The liver - the largest organ in the body - is a very critical organ. How to maintain a healthy liver should concern everybody.
Loving
your liver is pretty easy when you know how to protect it. Here are 12
tips you can follow every day for good liver health.
Maintain a healthy weightIf
you carry any excess weight around your middle, it can cause insulin
resistance which often leads to fatty liver disease. Measure your middle
and keep it at a healthy circumference. Men should maintain a waist of
less than 102cm and women, less than 88cm. Exercising and eating a diet
that’s low in fat and high in fibre, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals
will help you maintain a healthy weight and liver.
Avoid fad dietsFad
diets that add weight to the body can put excessive stress on the
liver. Avoid any products that promise large amounts of weight loss in
an unrealistic short period of time. These diets are usually lacking in
essential nutrients and are not beneficial. Aim to lose weight at a
healthy rate of half to one kilogram per week.
Liver cleansing
and detox diets should also be avoided. Contrary to popular belief, no
particular diet is liver cleansing, but a healthy diet improves
wellbeing.
Limit your fat intakeHigh
levels of fat in the blood (hyperlipidaemia) and high levels of
cholesterol (hypercholesterolaemia) are common causes of fatty liver
disease. It is good to keep low levels by taking low fat. And of the
little fat that is taken, make sure it is unsaturated (poly- and
monounsaturated fats). If a low fat diet isn’t working, speak to your
doctor about medications that can help.
Drink alcohol in moderationSensible
consumption of alcohol is critical to good health. While alcoholism is
more common among men, women are more susceptible to the adverse effects
of alcohol on the liver. In fact, it takes as little as 20 grams of
alcohol daily (only two standard drinks) for women to develop liver
problems. If you can’t cut back, talk to your doctor about getting
professional help.
Go for regular blood testsA
blood test is the best way to keep a keen eye on the levels of fat,
cholesterol and glucose in your blood – all of which are associated with
fatty liver disease. Too much glucose can be an indication that you
have Impaired Glucose Tolerance or Diabetes – in both cases you’ll need
to carefully control your blood sugar levels through diet, medications
and/or weight loss.
Have you ever experimented with intravenous
drugs? Did you have a blood transfusion, or organ transplant prior to
1992? If so, make sure you get tested for hepatitis C.
Quit smokingIt’s
been proven that smoking cigarettes is linked to the development of
liver cancer. Smoking can also enhance the toxic effects that some
medications (such as Paracetamol) have on the liver.
Get a jabTalk
to your doctor about getting vaccinated against hepatitis A and B. If
you choose not to get vaccinated against hepatitis A, make sure you
avoid sushi, or raw/partially cooked clams, oysters, mussels and
scallops, as these fish often live in hepatitis A-contaminated rivers
and seas. If you choose not to get vaccinated against hepatitis B, then
practice safer sex.
