The liver is the marvel of our body. It is a vital organ responsible for secreting bile and breaking down the fats along with eliminating toxins from the body. Weight loss is the prime concern for most people when they think about the food they consume. But what most fail to realize that they should be mindful of your food intake to save your liver from severe health problems.
Let us take a look at some common eating habits that are detrimental to the health of the liver. In our daily lives, we tend to adopt eating habits that gradually deteriorate our liver. A full liver cleanse can be helpful in reversing the damage to some extent.
- Excessive Alcohol Intake
You might not know what too much alcohol means as far as your liver health is concerned. From mild scarring to severe inflammation of the liver cells, an excessive intake of alcohol can cause a severely negative impact on the liver. It reduces the liver’s capability to eliminate toxins from the body. Moreover, if the negative impact of alcohol takes a toll on the liver, the ability to break down alcohol further reduces, thus, causing chronic damage. So, it is advisable to keep the consumption of alcohol at a moderate pace. A good rule of thumb is one standard drink for women and a maximum two for men per day.
- Processed Foods
Excessive intake of processed foods makes the liver vulnerable to a load of artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and additives that are harmful. Try to replace the processed food with their fresh alternatives as much as possible.
- Overdose of Medication
Excess consumption of over the counter drugs without consumption can harm your liver and in extreme cases can lead to the failure of the liver. Drugs are meant for a purpose, and if we violate the terms of its usage, the aftereffects are going to be fatal.
- Excessive Supplements
Dietary supplements are beneficial to our body as long as they are taken in proper amounts. But an overdose of nutritional supplements is as damaging for the liver as drug abuse. For instance, an overdose of Vitamin A is severely malignant for the liver.
- Sugar
Sugar isn’t just bad for your teeth. If you are someone with a sweet tooth, it is time for a wake-up call. Excessive sugar intake can harm your liver in ways you can’t imagine. Sugar contains fructose, a substance responsible for a high fat build-up. People who are used to consuming white bread on a frequent basis should beware as it has high sugar content. In fact, excessive intake of some fruits also increases the fructose content in the body. A fatty liver can give rise to a variety of liver diseases.
- Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen is a common over the counter drug that is effective in combating cold and is also a pain reliever. But very few people are aware of the fact that it causes severe damage to the liver. Sometimes it is better to tolerate pain for a while than to live with the side effects of Acetaminophen for the rest of the life.
- Trans Fats
Every food item containing a list of ingredients that are partially hydrogenated contains trans fats, regardless of whether it is mentioned or not. If your diet contains high amounts of trans fats, then you are most likely to gain weight at a fast pace which will ultimately harm your liver. Cutting down on cooked and processed food containing human-made fat is a good option to reduce the accumulation of trans fats in the body.
- Red Meat
Not all kinds of protein can be broken down by the liver. Even though red meat is rich in protein content, it is advisable to replace it with other sources of protein such as soy, nuts, beans, whole grains, etc.
- Salty Foods
Even though an increase in the intake of salt is mostly suggested to improve the liver health but excess of salt can cause the liver to retain excess fluids. Packaged foods and canned soups contain high sodium content which can cause damage to the liver. Therefore, you should try to avoid packaged food and replace it with as many fresh alternatives as possible.
The ability of the body to function appropriately is governed by the liver which makes it essential for us to take care of it.
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Tags: Diet, food, health, injury, liver, meals, nutrition, organs, Supplements
