The liver, an organ located in the upper abdomen, is responsible for a number of metabolic processes essential for life activities such as carbohydrate metabolism, amino acids, proteins, fats, bile acids, bilirubin, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, the synthesis and processing of cholesterol in the blood, the storage of energy necessary for the muscles, and the maintenance of normal blood sugar are also major roles that the liver plays. The reason why the liver is called the human body’s chemical factory is because it performs various roles directly related to life activities. As the liver is responsible for many important functions, a decrease in liver function leads to various clinical problems. Decreased liver function and continuous accumulation of fat and toxins in the liver can cause fatty liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. However, the liver begins to show abnormal signs only when the damage has progressed for a long time enough to be called a silent organ. Since liver disease has already progressed considerably when abnormal symptoms begin to appear, it is important to continuously implement lifestyle habits that help liver health in advance to prevent these areas. So today, let’s look at various lifestyle habits to keep the liver healthy.
Lifestyle habits to keep the liver healthy
1. Refrain from excessive drinking and habitual drinking
The liver plays a role in decomposing and metabolizing alcohol and other toxic substances that enter the body into a form that can be excreted and excreted in the form of urine and bile. Because of this role, the metabolites of alcohol produced by drinking can directly damage liver cells and cause hepatocytes to fail to regenerate. Excessive drinking and habitual drinking can lead to liver diseases such as alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic fatty liver as damage to liver cells is repeated. Therefore, it is recommended to limit excessive drinking, binge drinking, and habitual and frequent drinking, and at the same time adjust the amount of drinking appropriately. In addition, when drinking, it is recommended to drink enough water and snacks to reduce liver damage, and to take a break for at least two days after drinking so that the liver can recover.
2. Eat a diet composed of balanced nutrients
In order to maintain and manage liver health, it is important to eat a balanced diet containing various nutrients. In particular, protein supplementation is known to help liver cell regeneration, so you should eat meat, fish, beans, tofu, eggs, and dairy products that have been removed from fat. In addition, various foods such as garlic, onion, green onion, and leek as well as green and yellow vegetables high in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals are known to be excellent in promoting liver metabolism and helping the liver to discharge accumulated waste products, so a balanced intake is necessary. However, if you already have a disease such as cirrhosis, you should pay attention to protein intake because it can cause hepatic coma.
3. Controlling excessive intake of sugars and carbohydrates
If you consume too much carbohydrates or sugar, the remaining glucose is used for energy and is converted into fat and stored in the liver. In addition, it is important to properly control the intake as it is known that it can induce oxidative stress and cause hepatocellular damage or inflammatory response. In addition, eating high-fat foods or maintaining a diet that includes overeating for a long period of time can lead to fatty liver. In addition, excessive consumption of spicy and salty foods and caffeinated beverages can also make the liver work more than necessary, which can put strain on the liver, so it is recommended to avoid excessive consumption.
4. Regular exercise habits
Steady aerobic exercise improves liver health, liver detoxification, waste excretion, and blood circulation, so it is important to do it consistently for at least 30 minutes for at least 3 days a week. In particular, it is important to properly perform various aerobic exercises such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling on a regular basis, as regular exercise can prevent obesity, which has a significant effect on the onset of liver disease, and maintain an appropriate weight. .
5. Control overdose of unnecessary medications
Taking multiple medications unnecessarily can also put a strain on the liver. There is a limit to the liver’s ability to detoxify, as it puts a strain on the liver when it has to detoxify more substances than it can detoxify. Therefore, it is important to follow the recommended amount when taking the drug, and to be careful not to cause side effects by checking whether other drugs or food are affecting it. In addition, it is important to reduce the habit of consuming excessive amounts of food more than necessary and to consume in a fixed amount, since concentrates consumed for health management, various functional health foods, and herbal medicines can also cause liver levels to rise.
6. Reduce Overwork and Stress
It is said that continuous overwork and stress caused by excessive work and frequent overtime are the main culprits that adversely affect mental health and liver health. If overwork and stress continue, the hematopoietic function, circulation, and metabolism of the liver decline, and the immunity weakens, increasing the risk of developing various diseases. Therefore, it is important to reduce fatigue due to overwork through sufficient rest and sleep, and it is important to properly relieve stress with your own stress relief method.
