World Liver Day 2022: How to keep liver healthy
World Liver Day is observed every year on April 19 to spread awareness about liver diseases, and to encourage people to eat healthily and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The day aims to remind people of the importance of this organ. As per WHO, liver-related diseases are the tenth most common cause of death in India. Here's how you can keep your liver healthy.
What does the liver do?
Liver releases bile, a liquid helpful for digestion. The liver works on complex functions like regulating blood sugar, combating infections and illness, controlling cholesterol levels, helping in blood clots, and removing toxins from the body. Liver diseases generally do not show any obvious symptoms until they have advanced quite a bit, damaging the liver. Some symptoms include weight loss, appetite loss, and jaundice.
What to eat for a healthy liver
Liver is the second largest organ in the body and plays a very important role in your digestive tract. Incorporate more alternative grains in your diet like quinoa, millet, and buckwheat. Eat apples, grapefruit, walnuts, carrots, cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, green leafy vegetables, and garlic. Try to add lemon, lime juice, and green tea to your regular diet. Also, use turmeric in your food.
Do moderate exercises
Regular exercise is key to a healthy liver. Exercise decreases stress on the liver and helps to prevent obesity which is a risk factor for liver diseases. A total of 150 minutes of exercise every week is enough. The American College of Sports Medicine and their Exercise Is Medicine program suggest patients with chronic liver disease do moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking.
What to avoid
Limit your alcohol intake or avoid it completely. Alcohol can drastically dehydrate your body and make it exceptionally difficult for your liver to function properly to remove toxins from the body. Diseases like hepatocellular carcinoma happen due to bad lifestyle choices, eating unhealthy foods, and lack of exercise. Avoid coming in contact with infected body fluid to stay away from the hepatitis virus.
