Liver is the second largest organ in the human body. In Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic (黃帝内經), liver is described as the Army General in-charge of strategy planning in the body. This is because liver is the main regulator of human internal environment. It produces bile to carry away waste products and break down fats. It also in charge of breaking down and neutralizing toxins in the body. It acts as storage for blood, minerals, nutrients, and glucose and release them as at when our body need extra energy. it regulates immune response and blood clotting. In order to protect your liver, there are several things you may want to avoid:
1. Excessive Sugar
Liver uses fructose to make fat. Excessive refined sugar could lead to fatty liver, which is as harmful to the liver as consuming too much alcohol. Be mindful of what you eat, try to eat natural complex carbohydrates like peas and vegetables. rather than refined sugar such as candy, soda, and pastries. little bit to pamper ourselves is alright, the keyword here is "be subtle".
2. Herbs
Natural does not mean harmless. Always consult a physician before you taking any herbs. Certain herbs may inhibit proper function for your liver. All herbs has to be prescribed after proper diagnosis by physician. One example is kava kava herb used for stress relieving, may cause liver problems after prolonged use.
3. Obesity
Growing too much fat in your liver can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Your liver will swell and harden over time, leaving your liver scarred. Scarred tissue may no longer be able to function like normal issue. High risk group for fatty liver disease are those with obesity, diabetes or middle-aged people. Proper diet and regular exercise can prevent fatty liver disease.
4. Too Much of Vitamin A (& derivatives)
It is good to consume fruits and vegetables that contain natural vitamin A. Red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables normally contain plenty of them. However, excessive Vitamin A from supplements may cause liver damage. Our body only need traces of Vitamin A every day, being a fat soluble vitamin, it cannot be excreted through urination. Vitamin A derivatives such as isotretinoin, a drug used to treat acne, may disrupt liver function too.
5. Soft Drinks
Research shows that people who likes to drink soft drinks has higher chance of developing fatty liver disease. If you drink more soft drinks than water, it's time to cut back your consumption.
6. Paracetamol Overdose
Paracetamol is a common drug for pain relief. It is fine to take paracetamol occasionally for headache and fever. Different people have different tolerance to the drug. Always keep your dosage in check as paracetamol overdose is harmful for our liver.
7. Trans Fat
Trans fat is very hard to digest and causes fatty liver. At the same time, it also causes bad cholesterol to rise and good cholesterol to drop. Check out the nutrition facts before buying your food products. Trans fat can make you really FAT.
8. Syringe Sharing
Ok. This is really bad for you. All blood transmitted disease can catch up with you this way. Hepatitis C is one of it. So, don't, ever share needle.
9. Alcohol
Almost everyone knows that alcohol is bad for liver. But people did not realize that even without being addicted to alcohol, you can consume more alcohol than you should. many glasses can contain more than standard serving size - 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1.5 ounces of liquor. Always practice moderate drinking. In this case, less is better.
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