how healthy are you liver? According to the CDC, 4.5 million adults in the US are living with liver damage. Fortunately, small lifestyle changes can make a big difference in liver health. “It is one of the only organs that can regenerate itself,” says liver specialist Christina Lindenmeyer, MD. “If you have a liver infection or injury, it’s possible that if you live a healthy lifestyle and eat the right foods, your liver may heal itself.” Here are five ways to support liver health, according to doctors. Read on and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure signs you’ve already had COVID.
Limiting, or completely eliminating, alcohol can have a significant impact on liver health. “Almost all heavy drinkers develop fatty liver, which is the earliest stage of alcohol-related liver disease,” says Omar Mousa, MBBS. “Most people with fatty liver have no symptoms, although they may have an enlarged liver or mild discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen. This is a preventable disease and is reversible if treated early. The best treatment is for the patient to stop drinking.
“Make sure none of your medications, herbs, and supplements are liver toxic—you can check your list with this LiverTox Even acetaminophen (the generic ingredient in Tylenol and some cold meds) can be harmful if you take too much for too long “. a long time, especially if you have liver disease or if you drink a lot of alcohol,” says Wynne Armand, M.D..
Being overweight or obese is strongly linked to liver disease, so try to maintain a healthy weight to support liver health. “Patients who have hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, overweight or obesity, diabetes, or insulin resistance are at increased risk of developing fatty liver disease.” says Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Doctors and scientists don’t fully understand why excess fat causes these changes in the liver. They do know that by losing weight, liver enzymes can normalize and liver inflammation can improve. Studies show that losing 10 percent of your weight causes liver enzymes to improve, which correlates with a reduction in liver inflammation caused by extra fat.”
“Some studies found that low potassium levels increase metabolic disorders, including fatty liver and type 2 diabetes,” says Amy Myers, M.D.. “Optimal amounts of potassium are 4,700 mg daily, and I’d be willing to bet you’re not getting that much from your diet. Potassium has many health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, supporting healthy of the heart, and promote optimal liver function.
“Some studies showed that NAFLD patients who drank coffee (about two cups a day) had a lower risk of fibrosis,’ says Dr. Armand. “However, keep in mind the disadvantages of regular caffeine intake. It appears that aerobic exercise also leads to a decrease in fat in the liver and, at vigorous intensity, possibly also a decrease in inflammation regardless of intensity.” weightloss”.
Ferozan Mast
Ferozan Mast is a science, health, and wellness writer who is passionate about making information backed by science and research accessible to a general audience. Read more about Ferozán
