How to make your liver fit in 2019

Good intentions for a better liver health

The time of good intentions is approaching. Healthier life is high on the wish list of many people. However, a vital organ is often forgotten - our liver. A German medical association provides information on how everyone can contribute to achieving better liver health by 2019.

At the turn of the year, the German Liver Foundation is giving tips for a liver-healthy year in 2019. "The liver is the central metabolic organ in our body, which is why we need to keep it healthy," reports Chief Executive Officer Professor Dr. med. Michael P. Manns in a press release. For a healthy liver, everyone can do more than many believe, because our liver can regenerate healthy back. So you get your liver back in shape to avoid serious diseases such as fatty liver, cirrhosis and liver cell cancer.

Our liver serves as detoxification center of the body. Who literally wears his liver on his hands protects himself from severe and even fatal liver diseases. (Image: natali_mis / fotolia.com)

The liver suffers quietly and secretly

The professor reports that liver disease is often recognized late. That's because the organ causes no pain in illnesses. To make matters worse, complaints that occur in connection with liver damage often can not be clearly assigned to the liver. This alone is unfavorable, since many liver diseases can be treated excellently in the early stages. Lifestyle changes are effective measures to achieve better liver health.

Regularly check the liver values

The liver expert recommends having his liver tests checked regularly. This could usually be done in the context of a blood test. If the sample detects that the liver counts are elevated, further investigation may be initiated to determine the cause.

The liver is eating

Much of what we drink and eat is processed by the liver, explains the professor. Therefore, the diet has a massive impact on the health of the liver. If the food is too fatty or too sugary, it leads to fatty degeneration of the liver. The German Liver Foundation recommends a full and calorie-reduced diet. As additional motivation, the experts emphasize that the scarring process of the liver (liver fibrosis) can even be reversed by losing weight and healthy diet, even with existing liver fibrosis.

The liver thanks for sport and exercise

The German Liver Foundation refers to a British study, which has shown that regular physical activity has a positive effect on the weight as well as the course of fatty liver. However, these effects are only recorded as long as the sporting activity is carried out regularly. Therefore consequence is here of special meaning.

Reduce smoking or alcohol or adjust it better

Smokers are primarily concerned about their lungs, but smoking can also harm the liver and promote liver cancer, warns the liver specialist. The liver serves as detoxification center of the body and the toxins from the tobacco are broken down in the liver and strain it. Also, the alcohol is a major challenge for the liver, among other things, because the liver converts the alcohol into fat. This gradually contributes to the fatty liver, which in turn promotes inflammation that can lead to liver cirrhosis and even to liver cell cancer. (Vb)