Maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and avoiding alcohol are good habits that help take care of your liver and prevent disease.
The liver takes on many functions such as storing nutrients, producing bile to help digest fats, and removing waste from the blood. This organ also filters and processes food, drinks, and drugs entering the body, detoxifies toxins absorbed from the intestines, and produces proteins and blood clotting factors.
Dr. Vu Truong Khanh, Head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Tam Anh General Hospital in Hanoi, said that a healthy liver keeps the body’s metabolic functions in an optimal state. Impaired liver health can lead to liver diseases. But liver diseases can be prevented through lifestyle changes and practicing healthy habits every day.
Maintain a healthy weight
Obesity is a major risk factor for liver diseases. Overweight people are at higher risk of fatty liver disease because excess fat accumulates, leading to liver damage and other complications. Maintaining a healthy weight with a healthy diet can improve overall liver function. Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5-22.9 contributes to reducing the risk of chronic disease and other diseases.
Do not abuse alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption is the leading cause of liver damage. When you drink alcohol, the liver stops doing other things to break down alcohol from the blood. Alcohol abuse increases the risk of inflammation, scarring and other damage to the liver.
No smoking
Dr. Khanh said cigarette smoke contains hundreds of toxins, which can increase the risk of developing liver cancer and worsen liver damage. Tobacco is also the leading cause of lung cancer. People with a smoking habit should quit smoking to improve liver health and reduce the risk of liver disease.
Healthy diet
Maintain a healthy diet so your body gets the nutrients and fiber it needs. Limit foods high in fat, sugar and salt because they contribute to liver damage. Reduce the amount of starch such as rice, bread… Instead, you should have a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and healthy fats to protect liver health.
Dr. Khanh suggests some beneficial foods such as green leafy vegetables rich in antioxidants, fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation and improve liver function. Nuts are rich in antioxidants and healthy fats that can protect liver cells from damage.
A diet rich in fruits provides vitamins that are good for the liver. Image: Emerald
Drink enough water
The habit of drinking enough water contributes to eliminating toxins from the body and improving liver function. Every day you should drink an amount of water appropriate to your body weight, drink more if you exercise and participate in activities that cause a lot of sweating.
Exercise regularly
Regular exercise has many health benefits, helping maintain a healthy weight, reducing inflammation and improving liver function.
Exercise also improves how insulin works, burns triglycerides, and reduces the risk of developing liver disease, especially fatty liver. Exercise at moderate intensity, a total of 150 minutes per week such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming… most days of the week to maintain health through a healthy lifestyle.
Periodic health examination
Dr. Khanh said that most liver damage conditions such as fatty liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis, and early stage liver cancer have no symptoms or signs that are easily confused with other diseases. Patients easily ignore it, causing liver damage to progress seriously and make recovery difficult.
Periodic health checks including ultrasound and testing for indicators of liver damage are important, helping doctors prescribe early treatment methods, improving efficiency and quality of life for patients. Get hepatitis A and B vaccines as directed by your doctor to prevent virus-related liver disease.