April 19th is World Liver Day, a day meant to spread awareness and understanding of the importance of the largest organ of our body - the liver!
Did you know the liver is our body’s most hardworking organ? It processes nutrients absorbed by the intestine and regulates blood composition to balance fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It also removes toxins from the blood.
Needless to say, taking care of our liver is essential to live a healthy lifestyle we all aspire to.
Unfortunately, today’s lifestyle makes us forget to do so.
According to the World Health Organization, liver diseases are the 10th most common cause of death in India. The most common of these is Fatty Liver Disease. It is a broad term that describes a wide range of conditions caused by a buildup of fat within the liver cells.
Fatty Liver Disease can be of two kinds: Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic.
The former happens as a result of excessive alcohol intake and the latter is caused by reasons like a diet rich in fats and carbohydrates or inactivity. Initially people do not show any symptoms of the disease, but eventually, they feel nauseated, tired, bloated and generally sick.
The liver, however, is a wonderful organ and has the capacity to regenerate. Fatty liver is reversible but it does require a change in lifestyle.
These include plenty of exercise, sleep, acupuncture, stress and anger control. Exercise helps speed up the metabolism, sleep repairs and rejuvenates the body, Acupuncture helps in bringing your body back to normal. Stress is one of the biggest factors contributing to this disease. Thus it’s very important to find ways to manage stress and anger.
A proper nutritional diet is of course sacrosanct. Focus on alkaline foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts and sprouts and some whole grains. Lemon and apple cider vinegar are two excellent alkalinisers. They reduce acid levels and the fat accumulated around the liver and detoxify the liver.
Green tea, Turmeric, Garlic, Papaya, Amla, Omega 3 Fatty acids are all foods which keep the liver functioning at an optimum level. Heap plenty of these into your daily diet. Things to avoid: Alcohol, Smoking, Fried Foods, White bread. Most important of all, keep hydrated, refresh, rejuvenate yourself. Stay Healthy.
All the best on World Liver Day.
