Your liver is one of the most important organs for detoxing your body. It is consistently metabolizing hormones, breaking down carbohydrates, making glucose, and ridding your body of toxins and waste. In addition, it also stores nutrients and creates bile, which helps us to digest and absorb the nutrients in our food properly. The liver’s job is so important; it’s in our best interest to help it do its job. Here are eight ways to keep your liver healthy and working as God intended:
- Maintain a healthy weight – Obesity and excess weight puts an extra burden on your liver. Your liver has enough to do without this excess burden.
- Hydrate properly – Although one half your body weight in fluid ounces daily is recommended, recent research indicates that one-gallon of water per day is even more beneficial. But expect to be running to the potty a lot!
- Exercise regularly – Consistently daily exercise and movement stimulates your liver to work properly and lessens your risk for NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). According to the Mayo Clinic, aerobic exercise activities increase the amount of oxygen you take in and speed up delivery of oxygen to vital body organs, such as your liver.
- Lower your toxic load – Toxins can injure your liver cells. By avoiding toxins and switching out the toxic products you use to more natural ones, you’re well on your way to helping your liver to do its job.
- Abstain from alcohol or use in moderation – Alcoholic beverages can damage or destroy your liver cells. They can actually scar your liver. Depending on your health and conditions, your doctor may recommend you say no.
- Wash your hands – Use soap and warm water immediately after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, or before preparing or eating food. This is just plain common sense.
- Follow directions on all medications – The liver can be harmed by taking too much medication, mixing medications, or mixing drugs with alcohol. Some medications require proper hydration and some have specific directions as to when to take and foods to avoid while taking. Follow all directions carefully. It’s also best to practice healthy lifestyle changes to prevent having to take so many medications. For example, eating more of a plant-based diet lowers your risk for heart disease, cancer, and high cholesterol. When trying to wean off medications with lifestyle changes, work with your doctor.
- Eat a plant-based diet – Research shows when you eat a plant-based diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and herbs, your risk for heart disease, cancer, issues with digestion, and many chronic diseases goes down. A plant-based diet enhances liver function, and your liver will love you for it.
These are the eight ways to keep your main detox organ, your liver, healthy and working as God intended. A plant-based diet may contain some wild caught fish and grass fed beef and organic chicken, but the more plants you eat, the healthier your liver will be. In fact, in our next post, we’ll look specifically at the foods in a plant-based diet that enhance your liver function.
Anyone want to share ways you keep your liver healthy? Or maybe give an example of how one of these ways enhanced your liver.
For Your Health,
Ginny