The festive season is almost here, which for many of us means eating, drinking and being merry. If you drink alcohol, it’s likely that you’ll indulge even more at this time of the year, which can be taxing on your body – and your liver in particular.
Your liver has several crucial functions in the body such as breaking down and filtering out toxins, producing key hormones and enzymes, storing glycogen for energy, and producing bile for digestion. By drinking too much alcohol, you put your liver under strain, which can compromise all these functions. Continuously heavy drinking can also have serious long-term effects such as acute and chronic liver disease.
So, in the build-up to this festive season, how can you protect this most vital of organs? Here are five ways.
1. Try to drink moderately
No one’s saying that you shouldn’t enjoy yourself but consider giving your liver a break from processing alcohol every few days. Go alcohol-free and enjoy a non-alcoholic cocktail instead or choose low-alcohol or zero percent beers (there are loads of tasty options available these days).
When you do drink, limit the number of units you consume, try to drink slowly, and intersperse these drinks with water or other non-alcoholic drinks (just be careful of the sugar content of many soft drinks!).
2. Eat liver-friendly foods
Did you know that certain foods can boost the function and health of your liver? These include foods that contain natural antioxidants, such as grapefruit, blueberries and cranberries. Other foods, such as nuts, olive oil and fatty fish, contain healthy fats that help to reduce inflammation in the body. Some foods are also known as natural liver cleaners, such as garlic, turmeric, leafy green vegetables and green tea.
There are also foods that are not good for our livers such as those high in sugar (pastries and soft drinks), ultra-refined grains (like white bread and white rice) and fried foods (a burger and fries). As always, moderation is key and while the occasional takeout meal is fine, it’s about creating long-term habits that maintain healthy liver function.
3. Avoid toxins
Toxins such as pesticides, cleaning products, food chemicals and additives can damage your liver cells. Limit your contact with these chemicals where you can, and try and eat natural, unprocessed food that has as few chemicals contained within them as possible. Remember to also always wash raw fruit and vegetables, so that you can try remove any pesticides.
4. Get moving
You may be away for the holidays and looking forward to some rest and relaxation, but that doesn’t mean you should abandon exercising altogether. Exercise increases the blood flow to your liver which makes it function more efficiently – and it also helps your body to burn triglycerides into fuel, which can help reduce liver fat. Remember that obesity (or being overweight) puts you at risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which brings an increased risk of you suffering from cardiovascular problems in the future.
To make your holiday exercise enjoyable, choose some activity that you don’t normally do – like kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding if you’re near a beach or a dam, or trail running or hiking if you normally do road running. Remember that maintaining good health is not only good for your body and mind – it’s also good for your wallet as it means fewer trips to the doctor and lower medical costs in general (here are some other ways to save on your day-to-day medical aid bills from Fedhealth).
5. Be aware of your medication
Certain types of medication – even ones you can get over the counter – can be harmful to your liver. Drugs that can especially cause damage include certain antibiotics, steroids, antivirals, antifungals and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, but this all depends on the dosage and other environmental and genetic factors. That’s why it’s important to always consult your doctor (especially if you’re taking a combination of medication) and never take more than the recommended dosage. If you do take medication, don’t drink alcohol at the same time.
It is certainly possible to still have a merry festive season and enjoy some down time with family and friends, without causing damage to your liver. Try out some of these tips so you can enjoy your holiday in a responsible way, that also safeguards your overall health.
