This January, make a pledge to Love Your Liver. Commit to making smarter choices about the food you eat and how you drink this month. You have the power to cleanse and detoxify your body naturally; in fact, you’re already doing it! Our liver is responsible for over 300 functions of the body. Amongst its many important roles, the liver filters, cleanses and breaks down everything that passes through our body.
However, when the liver becomes overwhelmed with toxins such as too much alcohol, drugs and fatty foods, its natural working cycle slows down.
There are little things we can do every day to help maintain optimal liver function, including:
Not drinking too much alcohol
Dry January is a challenge to abstain from alcohol for at least the month of January. Some do it to abstain from drinking for a month, while others use it as motivation to get into healthier habits.
It’s not just about giving your liver a rest, though. It’s also about raising awareness of the effects that alcohol can have on your body.
Alcohol abuse over a prolonged period can potentially damage your liver and increase your risk of developing alcohol-related liver disease or cancer. According to the British Liver Trust, men and women should drink no more than 14 units per week, with 2-3 alcohol-free days a week.
Exercising regularly
Exercise is a great way to stay healthy and protect your liver. By exercising regularly you’re helping to prevent a build-up of fatty deposits which can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) Maintaining a healthy weight reduces your risk of developing this disease.
Eating a balanced diet
When looking to keep your liver healthy, you should also be thinking about your diet. A balanced diet is not only key to a healthy liver, but for your whole body.
Avoid eating too many meals high in calories, saturated fats, sugars, and refined carbohydrates.
Instead, look to include fibre from fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated ‘good’ fats from oils, nuts, and fish. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water as well!
Quitting smoking
Smoking negatively impacts the incidence and severity of liver disease. If you smoke, think about cutting back or quitting. As the body’s only regenerative organ, the liver constantly repairs itself, so you have this on your side to aid in reversing any minor damage.
Although it’s difficult, you can succeed in quitting. For more advice visit the HelpGuide website
Let’s all make a good start to 2023 by looking after our livers as best we can!
You can find out more about Love Your Liver awareness month at the British Liver Trust’s website.