Protecting the liver is of utmost importance because it is responsible for supporting many key body functions. When the organ deteriorates it can cause liver failure, which is a life-threatening condition. Consequently, your body will not be able to carry out its regular functions like food digestion, toxin-elimination, and nutrient absorption.
If the liver fails to help you in digesting and utilizing nutrients, your condition can become fatal. So, the liver is an organ that needs regular maintenance and proper care; without this, all other functionalities could get affected. It is also responsible for producing bile that can help in breaking down the fat in foods; it stores glucose, which is your body’s source of energy. Making sure that the liver is functioning optimally and that you do not suffer from liver diseases is possible when you follow a healthy lifestyle and good eating habits.
Do’s & Don’ts To Keep Your Liver Healthy
Do’s:
- Maintaining optimal body weight is the first step to keeping your liver healthy. When you are overweight, fat may accumulate in this organ, causing a fatty liver, putting you at risk of developing NAFLD or non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases.
- You can keep your liver healthy by eating right; this means eating more of fiber-rich foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, rice and cereals, whole-grain bread. “Good” fats of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated varieties that can be obtained from nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and fish are also good for the liver.
- Exercising regularly benefits liver health by helping your body burn the triglycerides and reducing liver fat.
- When you use needles or opt for tattooing or body-piercing, you need to make sure that the needles used are absolutely sterile. Contaminated needles will put you at great risk of diseases like Hepatitis C. If you fear that you have been a victim of an unsafe injection practice, you must get an immediate follow-up done. If you have been in contact with another person’s blood directly, you must get medical care.
- You must remember to maintain good hygiene practices at all times, like washing your hands always after using the washroom, and before eating or preparing food.
- You should practice safe sex as sex with multiple partners or unprotected sex can heighten the risks of getting Hepatitis B. It may help to get yourself vaccinated against these diseases.
Dont’s:
- You need to avoid eating meals with high-calorie content, refined carbs, and saturated fats; you should also stay away from undercooked and raw shellfish.
- You need to stay away from toxins as these will harm your liver cells. So, you must avoid direct contact with toxins like pesticides, aerosol products, additives, and chemicals.
- It is best to avoid smoking or binge-drinking as this will invariably trigger many kinds of health issues.
- Avoid using illicit drugs like cocaine, marijuana, heroin, inhalants, and prescription-type psychotherapeutics as these can damage the liver.
- You should never share any item of personal hygiene like a toothbrush or razor as these items can be carriers of contaminated blood or body fluids.
- You must avoid taking incorrect doses of medications. If you have the wrong drugs, or over-medicate yourself, you run the risk of damaging your liver.
7 Crucial Tips For Prevention of Liver Damage or Liver Failure
Liver damage is a condition that cannot be ignored as this may threaten your life. The liver fails over time and there may be many reasons responsible for this condition. These are some things that you can do to prevent liver damage:
- Eating significant amounts of dark-green, leafy veggies in your daily meals can help you maintain a strong liver. Reducing sugar intake goes a long way in keeping your liver healthy.
- You should make it a point to work out regularly to burn the extra fat and maintain optimal weight. It is pointless to opt for fad diets and other unhealthy weight-loss methods that end up harming the liver.
- Getting vaccines for preventing Hepatitis A and B is a good way to prevent liver damage.
- You need to stop taking a lot of alcohol as this will damage the liver cells, causing swelling and leading to cirrhosis. You must seek the right liver disease treatment to treat a liver disorder; if your body does not respond to this, you may need to seek a liver transplant.
- You need to be wary of certain drugs that can have side-effects and some others that can damage the liver when you take them a lot. Some drugs cause colossal damage when combined with alcohol intake.
- You can prevent getting infected with liver diseases when you practice good personal hygiene habits and refrain from sharing items of personal use with others.
- Some dietary supplements and herbs are known to harm the liver, like kava ephedra, cascara, and comfrey.