How to Keep Your Liver Healthy & Disease Free?

The liver is the chemical factory that performs over 500 vital functions. It is a cone-shaped organ that is about the size of a football. It sits just under the rib cage on the right side.

This organ is a key player in the body’s digestive system. Everything you consume passes through it. It produces bile juice that breaks down the fat from the food and filters out toxins from the blood. The liver also stores glucose and releases it whenever we require energy.

As it does so much for us, we must treat it right. It is one such organ that can become unhealthy if we don’t take good care of it.

A poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, viral infections, injury, and obesity can damage the liver. So, knowing what you can do to improve your liver health can go a long way in supporting your overall health.

There’s nothing tricky about keeping your liver healthy. All you need to do is take care of your lifestyle. It should be healthy and balanced.

Tips to keep your liver healthy and disease-free:

• Maintain a healthy diet: Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats in your daily meal plan. Limit excessive salt intake, processed foods, and sugary snacks.
• Limit alcohol consumption: Alcohol is one of the main risk factors for liver diseases. Men should limit their alcohol consumption to under two glasses a day and women only one.
• Drink plenty of water: Keeping yourself hydrated throughout the day flushes out toxins from the body and keeps the liver hydrated.
• Exercise regularly: Make time for exercise daily. It will help you manage weight, improve metabolism, and reduce the risk of fatty liver disease.
• Quit smoking: Smoking can hurt your liver and can even raise the risk of liver cancer. So, it’s best to avoid smoking for a healthy liver and healthy you.
• Watch out for certain medications: Some drugs can occasionally have a side effect that may damage the liver. So, it’s best to talk to a doctor about the side effects of any medicine you are taking. Also, do not take any medicine without a doctor’s prescription.
• Get vaccinated:
  Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are preventable. You can get vaccinations against these diseases. Ensure that you and your family members are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations.