The Importance of Liver Health in Maintaining Overall Well-being

The liver plays a crucial role in maintaining overall well-being. It performs several functions, primarily filtering toxins and waste from the body, producing bile to aid digestion, and regulating the body’s metabolism.  

So, any dysfunction in the liver or poor liver health can significantly impact overall health, leading to various health problems. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the importance of liver health and take steps to maintain it.  

Liver and its functions

To understand why the liver is important for the body’s overall health and well-being, we must understand the functions it performs:

1. Detoxification (removal of waste products)

The liver helps the body get rid of waste and toxic products like alcohol and medicines. This process is called detoxification. By detoxification, the liver essentially purifies the blood.

2. Produces bile

One of the primary functions of the liver is to produce bile (a fluid required for digestion), which turns fat into energy for the body’s use. Bile is, therefore, essential for metabolism. The liver also produces albumin, a blood protein that carries hormones, drugs and fatty substances throughout the body. It also produces certain substances required for blood clotting.

3. Processes bilirubin

Bilirubin is a pigment found in bile produced when red blood cells break down. The liver helps in the processing and elimination of bilirubin. Excessive bilirubin in the body can result in jaundice, characterised by the yellowing of the skin and eyes.

4. Controls immune response

The liver has specialised cells that detect the presence of bacteria, viruses, ad other harmful organisms that enter the body and destroy them.

5. Maintains blood glucose levels

Another important function of the liver is maintaining optimum blood glucose levels. The liver supplies glucose to the blood when required and removes it from the blood when it is in excess.

Factors that affect liver health

From the functions that the liver performs, it is clear how important it is for overall health and well-being.   

Here are some factors that affect liver health:

1. Lifestyle factors

Factors like alcohol consumption, poor diet, and lack of exercise can affect liver health and certain medical conditions and medications.

Alcohol consumption is a major contributor to liver damage called Alcoholic Liver Disease. The liver metabolises alcohol, and excessive consumption can lead to liver inflammation, scarring, and cirrhosis (hardening of the liver tissue due to scarring). If not corrected or treated in time, this can result in liver failure and increase liver cancer risk.  

A poor diet can also affect liver health. A diet high in processed foods, saturated and trans fats, and sugar can lead to obesity, insulin resistance, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is a chronic health condition in which fat build-up occurs in the liver, which can cause inflammation and scarring.

Lack of exercise can also contribute to NAFLD and other liver diseases. Regular exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight and reduce insulin resistance, which can help prevent or reverse liver damage.

2. Chronic liver conditions

Certain medical conditions can also affect liver health. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are viral infections that can cause liver inflammation and lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer if left untreated. Other chronic conditions, like autoimmune hepatitis (when the body’s immune system attacks the liver and causes inflammation) and primary biliary cholangitis (a disease that affects and destroys the tubes carrying bile in the liver), can also cause liver damage.

3. Medications

Certain medications can also affect liver health. Over-the-counter painkillers, like acetaminophen (paracetamol), can cause liver damage if taken excessively or for long periods. Other prescription medications, like statins and antifungal drugs, can also affect liver function and may require monitoring.

How to be kind to your liver

Since your liver health directly influences your overall health and well-being, here are some ways of being kind to your liver:

Avoid excessive alcohol consumption: Limit your alcohol intake. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver damage.

Use medications carefully: Always take prescription and non-prescription drugs only when required. Avoid mixing medications with alcohol, and talk to your doctor before taking herbal medicines to avoid drug interactions.

Eat a balanced diet: Add ample amounts of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains to your diet. Avoid processed and fried foods, saturated and trans fats, and excessive sugar intake.

Practice safe sex: Hepatitis B and hepatitis C can be transmitted through unprotected sex. Use protection and get vaccinated against hepatitis B if you are at risk.

Avoid sharing needles: Hepatitis B and hepatitis C can also be transmitted through sharing needles. Avoid sharing needles and syringes.

Avoid contact with toxic chemicals: When using toxic agents like insecticides, paints etc., use them in a well-ventilated area while wearing protective masks, clothing and eyewear.

Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of fatty liver disease, which can lead to liver inflammation and scarring. Aim for a healthy body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9.

Conclusion

Maintaining liver health is crucial for overall well-being. A healthy liver plays a vital role in filtering toxins from the body, regulating metabolism, and aiding digestion. Lifestyle factors such as excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, and lack of exercise can damage the liver and certain medical conditions and medications.  

To improve liver health, it is important to maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, limit alcohol consumption, practice safe sex, avoid sharing needles, and get regular liver screenings.  

Taking care of your liver can help prevent or delay liver damage and improve overall health and well-being. Take action today to prioritise your liver health and protect your overall health.