Your liver is such an essential organ that you would survive no longer than two days without it. It is the largest internal organ of your body, and it serves as the "engine" that keeps all the body's systems running smoothly. Because of its regenerative abilities, the liver can function even if 75 percent of it is removed or diseased. The liver cleanses the blood of waste and bacteria, removes and controls the production of cholesterol, stores nutrients and sugar and releases bile to aid in the digestion of food and nutrient absorption.
Importance of Diet
A healthy diet that includes foods from all of four major food groups is beneficial to all of your body's systems, but it is especially essential for normal liver function. When the liver is damaged or diseased, it suffers in silence and a lot of time can pass before you begin experiencing symptoms that signal something is wrong. A healthy diet can help damaged liver cells regenerate and ward off chronic liver disease later in life.
Protein
A high-protein diet may benefit your muscles, but it can overload the liver and lead to a condition known as hepatic encephalopathy. This condition occurs when there is more protein in the body than the liver can use and toxins build up and impair brain function. Persons with hepatitis or hepatitis-related encephalopathy are usually advised to watch their protein intake while undergoing treatment.
Sodium
According to the Ohio State University Medical Center, watching your sodium intake prevents excess fluid buildup and promotes normal liver function. Persons with liver disease are often put on a sodium-restricted diet to control fluid retention. Canned vegetables and soups, mayonnaise, ketchup and cold cuts are high-sodium foods to avoid or limit. Consider substituting lemon juice for salt.
Caloric Intake
The Hepatitis Foundation International recommends that your total caloric intake of fat stay below 30 percent. Anything more than that can lead to being overweight or obese and cause a condition known as fatty liver, in which fat deposits form in the liver.
Vitamins A and D
Megavitamin supplements that contain vitamins A and D can put extra strain on the liver's filtering function. An excess amount of vitamin A is toxic to liver health.
Herbal Supplements
Herbal remedies for liver ailments can be potentially harmful to the liver, and many of them have not been studied or evaluated enough to guarantee their safety. Talking to your doctor before using any herbal remedy is strongly recommended, nor should any herbal or dietary supplement take the place of medical advice or treatment. Herbs such as mate tea, Gordolobo yerba tea, pennyroyal, comfrey, germander, chaparral, mistletoe, skullcap, margosa oil and Jin Blu Huan are toxic to liver health.
