Liver is an important organ in the human body, as it keeps the body’s regulatory, detoxification and metabolic functions in perfect condition. One amazing quality of liver is that it can rejuvenate itself and most liver problems are reversible if discovered early. Liver failure is a condition that develops over time. It means you can stop a fatty liver condition from deteriorating into more serious liver cirrhosis and liver cancer by making significant changes to your diet and lifestyle.
Here are some useful lifestyle tips from Shebni Hameed, a Clinical Dietitiani, to keep your liver healthy:
Reduce alcohol intake
Over-consumption of alcohol can cause damage to liver. Our liver has the capacity to process or break down only a small amount of alcohol in one hour. So alcohol must be consumed only in moderation.
Limit consumption of fatty foods
The liver stores excess dietary fat and fat build-up can eventually lead to liver disease. You should reduce the intake of saturated fats, trans-fats and hydrogenated fats. Saturated fats are found in deep fried food, red meats and dairy products while trans and hydrogenated fats are found in processed foods.
Mind your body weight
In order to keep your liver healthy, it is important to maintain a healthy body weight. Obesity is a major risk factor for developing fatty liver disease. Have a balanced diet and regularly to achieve and maintain the ideal body mass index level.
Avoid over-supplementation
Some traditional liver supplementation medicines and remedies contain heavy metals and these can affect the regular functioning of liver. Taking medicines in excess can lead to liver damage or even liver failure.
Have High-fibre foods
For a healthy liver, include food items that are high in fibre content such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables in your regular diet. Excess intake of red meat is not good for your liver. So choose healthier protein sources such as fish, beans and nuts instead.
Get Vaccinated
Hepatitis A and B are viral infections that affect liver. While Hepatitis A is contracted from contaminated food and water, Hepatitis B is contracted from sexual contact, contaminated blood and needles. These diseases can be effectively prevented with vaccination.
Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise can have many positive effects on liver. The energy levels increase with exercise and physical activity can reduce stress on the liver and help prevent obesity, a risk factor for liver disease.
Pills can be dangerous
Be cautious while taking over-the-counter weight loss pills as some of these are harmful to the liver.
According to Shebni Hameed, following food items can be included in your diet to keep your liver healthy:
Garlic: Garlic has the ability to activate liver enzymes that can help the body flush out toxins. It also contains high amounts of allicin and selenium, natural compounds that aid in liver cleansing.
Grape fruit: Grape fruit contains high amounts of Vitamin C and antioxidants. It can boost liver’s natural cleansing processes by helping production of detoxification enzymes that help flush out carcinogens and other toxins from liver.
Beets and carrots: Beets and carrots have high plant-flavonoid and beta-carotene contents. They stimulate and improve liver function.
Green tea: Green tea contains plant antioxidants known as catechins, a compound known to assist liver function.
Leafy vegetables: Extremely high in plant chlorophylls, leafy vegetables cleanse the blood stream of environmental toxins. They have the ability to neutralize heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides, thus providing powerful protective mechanism for the liver.
Avocados: Avocados boost the production of a compound called glutathione in the body, which helps liver cleanse the body of harmful toxins.
Apples: Apples contain chemical constituents that help the body cleanse and release toxins from the digestive tract. This reduces the burden of liver while handling the toxic load during the cleansing process.
Olive oil: Cold-pressed organic oils such as olive, hemp and flax-seed are great for the liver, when used in moderation. They provide the body a lipid base that can remove harmful toxins. Thus relieves the liver from the burden of handling the toxic overload to a great extent.
Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli and cauliflower also boost the production of natural enzymes that help flush out carcinogens and other toxins in the body.
Lemon and lime: Vitamin C contained in these fruits aids the body in synthesizing toxic materials into substances that can be absorbed by water. Drinking freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice in the morning helps stimulate the liver.
Walnuts: Walnuts help in detoxifying the liver of ammonia, as they contain high amounts of arginine, a type of amino acid. Walnuts are also high in glutathione and Omega-3 fatty acids, which support normal liver cleansing actions.
Cabbage: Cabbage stimulates the activation of crucial liver detoxifying enzymes that help the body get rid of toxins.
Turmeric: Turmeric boosts detoxification of liver and production of enzymes that actively flush out dietary carcinogens.
