Why is the liver important? The liver is the second largest organ in your body, weighing about three pounds. It is located under the ri...
Why is the liver important?
The liver is the second largest organ in your body, weighing about three pounds. It is located under the right rib cage and is shaped like a football flattened on one side.
The liver performs many jobs in your body, including processing what you eat and drink into energy and nutrients your body can use. It also removes harmful substances from your blood.
How can you take care of your liver?
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle.
- Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
- Eat a balanced diet from all the food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, meat and beans, dairy and fats.
- Minimize intake of simple carbohydrates, such as sweets, and foods rich in saturated fat, such as fried foods.
- Maintain a healthy weight with an ideal body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 to 24.9. Your BMI is based on your weight and height, and you can calculate it easily here.
- If you drink alcohol, drink moderately.
- Alcohol can damage or destroy liver cells.
- Ask your health care provider how much alcohol is considered safe for you. General guidelines recommend no more than one standard drink per day for women and no more than two per day for men (a standard drink is 12 ounces of beer or wine cooler, 4-5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor). However, if you have liver problems or certain other health conditions, your health care provider may recommend stricter limits.
- Manage your medications.
- Learn how some medicines can affect the liver. When you take too much of some medicines (such as excessive acetaminophen, often greater than 4 grams per day) or take the wrong medications or mix certain types (such as acetaminophen plus narcotics containing acetaminophen), it can harm the liver. Always follow the instructions on the medication and from your health care provider.
- Ask your health care provider or pharmacist if your medications could harm your liver.
- Avoid mixing alcohol with medicines, especially with acetaminophen and/or narcotics. Some combinations, even if they are not taken at the same time, can harm your liver—potentially causing liver failure requiring liver transplant.
- If you are considering herbal medications, make sure you learn about their potential side effects, because some can cause liver injury. Always talk to your health care provider before starting a new medication, even an herbal medication.
- Avoid touching toxins or inhaling toxic fumes because they can injure liver cells.
- Limit direct contact with toxins from cleaning and aerosol products, insecticides, chemicals and cigarette additives.
- Do not smoke.
