Your Liver in Lockdown

We’ve only got one liver and it is a vital organ. Our liver is responsible for making glucose from carbohydrates, storing nutrients, creating bile for fat break-down and cholesterol. It also helps us eliminate waste products and toxins and it even plays a role in our immune system health. And did you know that the liver is the only organ in the body that can regenerate!

While for most of us our liver works the way it should occasionally it could do with some TLC. Read on below to learn how we can support our liver health through diet.

Be mindful of fats 

Fats are a fantastic source of fuel and the right kind of fats help us produce hormones, protect our nerves and play a role in cognitive health. However, intake of trans and saturated fats can impact the health of the liver as well as cardiovascular health. Be mindful of your intake of margarines, excess vegetable oils and fried foods and opt for using olive oil, nuts and seeds.

Get in that fibre 

Fibre from our diets can help stimulate enzymes in the liver and can encourage bile acid function needed for liver metabolism and absorption of fats. A diet low in fibre can put further pressure on the detox pathways in the liver. Without fibre our digestive systems don’t clear out as much of the debris and by production of waste from our food – leaving the liver overworked!

The recommended daily intake of fibre is 30g per day; so focus on foods such as nuts, seeds, veggies and fruit, pulses and wholegrains.

Moderate your alcohol intake

Alcohol and the liver are not friends. The liver tolerates alcohol but when alcohol comes over a little too often the relationship turns sour. While moderate alcohol consumption is normal and our bodies are equipped to tolerate it, if we consume alcohol in significant amounts and consistently, we can put too much pressure on the liver.  Try out lower or non-alcoholic alternative such as MEDA’s NO-LO range which also contains CBD which has been linked in some studies to be potentially liver protective. [1]

Coffee makes your liver smile 

Coffee gets a bit of a bad rep but when it comes to the liver the science is in – your daily cup of joe can actually be a good thing!

Studies have linked coffee consumption to a reduction in liver cancer, liver fibrosis and progression of liver disease.[2]

Keep to under 400mg of caffeine from coffee per day (that’s roughly 5 espresso shots).  For further reading, check out the British Liver Trusts advice here: https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-health-benefits-of-coffee-BLT-report-June-2016.pdf

Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. 

The liver, like many organs in the body, requires hydration to function optimally. Ensure you are getting in your H20 even in the colder months ahead. If you find it a struggle to hit your 1.5-2 litres every day try adding in herbs, berries a drop of cordial or half a can of one of MEDA’s CBD drinks. 

Please note if you have any chronic condition or liver disease please work with your medical practitioner. This advice is not to be used as a supplement for medical care and is not intended to diagnose.

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4112960/

[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S104727970100223X

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016508507005689