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8 Tips for a Healthy Liver
Source: By Teresa Cheong for Health Xchange, with expert input from Dr Victor Lee Tswen Wen, Senior Consultant, Department of
Hepato-pancreato-biliary and Transplant Surgery at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a member of the SingHealth group.
Your liver may not be functioning at its optimal level if you have constant fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, and yellowing
of skin and whites in the eyes. To improve the health of your liver, you need to give your diet and lifestyle an overhaul.
A healthy liver keeps your body’s regulatory, detoxification and metabolic functions in tip top condition. Fortunately, most
liver problems are reversible if discovered early.
“The liver is an amazing organ which can rejuvenate itself. Liver failure develops over time. You can stop a fatty liver
condition from deteriorating into more serious liver cirrhosis and liver cancer by making significant changes to your diet
and lifestyle,” says Dr Victor Lee Tswen Wen, Senior Consultant, Department of Hepato-pancreato-biliary and Transplant
Surgery at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a member of the SingHealth group..
What does the liver do?
The liver is the body’s major cleaning and clearing house.
A healthy liver regulates blood glucose levels and removes bilirubin from the bloodstream. Bilirubin is a byproduct from
the normal breakdown of red blood cells.
In addition, the liver processes food, extracting nutrients, and produces bile to digest fatty foods. Any excess nutrients are
stored in the liver.
The liver also detoxifies. It removes toxins that are ingested through alcohol, medications and contaminated food, from
the bloodstream.
8 tips for a healthy liver
1. Moderate your alcohol intake
The liver can only process or break down a small amount of alcohol every hour. For this reason, men should limit their
alcohol intake to two drinks a day while women should only have one. A standard drink is equivalent to one ordinary beer
or one small glass of wine.
2. Cut down on fatty foods
Reduce the amount of saturated fats, trans fats and hydrogenated fats in your diet. Saturated fats are found in deep fried
foods, red meats and dairy products. Trans and hydrogenated fats are found in processed foods. The liver stores excess
dietary fat, and fat buildup can eventually bring on fatty liver disease.
3. Reduce body weight
Obesity, particularly, abdominal or central obesity, is a major risk factor for developing fatty liver disease. Eat a balanced
diet and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight. A fatty liver slows down the digestion of fats. Do aim for the ideal
body mass index (BMI) target. The healthy cut-off values recommended by MOH and HPB Singapore are between 18.5
and 22.9.
4. Avoid over-supplementation with traditional medicines & remedies
Over-supplementation may cause liver inflammation. As the liver detoxifies, supplementation with certain traditional
medicines or remedies can lead to liver damage or even failure. This is because some of these remedies contain heavy
metals. Taken in large quantities they can result in liver toxicity or they can affect the regular functioning of your liver.
5. Eat more fibre
Eat more high-fibre foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. For proteins, choose more fish, beans and nuts,
and cut down on red meats.
6. Get vaccinated
Get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, both viral liver infections. Hepatitis A is contracted from contaminated food and
water and hepatitis B, from sexual contact, contaminated blood and needles.
7. Get regular exercise
Regular exercise is key to a healthy liver. Exercise increases energy levels, decreases stress on the liver, and helps to
prevent obesity – a high risk factor for liver disease. Aim for a total of 150 minutes of exercise, such as brisk walking, per
week.
8. Be careful of weight loss pills
Over-the-counter weight loss pills which are available without a prescription may contain ingredients such as Ephedra
(ma huang in Chinese) which are harmful to the liver.
Article contributed by the Dept of Hepato-pancreato-biliary and Transplant Surgery at:
Ref. T12
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