hepatitis A transmits through contaminated water or foods, while hepatitis B transmits through sexual contact or blood-to-blood contact. To prevent these viral liver infections, make sure to get vaccinated.

7. Quit smoking: Several studies have found that smoking can damage the liver and lead to liver cancer. On the other hand, smoking can increase the negative impact of certain medications on the body.

Liver diseases can cause a wide range of complications throughout the body. In today's moving world, fatty liver is a widespread complication, that develops when fat buildups in the liver. For this reason, it is important to maintain liver health for your overall well-being. Having a healthy diet, regular exercise and avoiding alcohol can benefit your liver. Also, make sure to consult your doctor if you notice any symptoms related to liver complications.