The liver helps protect the body from dying or being poisoned at one moment and starving at another. It achieves this by regulating metabolism, breaking down fats and proteins, and storing carbohydrates as glycogen. This organ is also vital in the production of bile, which aids in digestion, especially of fats and fat-soluble vitamins.
A healthy liver would be free from diseases like fatty liver disease, hepatitis, and cirrhosis, and for that, balanced nutrition, limited portions of alcohol, regular exercise, and aversion of harmful substances can help prolong its longevity and resilience.
Here are some general tips to keep your liver safe and healthy:
Balanced diet: Incorporate many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins; avoid processed foods, added sugars, and high-fat meals that can make the liver pile up fat.
Consume alcohol in moderation: Too much alcohol damages the liver cells and leads to conditions such as fatty liver, hepatitis, and cirrhosis. It's best to limit alcohol consumption or abstain from alcohol altogether.
Hydration: Drinking water keeps the liver in top shape and helps flush out nasty toxins.
Activity: Exercise will maintain an ideal body weight thus reduce the chances of developing fatty liver disease.
Avoid Toxins: Shun chemicals that are not good. Most people have adverse exposure to chemical products such as detergents, aerosols among others.
Medication Use Wisely This is the proper use of medicine only and refraining from overuse, especially from analgesics, such as acetaminophen, which damage the livers.
Safe Hygiene Adopt Since the livers get damaged due to hepatitis B and C, do not share personal items and ensure that appropriate vaccinations be taken for hepatitis A and B.
- Routine Check-ups. Regular screenings and liver function tests can help catch potential issues early, especially if you're at higher risk for liver disease.
Routine screenings and liver function tests can help catch potential issues early, especially if you're at higher risk for liver disease.
Keeping these tips in mind can significantly improve the health of your liver and reduce risks associated with liver issues.
One of the common health conditions resulting from liver malfunction is cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is literally the gradual, consistent replacement of healthy liver tissue with scar tissue, which severely impairs the functioning of the liver. This scarring will affect the normal flow of blood in the liver as well as disrupt some its very essential functions, like detoxifying blood, metabolism of nutrients, and production of proteins required for blood clotting. Primarily, cirrhosis is the consequence of chronic liver diseases that last for many years, such as alcoholism, hepatitis B and C infections, or NAFLD, among others.
Progression of cirrhosis results in severe complications, including jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), ascites (fluid collection in the abdominal cavity), bleeding disorders, and can ultimately result in severe failure of the liver, and patients might require a liver transplant.
