Ways to keep your Liver healthy

Do you know what the American philosopher “William James” said about liver?

If your answer is no, then let’s know,

He quoted “Is life worth living? It all depends on liver“, reminding the importance of liver organ for a healthy life. As If you desire to live a healthy life, initially you have to have a liver & it should be in pink of its health.

Anyhow there are many things to love about the liver but before that let’s know a little anatomy of it. The human liver weighs nearly 3 pounds, shaped like a cone and the 2^nd largest internal organ of the human body. It is considered as the largest gland and the largest solid organ in the human body.

Further, it is classified as a part of digestive system and if we look upon the roles it performs these includes detoxification, protein synthesis and chemical production that helps in digestion.

FUNCTIONS OF LIVER

The diligent organ of the digestive system deserves some fame and honor for the functions it performs to keep the body healthy. According to Hellen kwon, M.D, university of Michigan, to keep the body healthy the liver performs around 500 tasks.

• As a whole, the main job of the liver is to purify the blood which is coming from the digestive tract before supplying it to the rest of the body.
• It has many functions. It formulates many of the chemicals that are necessary by the body which helps the body to function normally.
• The liver helps to break down the substances present in the body and purify them.
• It is also considered as the storage unit as the liver holds about 13% of blood supply at a given point of time. And also stores a particular amount of vitamins and minerals A, D, E, K, B12, iron and copper also.
• It also produces bile that helps in break down and absorb fats. Toxins and waste products are removed through bile.
• The liver stores excessive amount of nutrients and releases at the time of need (fasting).

REGENERATION

We’ve learnt earlier that some animals do regenerate their body parts. In this context liver has an interesting fact that if there is a need to remove 75% of your liver, the rest 25% can regenerate to full within 7-14 days. During the process of regeneration liver does not stop performing its functions.

The liver performs every possible task to keep the body fit and healthy. And in return we probably can do a little for it. Maintaining a healthy routine is the best way to care for the liver.

WAYS TO KEEP YOUR LIVER HEALTHY

The liver is at its best performance when kept fit through certain healthy habits. In short, be conscious about everything you are consuming. Because ultimately liver has to discharge vitamins and minerals from it.

For keeping the liver healthy and for its smooth functioning one should:

1. ALCOHOL TO THE MODERATE: It is to be broken down by the liver. However, liver can only break a moderate amount of alcohol, excessive consumption of alcohol can cause damage.
2. AVOIDE PROSCRIBED DRUGS: These kinds of drugs are basically toxins that liver has to purify out. Consumption of these drugs can lead to a long-term damage.
3. EXERCISE: By adding regular exercise to the routine will not only helps to keep your liver healthy but also help to maintain general health for every organ of a human body.
4. EAT HEALTHY FOOD: Eating excessive junk food and unhealthy things can make difficult for the liver to function and may lead to fatty liver diseases.
5. PRACTICING SAFE SEX: Using protection helps in avoiding hepatitis infection and many communicable diseases.
6. VACCINATION: Getting vaccinating against Hepatitis A & B and diseases as malaria and yellow fever which grows in the liver.
7. HYGIENE: Washing hands frequently and sanitization regularly plays a major role in keeping your liver healthy.

DISEASES

The reason as to why to keep the liver healthy is the liver diseases which are common now-a-days.

1. HEPATITIS: A kind of infection which can cause inflammation in liver. It includes Hepatitis A, B, C & E. these can be prevented through vaccination.
2. FATTY LIVER: Also referred as non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) & non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
3. CIRRHOSIS: It may lead to liver failure caused due to alcohol abuse.
4. LIVER CANCER: the root cause of liver cancer are alcohol and hepatitis.
5. JAUNDICE: this is caused due to inflammation of liver.

According to a study, despite of the diseases there are also chances for liver failure. The reasons can be drug overdose which can cause liver failure, virus infection like hepatitis A, B, & E and industrial toxins like CCl₄  also may lead to liver failure.

Do you know according to WHO, death caused due to liver failure or diseases ranked 10^th in the list. To make people and ourselves aware about the importance of liver in our body and how to effectively manage liver diseases world liver day is commemorated every year on 19 APRIL.

IS THERE ANY ALTERNATIVE FOR LIVER?

We all know every part of human body is important and have its own distinct role in the body. But What if a part is not in the condition to perform its duties? For this scientist are working every single minute to make everything possible. For instance, if our lungs stop working there are ventilators which can help in place, there is artificial heart that pumps in place of real heart but due to complexity of functions in case of liver there is only one replacement which is transplanted liver. And in transplantation also the success rate is really low. I hope from this you’ve got an idea as how important liver is and why it is necessary to keep it healthy and safe from the diseases.

SYMPTOMS OF LIVER DISEASE

• Sudden weight loss
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal swelling
• Pain in upper abdominal

What you consume wholly depends on the health of your liver. Kind of foods to consume according to their nature and requirements of the liver is as follows:

FOR FIBRE- OATMEALS

High fiber rich nutritious diet like oats is helpful in treating person suffering from NAFLD. And also, it reduces the risk of getting the diseases related to liver.

FOR INFLAMMATION-NUTS

Nuts helps in reducing inflammation, insulin resistance and lower the risk of NAFLD & fatty liver disease.

ABNORMAL LIVER ENZYMES-COFFEE

A cup of coffee on regular basis helps to protect liver against NAFLD. People at risk for liver disease are recommended to have it as it lowers abnormal liver enzymes.

FOR FAT LEVELS- FISH

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fishes like salmon, tuna helps in reducing liver fats & cholesterol levels.

ANTIOXODANTS- SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E, helps in the treatment of NAFLD.

FOR OVERALL HEALTH- GARLIC

It may help in improving overall health and reduces body weight and fat in people with fatty liver disease.

FOODS TO AVOID

• RED MEAT: studies shows that saturated fat consumption expand fat around the liver and other organs too.
• ALCOHOL: The most common diseases acute and chronic liver diseases are caused due to excessive alcohol consumption. It badly affects the liver and contribute in increasing fatty liver diseases.
• WHITE BREAD, RICE: Fiber is removed from these refined grains in the production process. As the body breaks the highly processed food it increases blood sugar level.
• FRIED FOODS & ADDED SALT: excessive fried food and salt intake can lead to obesity which results in fatty liver diseases.
• ADDED SUGAR: Particularly in NAFLD, added sugar must be reduce or avoided. It may result in high sugar levels and increase in fatty liver diseases.

THE LAST WORD

The liver has a very significant role in body. It is both an organ and a gland that performs numerous functions that are necessary to human life. Some common diseases can damage and can take liver to end if not protected. Also, it would affect other organs including kidney, lungs and heart too if gets affected.

So, be a little selfish and Start taking care of your body for a better healthy life as this is the only place you have to live.

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