5 Common Habits That Will Damage Your Liver
The liver is one of the most important
organs in the human body. Everything that we eat must be processed by
the liver before its nutrients can be distributed throughout the body.
The liver has a wide range of functions and it plays a vital role in a
number of physiological processes, including blood detoxification and
metabolic function. As a result, our body’s health is directly related
to the health of our liver.
Although the liver is capable of replacing
damaged cells, if too many cells are lost, the liver may not be able to
function correctly. There are several bad habits that are part of our
everyday life which may increase the risk of liver damage and pain. We
may not even realize it, as the damage can be gradual with no obvious
symptoms. However, over a period of time, these habits can cause severe
damage to your liver, putting your life in jeopardy.
So, let us take a look at some of the common bad habits that can damage your liver.
1. Excessive Alcohol
Heavy alcohol consumption is the most
common cause of liver damage. Excessive alcohol decreases the liver’s
ability to remove toxins from the body. This is because the liver gets
distracted from its other functions, and focuses mainly on converting
the alcohol into a less toxic form, and this causes fatty liver disease
and inflammation.
When the liver tries to break down alcohol, the resulting chemical
reaction damages the liver cells, and after a long period of consuming
excessive alcohol, the damage will become permanent, causing cirrhosis
(which leads to loss of liver function). Furthermore, the liver’s
attempts to repair the damaged caused can lead to DNA mutations that
initiate cancerous growths.
2. Overuse of Medications
As one of the liver’s roles is to break down substances that we consume,
including medications, supplements, and herbs, consuming too much of a
certain medication can gradually harm our liver. This damage can range
from mild to complete liver failure.
One of the most well-known medications that can cause liver damage is
acetaminophen, which is commonly available without prescription and can
be found in many cold and flu remedies as well as prescription pain
medications. This substance is safe in small doses, but you can damage
your liver if you take too much of it over the course of several days.
Certain herbal remedies and natural supplements can also be harmful to
the liver in excess amounts. For example, a well-known cause of liver
toxicity is too much vitamin A. This is why it is vitally important to
check the label of any medicine or supplement to see if there are any
warnings about potential liver damage.
3. Smoking
Smoking is one habit you must give up if
you ever want to be healthy. Cigarette smoke affects the liver
indirectly. The toxic chemicals that are found in the smoke eventually
reach the liver and cause oxidative stress that produces free radicals
that damage the cells.
This oxidative stress can also cause fibrosis, a process in which the
liver develops excess tissue, similar to that of scar tissue, during its
attempt to repair itself, and, over time, this can greatly affect the
liver’s ability to work properly.
4. Sleep Deprivation
A study that was published in the Journal of anatomy found that sleep
deprivation can cause oxidative stress to the liver. Another study from
the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine reveals why shift work
and people who suffer from sleep deprivation suffer from a range of
health problems. Including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
This study found that the livers of the subjects weren’t processing fat
efficiently, allowing fat to accumulate. Furthermore, when we sleep, our
body goes into a repair process. Therefore, you need to make sure that
you get a good 8 hours of sleep per night, as a lack of sleep will ruin
your elimination process and damage your liver.
5. Obesity and Poor Nutrition
Obesity has been linked to poor eating
habits and this can harm your liver over a period of time. The reason
for this is because too much of the wrong food causes excess fat to
build-up in the liver, known as NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver
disease).
The liver normally helps to process and regulate the amount of sugar and
fat in our blood, but in obese people, the liver becomes overwhelmed
and starts storing excess fats in its own liver cells, either because
there is no other place to put them, or the liver has failed to break
them down. Over time, if too much fat accumulates in the liver, the
liver can become inflamed and the liver cells can be damaged.
Food to Eat or Avoid
• Consuming a large amount of processed foods, which are often full of
preservatives, additives, artificial sweeteners, and flavorings exposes
the liver to damage because they are hard to break down and are full of
chemicals.
• Processed foods are also full of salt, which not only increases blood
pressure, but can also cause fatty liver disease by building up fluid in
the liver and causing swelling.
• Not eating enough leafy greens, fruits, and other vegetables (which
are a great source of antioxidants), will not give the body enough
vitamin C and E, zinc, beta-carotene, and selenium, all of which help to
keep the liver healthy.
• Vitamin B12, mainly found in meat, is used by the liver to help with
the flow of bile, so it’s important not to have a vitamin B12
deficiency. Other B vitamins also help in the liver’s detoxification
process, and they can be found in dried fruits, nuts, egg yolks, fish,
brown rice, and legumes.