The liver and large intestine are two organs that play important roles in carrying out digestive processes. Although seemingly subtle in the job each performs, impairment in either organ can cause you significant acute or chronic distress. Maintain liver and bowel health with nutritious eating patterns and healthy lifestyle habits.
Liver Functions
The liver, located in the upper right-hand portion of your abdomen, connects to your digestive system through a network of ducts and blood vessels. It serves as your gatekeeper for clearing blood of waste products and it also stores glycogen, which your body uses as energy. In the digestive process, your liver produces and secretes bile to ducts in your stomach and intestines to digest food products, which get metabolized into smaller particles for absorption into your bloodstream. Problems in your liver can occur because of fatty accumulation, obstructions, infection, alcoholism or hereditary disorders.
Colon Functions
The large intestine, or colon, is where stool formation, storage and elimination occurs. After food is digested and absorbed from your small intestine, the waste is dumped into your colon. Your colon has different segments and the rectum is the end point where formed stool sits until it is ready for evacuation from your anus. The main function of your colon is to form stool by absorbing water and salts from the indigestible portion of food such as fiber. Trillions of healthy bacteria also reside in your colon, and fibrous waste nourishes these bacteria. Colon disorders can result from poor dietary habits, polyp formation, intestinal lining inflammation and hereditary contributors.
Healthy Dietary Habits
A diet rich in fiber from fruits, vegetables and whole grains protects your colon by adding bulk to stool, softening stool and reducing your risk of inflammation. Unhealthy saturated fats, including red meat and fried foods, can contribute to liver complications by accumulating and increasing cholesterol deposits. Opt for healthy unsaturated fats from baked poultry, fish, beans, nuts and low-fat dairy to reduce your risk of fatty liver and poor bowel functions.
Healthy Lifestyle Habits
Smoking, excessive alcohol use, medication or drug abuse and obesity contribute to the formation of liver and bowel problems. In addition to healthy diet, regular exercise can lower your risk of fatty liver, colon disease and obesity. If you drink alcohol excessively, more than two standard drinks a day, or smoke, consult your physician for recommendations to help you quit to lower your risk of health complications. Improper use of medications like acetaminophen can become toxic to your liver. Drug use with needles that are not sterile can spread a hepatitis infection, leading to liver damage.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Liver Problems; Mayo Clinic Staff; April 16, 2011
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Your Digestive System and How it Works
- MayoClinic.com; Dietary Fiber; Essential for a Healthy Diet; Mayo Clinic Staff; Nov. 19, 2009
- Hepatitis Foundation International: Caring For Your Liver
- American College of Gastroenterology: Digestive Health Tips
- Hepatitis B Foundation: Your Liver and How it Works
