How to Keep Your Liver Healthy?
Your liver is a vital organ that performs various functions, such as:
- Produces and excretes bile
- Excretes cholesterol, bilirubin, drugs, and hormones
- Metabolizes fats, carbohydrates, and proteins
- Activates enzymes
- Stores glycogen, vitamins, and minerals
- Synthesizes plasma proteins, such as clotting factors and albumin
- Purifies and detoxifies the blood
Since your liver performs various functions, it is prone to injuries. Therefore you need to practice certain tips to keep it healthy. If you have a complaint of long-term nausea, vomiting, and pale stools, you should seek professional help. For an expert opinion, you can visit a hepatologist in Lahore.
In this article, we will tell you the tips that can help in keeping your liver healthy.
Tips to Keep Your Liver Healthy
Healthy Weight
If you are overweight or obese, you need to shed those extra pounds because it can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease- one of the fast-growing liver diseases.
Your weight plays a major role in making your liver fatty. Therefore if you are overweight or obese, you should lose weight and be at a healthy weight according to the body mass index.
Eat a Balanced Diet
To keep your liver healthy, you should eat a balanced diet. Avoid consuming high calories meals rich in fats and carbohydrates. Moreover, do not eat raw or undercooked food.
You should consume ample amounts of fruits and vegetables that give you nutrients and fiber.
Drink plenty of water as it is good for liver health.
Exercise Regularly
When you exercise daily, your liver can burn triglycerides for fuel and can also reduce liver fat. Therefore you should make a routine of physical activity daily for at least half an hour for five days a week. However, if you have asthma, heart disease, or any other health condition, you should consult with a health care provider before doing strenuous activities.
If you are unable to make an exercise plan for yourself, you can seek help from a trainer. They can guide you better.
Do Not Drink Alcohol
Alcohol is too bad for your liver health. Too much alcohol can damage your liver cells, leading to cirrhosis or even liver cancer. Men should not drink more than two drinks a day, and women should not drink more than one drink per day.
If you drink alcohol and find it difficult to stop, you can seek professional help. The healthcare providers can help you in getting rid of alcohol. Moreover, it is better to taper off alcohol consumption. Quitting it altogether may lead to adverse effects.
Watch Out Certain Medicines
Whatever you intake is metabolized by the liver. Therefore you need to keep an eye on whatever medicines you intake as some may have adverse effects on your liver. If you take too much paracetamol, it can damage your liver.
Sometimes you may be taking more paracetamol than the normal dose. It is found in certain cold and flu medications. Therefore you should keep an eye on the medicines you take so that you do not end up doubling the dose.
Some drugs become harmful for your liver when you take them with other medications or alcohol. So you should tell your pharmacist about all the drugs you take and the health conditions you have. Ask your pharmacist when and how to take the medications.
Stay Away from Chemicals
Certain cleaning products, insecticides, and aerosols can damage your liver cells. Therefore you should avoid direct contact with them.
Smoke
Cigarettes contain chemicals that can damage your liver cells. Therefore you should quit it. If you find it difficult to quit smoking, you should seek professional help.
The Bottom Line
Your liver is a vital organ that performs various functions. To stay healthy, you need to live a healthy lifestyle and stop smoking as soon as possible. For an expert opinion, you can visit a hepatologist in Karachi.
