How to Maintain Liver Health

Maintaining the health of your liver is important. Your liver has several critical jobs, including transforming food into energy, cleaning alcohol and other poisons from your blood and making bile which aids in digestion. There are several things you can do to maintain the health of your liver.

Instructions

• 1

  Drink moderately or avoid alcohol altogether. The association between alcohol and liver disease has been known for more than 200 years. Long-term alcohol use is the most common cause of illness and death from liver disease in the United States, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. This is not entirely surprising, as the liver is the primary site of alcohol metabolism. While some treatments for alcohol-induced liver problems exist, it is best to avoid acquiring these problems in the first place. It should also be noted that alcoholics who smoke more than one pack of cigarettes per day are three times more likely to develop cirrhosis than their non-smoking counterparts. Interestingly, alcoholics who consume four or more cups of coffee per day are five times less likely to develop cirrhosis than their counterparts who do not drink coffee, according to an article published in the Alcohol Health and Research World Journal.

• 2

  Change your diet. According to the National Liver Foundation, you can maintain optimal liver functioning by cutting down on deep-fried and fatty foods. The foundation also recommends that you eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads, rice and cereals. Moreover, obesity damages the liver. Thus, it is important to exercise as well as maintaining a healthy diet.

• 3

  Consider herbal supplements. According to the National Institutes of Health, both dandelion and milk thistle are used heavily to maintain liver function and treat liver problems. Milk thistle can be found in capsules, extracts and teas. Initial scientific studies have shown that milk thistle may improve liver function and help with liver disease. However, additional research is needed. Dandelion can be used either fresh or dried in teas, capsules or extracts. Historically, dandelion has been used to treat liver diseases and, in modern days, as a liver tonic. However, there has been no compelling scientific evidence to suggest that dandelion benefits the liver in any way, according to the National Institutes of Health. Both milk thistle and dandelion are considered relatively safe. Nevertheless, you should consult your doctor before taking any herbal supplement.