World Liver Day is celebrated on 19 April to raise awareness about liver and liver-related diseases. The liver is the most complex and largest organ of the body after the brain. It plays a significant role in the process of detoxification and digestion.
The liver is an important part because everything you eat passes through the liver, even the medicines you consume. Therefore, it is important that you take care of the organ else it can get damaged easily.
World Liver Day 2022: Functions of Liver
According to John Hopkins Medicine, the various functions of the liver include:
Production of bile that carries fats and waste to the intestine
Production of protein for blood plasma
Production of cholesterol and proteins to transfer fats from the body
Conversion of glucose into glycogen
Maintaining the levels of amino acids in the blood
Conversion of poisonous ammonia to urea
Processing of hemoglobin for use of its iron
Clearance of bilirubin and regulation of blood clotting
World Liver Day 2022: 10 Tips for Healthy Liver
According to the American liver foundation, here are the 10 tips people can follow to keep their liver healthy:
Maintain a healthy weight if you want to maintain a healthy liver because excess weight can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It is one of the fastest-growing liver diseases and weight loss plays an important role in reducing the chances of fatty liver.
Regular exercise can help burn triglycerides in the body, which acts as fuel and prevents fatty liver.
You should avoid eating saturated fats, sugars, refined carbs, and undercooked shellfish. Limit the consumption of dairy and red meat. Increase your fiber intake and fats like monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated. You can eat foods like nuts, seeds, low-fat milk, fruits, vegetables, etc.
Limit your alcohol intake or drink responsibly. Excess alcohol can damage or destroy the liver cells and scar the liver. Ask your doctor what's your limit and drink accordingly.
As per the reports in 2012, 24 million Americans were using illicit drugs prior to the research interview and these people were 12 years or older. Illicit drugs include hash, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, tranquilizers, sedatives, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics. They are extremely harmful to the liver.
Practice safe sex because unprotected sex or multiple partners can increase the risk of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
You can also get vaccinated for Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B to prevent the onset of the disease and there's no vaccine for Hepatitis C as of yet.
Drink enough water, it can help detox your liver naturally. Water also helps remove toxins from the liver's cellular system and helps the body get rid of them too. You can also add a pinch of salt and turmeric to increase its efficiency.