Habits for a Healthy Leaver
Liver disease is a scary health issue since it may not show any symptoms until it's too late. Even outwardly healthy individuals can be unknowingly harboring a liver problem. Instances of certain liver diseases are on the rise.
The liver is the largest organ inside the body. It is also one of the most important, because it plays an essential role in turning food into energy, and removing poisons from the blood. But unhealthy human habits put a strain on the liver from doing its function well, even to the point of leaving the liver itself unwell.
Certain conditions, disorders, and infections that affect the cells, structures, and tissues of the liver can cause liver damage or stop liver functioning altogether. In the United States alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the yearly number of deaths from end-stage liver disease to be between 30,000 and 40,000.
The common liver problems include acetaminophen toxicity, alcoholic liver disease, cancer, cirrhosis, cysts, fatty liver disease, fibrosis, hepatitis, jaundice, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. These conditions have a number of common symptoms and their own individual symptoms as well. Considering the many ways that liver health can be compromised or damaged, a person may end up paranoid or feeling totally helpless.
But health and fitness advocate Jane Murphy, writing at www.saga.co.uk, asserts that a person can do something to promote his or her own liver health. She shares a number of ways:
Watching one’s alcohol intake.
The liver performs 500 vital functions. Every time it filters alcohol, it has to work a little harder and some of its cells die. Drinking large amounts of alcohol, even just for a few days, may cause a build-up of fats known as alcoholic fatty liver disease, which can potentially lead to a lifethreatening illness.
In a recent study at London's Royal Free Hospital, regular drinkers who cut out alcohol for a month had an average 15 percent reduction in liver fat and significant improvements in their cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Reducing portion sizes.
Alcohol isn't the only major culprit when it comes to liver health. Many people suffers from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) – a build-up of liver fat that's normally associated with being overweight or obese. In fact, some experts believe overeating
will soon overtake alcohol as the main cause of liver disease. It helps, therefore, to downsize food portions. One trick is to use smaller plates and cutlery. Ridding one’s diet of large portions could reduce calorie intake by up to 16 percent, and can lead to weight loss, researchers say.
Cutting down on fizzy drinks.
Just one sugar-sweetened soft drink each day is associated with an increased risk of NAFLD, according to research from Tufts University in the US. So switching to diet versions – or better still, drinking water instead – is a good move.
Drinking plenty of water.
Water plays a crucial role in helping the liver flush toxins out of the system. Not drinking enough will cause the blood to thicken, making it more difficult to filter. Everyone's fluid needs vary; but as a rough guide, one should aim to drink around 1.2 liters water daily.
Choosing decaf coffee. There's evidence to suggest that coffee may be good for the liver, too. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute in the US found that people who drink at least three cups of decaffeinated coffee each day had lower levels of abnormal liver enzymes, suggesting that chemical compounds other than caffeine in coffee may protect the liver.
Not smoking.
Smoking is a risk factor for liver disease and can exacerbate the symptoms. Nicotine raises the levels of fat in the blood, while the liver has to work hard to filter all those smoking-related toxins.
Getting physically active. Regular exercise will boost overall health, which in turn has a positive effect on liver function. Every little step helps: any exercise, regardless of frequency or intensity, can be of benefit to people with NAFLD, according to recent research published in the Journal of Hepatology.
And prolonged periods of sitting appear to increase risk of NAFLD, say scientists in South Korea. So it’s advisable to build more 'incidental' exercise into one’s day: standing up and walking around when on the telephone, for example.
Eating more nuts.
Increasing intake of vitamin E can help reduce symptoms of liver disease by preventing cell damage, according to researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in the US. Good sources include nuts, seeds, wheat germ, leafy greens and vegetable oils.
Cutting down on carbs.
A low-carbohydrate diet could improve the liver function of people with NAFLD, according to research published in the journal Diabesity in Practise. Dr. David Unwin, the study's author, believes sugar and starchy foods, such as bread and potatoes, pose a particular threat. This is because they are rapidly turned into glucose, which is initially stored in the liver while any excess is stored as body fat. But one shall first talk to his doctor before embarking on any kind of low-carb diet.
Taking the test. If suspicious about one’s liver health, especially in the light of some symptoms, having a medical checkup is recommended. Or, the British Liver Trust has a short online test to help one assess his risk factors and take steps to reduce them (the test takes only10 minutes).