Introduction
Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body, responsible for filtering toxins, producing bile, and helping to regulate your metabolism. Unfortunately, many of us are unknowingly damaging our livers without even realizing it. Studies have shown that certain lifestyle choices can have a negative impact on your liver health. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the surefire ways you’re ruining your liver, and provide tips on how to make healthier choices. We’ll also provide some “eat this, not that” advice to help you make better food choices that will benefit your liver health.
Surefire Ways You’re Ruining Your Liver, Studies Show — Eat This Not That
Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body, and it’s essential to keep it healthy. Unfortunately, there are some habits that can be detrimental to your liver health. Studies have shown that certain foods and drinks can cause serious damage to your liver, so it’s important to be aware of what you’re consuming.
Alcohol
Alcohol is one of the most common causes of liver damage. Heavy drinking can lead to fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. If you do choose to drink, it’s important to do so in moderation. The American Heart Association recommends no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.
Processed Foods
Processed foods are often high in unhealthy fats, sugar, and sodium, which can all contribute to liver damage. Eating too much of these foods can lead to fatty liver disease, which can cause inflammation and scarring of the liver. To keep your liver healthy, it’s best to limit your intake of processed foods and opt for fresh, whole foods instead.
Sugary Drinks
Sugary drinks, such as soda and energy drinks, are loaded with sugar and can be very damaging to your liver. Studies have shown that drinking too much of these beverages can lead to fatty liver disease and even cirrhosis. To keep your liver healthy, it’s best to limit your intake of sugary drinks and opt for water or unsweetened tea instead.
Fried Foods
Fried foods are high in unhealthy fats and can be very damaging to your liver. Eating too much of these foods can lead to fatty liver disease, which can cause inflammation and scarring of the liver. To keep your liver healthy, it’s best to limit your intake of fried foods and opt for healthier cooking methods, such as baking or grilling.
Conclusion
Your liver is an essential organ, and it’s important to keep it healthy. Unfortunately, there are some habits that can be detrimental to your liver health. Studies have shown that certain foods and drinks can cause serious damage to your liver, so it’s important to be aware of what you’re consuming. To keep your liver healthy, it’s best to limit your intake of alcohol, processed foods, sugary drinks, and fried foods, and opt for fresh, whole foods instead.
Your liver is the ultimate multitasker: It filters all the blood in the body and breaks down the substances within. But not only does the liver have to contend with toxins like alcohol, pesticides, and chemicals, it also processes fats, carbs, and sugars from everything we eat. If you make the liver’s job too overwhelming, it can be damaged, sometimes seriously. These are five common ways people ruin their livers, according to recent studies. Read on to find out more—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Called a “silent epidemic,” Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver-related condition in the U.S.—about 25% of adults are affected. As the name implies, it occurs when excessive amounts of fat build up in the liver. This can lead to an inflammatory condition called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), scarring (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and liver failure. According to a 2020 report in the journal Translational Gastroenterology and Hepatology, obesity is the #1 risk factor. “The entire spectrum of obesity, ranging from overweight to obese and severely obese, is associated with NAFLD,” the researchers wrote. To reduce your risk, maintain a healthy weight or lose weight if necessary. According to a 2018 review of studies, losing only 10% of body weight is enough to resolve NASH in more than 90% of people.
RELATED: This One Thing Can Lead to More Visceral Fat, Says New Study
Another major risk factor for NAFLD: An inactive lifestyle. That’s the conclusion of several studies, including a 2020 cross-sectional analysis published in Lipids in Health and Disease. South Korean researchers analyzed health data of more than 13,000 people and found that the most sedentary quartile had nearly five times the risk of NAFLD of the most active quartile—and that risk increased “in magnitude” with more hours spent sitting. According to a 2018 review of studies, regular exercise reduces liver fat even if it doesn’t result in weight loss.
RELATED: If You Have This Gene, Your COVID Death Risk May Double
Consuming too much added sugar doesn’t just result in obesity—it can cause the body to develop insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone released when sugar enters the bloodstream; it speeds that fuel into cells for energy. But when your system is regularly swamped with sugar, insulin production may slow or stop. That can lead to diabetes. Both insulin resistance and uncontrolled diabetes are associated with NAFLD.
RELATED: Dr. Fauci Warns COVID Cases Climbing in These States
Alcohol can lead to liver damage on its own, known as alcoholic fatty liver disease. Inflammation and potentially fatal conditions like cirrhosis, cancer, and liver failure can result. Heavy drinking during the pandemic has led to a sharp increase in the number of people hospitalized for alcoholic liver disease nationwide. To reduce your risk, drink alcohol only in moderation: No more than two drinks a day for men, and no more than one drink a day for women.
Taking the pain reliever acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol) and drinking more than the recommended amount (again, no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women) can cause potentially severe liver damage. “If you regularly drink more than the recommended number of alcoholic drinks per day, you’d be best off to only use acetaminophen in rare instances and avoid daily doses greater than 4,000 mg,” says the Cleveland Clinic. And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.