The Liver is one of the most important organs of the
body. It performs various functions that allows us
to be an optimal level day in day out. The liver has
wide range of functions and it plays a vital role in
numerous physiological processes, including
metabolic function and blood detoxification. It is
also a regenerative organ i.e whenever one of its
cell is damaged, it quickly replaces it. I call it the
non-complaining organ. One will not know how
damaged their liver is until over 60% of its cells
have been damaged. Most of the times at such
points there isn’t much that can be done to salvage
the situation.
Image source: minesgreencircle.wordpress.com
There are different habitual behavior that most of us
don’t know affect our liver as the damage can be
gradual and initially without obvious symptoms. But
over time these bad habits can severely harm your
liver. This is very dangerous, as your body cannot
function properly without a properly working liver.
Common Habits That Damages The Liver
Not Sleeping Enough
I know this may sound weird to most of us but it is
actually true. A study published in the Journal of
Anatomy found that sleep deprivation can cause
oxidative stress to the liver. Another study reveals
why shift workers and people who suffer from sleep
deprivation suffer from a large range of health
problems, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease
and more.
It was found that their livers aren’t processing fat
efficiently and instead allowing fat to accumulate
(which proves that the body cannot function
properly without a properly working liver). Also
when we sleep, our body goes into a repair
process. So, make sure you get a good 8 hours of
sleep, as lack of sleep will ruin your elimination
process and damage your liver.
Read: How Much Sleep Is Adequate For Us Daily?
Overuse Of Certain Medications
Overuse of over-the-counter drugs and certain
prescription drugs is known to cause liver damage.
Some of these drugs include antidepressants, mood
stabilizers, corticosteroids (used for treating
inflammation) and pain relievers. It’s therefore
important to review the side effects and adverse
effects of medications before taking them.
Alcohol Consumption
I know this is an habit we all know to well. Most
people know the associated dangers but we cannot
overemphasize it. Heavy alcohol consumption is
the most common cause of liver damage. Excess
amount of alcohol decreases the liver’s ability of
removing toxins from the body. This is because the
liver gets diverted from its other functions and
focuses mainly on converting alcohol to a less toxic
form, and this causes fatty liver disease and
inflammation. When the liver tries to break down the
alcohol, the resulting chemical reaction can damage
the liver cells, and after a long time of consuming
excess amount of alcohol, the damage can become
permanent and cause cirrhosis (scarring of the
liver) which leads to loss of liver function. Frequent
alcohol abuse can degrade the liver over time and
kill off cells. When the liver attempts to repair this
damage, it could lead to DNA mutations that kick
start cancers.
Read: Side Effects Of Drinking Alcohol
Smoking
Smoking not only harms the lungs but also harms
the liver. The numerous toxic substances inhaled in
cigarette smoke find their way to the liver and add
to the overall toxic load placed on the organ. The
chemicals cause oxidative stress that lead to
formation of free radicals that destroy liver cells,
This is an habit you must quit to live a long healthy
life.
Poor Nutrition and Obesity
Obesity is linked to poor eating habits and can harm
your liver over time, just as drinking too much
alcohol does. The reason for that is that too much
of the wrong foods causes excess fat build-up in
the liver, known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver
Disease.
The liver normally helps to process and regulate the
amount of sugar and fat in the blood, but in obese
people the liver becomes overwhelmed and starts
storing excess fat in its own liver cells, either
because there is no other place for them elsewhere
or the liver fails to break them down. Over time, if
too much fat is accumulated in the liver, the liver
can become inflamed and the liver cells can be
body. It performs various functions that allows us
to be an optimal level day in day out. The liver has
wide range of functions and it plays a vital role in
numerous physiological processes, including
metabolic function and blood detoxification. It is
also a regenerative organ i.e whenever one of its
cell is damaged, it quickly replaces it. I call it the
non-complaining organ. One will not know how
damaged their liver is until over 60% of its cells
have been damaged. Most of the times at such
points there isn’t much that can be done to salvage
the situation.
Image source: minesgreencircle.wordpress.com
There are different habitual behavior that most of us
don’t know affect our liver as the damage can be
gradual and initially without obvious symptoms. But
over time these bad habits can severely harm your
liver. This is very dangerous, as your body cannot
function properly without a properly working liver.
Common Habits That Damages The Liver
Not Sleeping Enough
I know this may sound weird to most of us but it is
actually true. A study published in the Journal of
Anatomy found that sleep deprivation can cause
oxidative stress to the liver. Another study reveals
why shift workers and people who suffer from sleep
deprivation suffer from a large range of health
problems, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease
and more.
It was found that their livers aren’t processing fat
efficiently and instead allowing fat to accumulate
(which proves that the body cannot function
properly without a properly working liver). Also
when we sleep, our body goes into a repair
process. So, make sure you get a good 8 hours of
sleep, as lack of sleep will ruin your elimination
process and damage your liver.
Read: How Much Sleep Is Adequate For Us Daily?
Overuse Of Certain Medications
Overuse of over-the-counter drugs and certain
prescription drugs is known to cause liver damage.
Some of these drugs include antidepressants, mood
stabilizers, corticosteroids (used for treating
inflammation) and pain relievers. It’s therefore
important to review the side effects and adverse
effects of medications before taking them.
Alcohol Consumption
I know this is an habit we all know to well. Most
people know the associated dangers but we cannot
overemphasize it. Heavy alcohol consumption is
the most common cause of liver damage. Excess
amount of alcohol decreases the liver’s ability of
removing toxins from the body. This is because the
liver gets diverted from its other functions and
focuses mainly on converting alcohol to a less toxic
form, and this causes fatty liver disease and
inflammation. When the liver tries to break down the
alcohol, the resulting chemical reaction can damage
the liver cells, and after a long time of consuming
excess amount of alcohol, the damage can become
permanent and cause cirrhosis (scarring of the
liver) which leads to loss of liver function. Frequent
alcohol abuse can degrade the liver over time and
kill off cells. When the liver attempts to repair this
damage, it could lead to DNA mutations that kick
start cancers.
Read: Side Effects Of Drinking Alcohol
Smoking
Smoking not only harms the lungs but also harms
the liver. The numerous toxic substances inhaled in
cigarette smoke find their way to the liver and add
to the overall toxic load placed on the organ. The
chemicals cause oxidative stress that lead to
formation of free radicals that destroy liver cells,
This is an habit you must quit to live a long healthy
life.
Poor Nutrition and Obesity
Obesity is linked to poor eating habits and can harm
your liver over time, just as drinking too much
alcohol does. The reason for that is that too much
of the wrong foods causes excess fat build-up in
the liver, known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver
Disease.
The liver normally helps to process and regulate the
amount of sugar and fat in the blood, but in obese
people the liver becomes overwhelmed and starts
storing excess fat in its own liver cells, either
because there is no other place for them elsewhere
or the liver fails to break them down. Over time, if
too much fat is accumulated in the liver, the liver
can become inflamed and the liver cells can be
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