Are there really such diets as healthy liver diets? Liver disease is one of the important causes of sickness and death in the United States and also in the world. According to statistics given by Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), liver and biliary (gallbladder) ailments that includes hepatic carcinoma (liver cancer) claim approximately 46000 deaths every year and ranks 9th in overall causes of death. It is due to high rates of liver disease, liver transplantation is now remaining as only effective therapy for patients with end-stage liver condition, regardless of diagnosis. But then, healthy liver diet can certainly keep such occurrence at bay. It is again, prevention is better than cure.
The liver is body’s major detoxifying hub. Its duty is to eliminate the toxins that the body is daily exposed to. With proper care of this largest gland of the body, it will take care of rest of the body systems and keep us healthy, however, in opposite case; toxic substances stockpile in the body and then can give raise to many hazardous conditions. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), all of us routinely get exposed to about 70,000 different chemicals and over 2000 new are brought in the environment every year.
The diet that protects the liver includes organic fruit and vegetable consumption. Such foods contain stupefying 40 per cent more antioxidants as compared to conventional products. They are also rich in minerals such as zinc and iron that may be beneficial for liver health. Sequential effects of high-fiber diet along with psyllium showed significant liver protection1.
It is important to include enough proteins in regular diet. Good health liver diet must have enough sources of proteins such as beans, fishes and nuts, and eating some portion of beefs and chicken. One should avoid grilling, frying or any other cooking method that includes high-temperature. This is because high-temperature cooking method leads to creating some harmful chemicals that might include chemicals responsible to cause cancerous growths. Studies also suggest that including milk thistle can help protecting liver2.
Daily health supplements that provide natural herbs such as Phyllanthus emblica3 and Silymarin4 are proven to be powerful hepato-protector that restore the function of the liver and possibly help healing the hepatic cellular damage. Vitamin supplements such as Vitamin E and C, glutathione, glutamine, methionine, glycine, taurine and carotinoids are good for liver. Tobacco, caffeine, alcohol and other narcotics are strictly to be avoided in order to keep liver healthy.
Apart from dietary modification, holistic exercises such as Yoga and Pranayama are also considered to be very beneficial in liver health. Regular jogging, aerobic exercises and meditation also help achieving mental and physical stability.