How to Maintain Liver Health in a Modern Lifestyle

The liver is an organ that performs several vital functions at once: it is responsible for metabolism and it absorbs toxins like a sponge to prevent them from spreading throughout the body. Human health directly depends on its function.

Main Functions of the Liver

One of the main functions of the liver is detoxification or protection of the human body from poisons and toxins that come from outside or are formed as a result of the body’s vital activity. The liver is responsible for the synthesis of many important substances. Among them are hormones, bile, which is necessary for the breakdown of fats, cholesterol, amino acids, blood plasma proteins. The liver regulates lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. The liver metabolizes vitamins and hormones. It also serves as a depot for numerous important microelements and vitamins. It stores excess glucose, converting it into glycogen, and when necessary, converts it back into glucose. The liver also contains a reserve volume of blood that can be used by the body in the event of major blood loss. From the above, it is easy to guess what kind of load our liver faces on a day-to-day basis and how important it is to monitor its health.

What Causes Devastating Damage to the Liver

• Poor nutrition. A large amount of fatty foods, refined oils, flour products, sweets and carbonated drinks contributes to the disruption of fat metabolism and the accumulation of fat in the liver.
• Bad habits. In particular, excessive alcohol consumption. The main metabolism of ethanol, the alcohol contained in alcoholic beverages, occurs in the liver. With small amounts of ethanol intake, liver cells have the time to cope with its processing. However, if a reasonable dose of alcohol is exceeded, ethanol damages liver cells.
• Taking medications. The majority of medications are metabolized in the liver. Uncontrolled intake of medications and other substances that have a toxic effect can lead to the destruction of liver cells and the development of serious liver disorders.
• Viruses. Viral diseases can also destroy liver cells. They are also dangerous because of the fact that they can lead to the development of viral hepatitis.

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How to Maintain a Healthy Liver

In order for the liver to function without failures for as long as possible, it is important to monitor your nutrition: reduce the amount of fatty foods in your diet, avoid refined foods, do not get carried away with sweets, do not abuse spicy and, especially, salty foods, give up drinking sweet carbonated drinks, as well as quit smoking and drinking alcohol.