Do you have these 4 bad habits? No wonder your liver is "on strike"...

The liver, the largest solid organ in the human body, is known as the "chemical factory" of our body and is responsible for important functions such as metabolism, detoxification, and hematopoiesis.

However, the liver is also an organ that is vulnerable to damage. Today, let's talk about how to protect our liver and keep it working healthily.

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Four major functions of the liver

1. Metabolic function: The liver can synthesize and decompose substances such as protein, sugar, fat, vitamins and hormones to help the body absorb nutrients.

2. Secretion and excretion of bile: The liver secretes bile to help digestion and absorption of food.

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3. Detoxification function: The liver can metabolize toxic substances such as drugs, alcohol, nicotine, etc. and excrete them from the body with bile or urine.

4. Hematopoietic function: The liver provides blood support when the human body needs it.

It is worth mentioning that the liver has a "regenerative ability" that other organs do not have. When the liver is damaged, liver cells will quickly repair and regenerate to restore liver function.

However, even the strongest regenerative capacity has a limit. Long-term bad living habits, such as excessive drinking, high-fat diet, lack of personal hygiene, and abuse of health care products, can cause damage to the liver. When the damage to the liver exceeds its regenerative capacity, various liver diseases will occur.

The liver's "enemy"

1. Alcohol

"Come on, have another drink!" Heavy drinking at a party can put a lot of pressure on your liver. The liver is the main site for alcohol metabolism, and long-term heavy drinking can lead to alcoholic hepatitis, and in severe cases, it can even develop into cirrhosis or liver cancer.

According to research, if a man's daily alcohol intake exceeds 60 grams and a woman's daily alcohol intake exceeds 40 grams, it is considered "excessive drinking." This is equivalent to no more than 2.5 bottles of 750ml beer for men and no more than 1.5 bottles for women.

2. Fat

Foods with "three highs" - high fat, high sugar and high cholesterol - may look tempting, but they are invisible killers of the liver. Long-term intake of these foods and lack of regular exercise will cause fat to accumulate in the liver, forming fatty liver, which may develop into cirrhosis in severe cases.

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is as high as 25% among ordinary adults worldwide, equivalent to 1 in every 4 people. Adjusting eating habits and reducing the intake of "three high" foods is an important step in protecting the liver.

3. Viruses

Poor personal hygiene habits may increase the risk of infection with hepatitis B virus, etc. Hepatitis B virus infects the liver through blood, sexual transmission and mother-to-child transmission, leading to chronic hepatitis B.

4. Medication

"This health supplement is good for the liver, eat more." This idea may be completely wrong. Many drugs and health supplements need to be metabolized by the liver. Abuse or improper use may increase the burden on the liver and even cause drug-induced liver damage.

Liver protection tips

• Quit drinking: Don’t drink if you can avoid it. If you must drink, control the amount.

• Healthy diet: Eat less greasy and high-sugar foods, eat small meals frequently, avoid overeating, and reduce the burden on the liver.

• Moderate exercise: at least 5 times a week, each time for more than 30 minutes, such as jogging, brisk walking, etc.

• Maintain personal hygiene: avoid contact with other people’s blood and body fluids, and do not share personal items that may be contaminated with blood (such as toothbrushes, razors, etc.).

• Do not take medicines indiscriminately: use medicines rationally, follow doctor’s orders, and do not abuse drugs and health products privately.

• Drink plenty of water: Drink at least 1500-2500 ml of water every day to help metabolize waste.

• Regular physical examinations: Have a physical examination at least once a year, especially for people at risk of liver disease, to detect liver problems in time.