Liver Health

Ways to Take Care of Your Liver

Health Lifestyle
Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly help the liver to work well. Eating an unhealthy diet can lead to liver disease. For example, a person who eats a lot of fatty foods is at higher risk of being overweight and having non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

• Eat foods from all the food groups: grains, protein, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and fats
• Eat foods that have a lot of fiber such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, rice and cereals

Limit the Amount of Alcohol You Drink
Alcohol can damage or destroy liver cells. Liver damage can lead to the build up of fat in your liver (fatty liver), inflammation or swelling of your liver (alcoholic hepatitis), and/or scarring of your liver (cirrhosis). For people with liver disease, even a small amount of alcohol can make the disease worse. Talk to your doctor about what amount of alcohol is right for you.

Manage Your Medications
When medicines are taken incorrectly – by taking too much or the wrong type or by mixing – the liver can be harmed.

• Learn about medicines and how they can affect the liver
• Follow dosing instructions
• Talk to a doctor or pharmacist often about the medicines you are taking

Read more about managing your medications...

Avoid Breathing in or Touching Toxins
Toxins can injure liver cells.

• Limit direct contact with toxins from cleaning and aerosol products, insecticides, chemicals, and additives in cigarettes
• Do not smoke

Page updated: August 30th, 2010