The Facts About Liver Health

October is National Liver Awareness Month, and a chance to highlight facts about the liver and keeping it healthy. Your liver is your largest internal organ in the upper right side of the belly. It is about the size of a football, weighs close to three pounds, and plays a key role in over 500 vital functions throughout the body. To name a few, the liver:

• Helps digest macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates),
• Removes toxins from the bloodstream
• Helps support blood sugar

If the liver is damaged, it will not perform its functions well. With many important jobs, the health of our liver is essential – especially because you cannot live without one. Below are some common myths and facts about the liver with tips on how you can prioritize your own liver health.

Myth: Only those who overconsume alcohol develop liver disease.

Fact: Overconsumption of alcohol is not the only way you can develop liver disease. Liver disease can occur when the liver cells become damaged with fat. It is the most common form of chronic liver disease, known as Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). There are two kinds of NAFLD – nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is a progressive form of NAFLD, and it occurs when there is inflammation of the liver and liver damage, in addition to fat in the liver. Risk factors of this liver disease include being overweight/obese, a history of prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

This liver disease affects about 24% of adults in the U.S. If not treated, a fatty liver can lead to more serious liver damage, like cirrhosis, liver cancer, and eventually liver failure. Having cirrhosis or liver disease may also mean you may have to make changes to your diet. Read on to learn nutrition tips for a healthy liver. 

Myth: Liver supplements and cleanses can correct existing liver damage.

Fact: Some people have claimed liver cleanses, such as over-the-counter supplements or three-day juice cleansing programs, can correct existing liver damage or help the liver work better at removing toxins after drinking a lot of alcohol or eating a lot of unhealthy foods. The truth of the matter is supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); therefore, they have not been tested enough to be recommended by health professionals and could have harmful ingredients.

Juice cleanses can also be unsafe for those with kidney disease, diabetes, or are underweight. There is not any scientific proof that supplements, or cleansing programs will remove toxins from the body or make you healthier.

The good news: Your liver can detox itself! Your liver functions as a filter for your blood. It inspects, separates, and processes the compounds floating around in your bloodstream. When a toxin or waste product is detected, your liver breaks it down to prepare it to be sent off to leave your system, either through your digestive tract or your kidneys. Instead of a risky and ineffective juice cleanse, try to adopt healthy eating habits that protect your liver health in the long term. You may want to consider the Mediterranean diet as a way to protect your liver. Choosing more fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats while limiting added sugars and foods high in sodium and saturated/trans fats will provide inflammation-fighting antioxidants and help your liver function properly.

Along with a healthy diet, staying hydrated is key for the health of your liver. Try to have a minimum of eight glasses of water each day. Lastly, exercising consistently helps to reduce fat in the liver, and promotes overall weight loss. For older adults, the recommendation is 30 minutes, 5 days a week, or 150 minutes (about 2 and a half hours) of moderate intensity exercise per week.

Myth: You can’t do anything to lower your risk of liver cancer.

Fact: Experts estimate that nearly 70% of cases of liver cancer are preventable. The exercise and nutrition tips contained in this article are some of the best ways to lower your risk of liver cancer. It is also important to work with your doctor to manage your chronic conditions that can lead to liver cancer.

Finding liver cancer early is one of the best ways to beat it. That’s why it is so important to have a primary care provider and get regular preventive health screenings.

Talk to your ArchWell Health provider today to learn more about liver health and the steps you can be taking to help this important organ. 

The article provides information designed to complement your personal health management. It does not provide medical advice and not meant to replace professional medical advice. Linking to other websites does not imply any endorsement of the material on such websites.