Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body. It has over 500 important functions! But many teens don’t think much about their liver health until there’s a problem. That’s why it’s so important to understand how to keep your liver in tip-top shape. This ultimate guide will teach you all about your liver, how to recognize if it has problems, and what steps you can take aggressively for a healthy liver. Let’s get started!
What Exactly Does Your Liver Do?
The horns are located on the right side of the abdomen below the ribs. It is the size of a football and weighs about 3 pounds.Here are some of the main responsibilities of the liver.
- Blood filtering: Your liver filters 1.4 liters of blood per minute! It removes toxins and impurities from your blood.
- Metabolism:The liver metabolizes the nutrients in the food you eat. It also regulates blood sugar levels to keep your body energized.
- Immunity: The bacteria produce proteins that help fight disease and heal wounds.
- Nutrient storage: Your liver stores essential vitamins, minerals and iron. When your body needs them, the liver stops going into the bloodstream.
- Cleansing: Your liver cleans chemicals from chemicals, environmental factors etc. from the blood.
- Bile production: Bile is a fluid in the liver that helps in the production of fat and elimination of waste.
So in summary, the liver detoxifies, nourishes and thrives!
Boost energy, detoxify & improve wellness with LIV PURE! Just a few drops a day can make a huge difference. Click to learn more
Early Signs Your Liver May Be Struggling
Paying attention to signs from your body can help you spot liver health issues early. Here are some of the common symptoms that can lead to liver failure or damage:
Fatigue: If your liver isn’t metabolizing nutrients properly, you may feel constantly tired no matter how much rest you get.
Pain in the Abdomen: If your liver is inflamed, it can cause a dull pain in the upper right side of your stomach area.
Nausea: Liver inflammation or congestion can make you feel nauseous, with or without vomiting.
Loss of Appetite: When the liver is diseased, it can cause a loss of appetite and weight loss.
Jaundice: Yellowing of the skin and eyes is called jaundice. It’s a sign that your liver is not properly filtering bilirubin from the blood.
Itchy Skin: Bile salt buildups in the blood from liver damage can make your skin extremely itchy.
Dark Urine or Pale Stools: Liver troubles can make urine darker and poop paler than normal. The liver makes bile which gives stool its brown color.
Cognitive Issues: Liver dysfunction may lead to brain fog, confusion, or memory issues over time.
Spider Veins on Skin: Tiny spider veins under the skin on the chest, shoulders, and face can be a sign of liver problems.
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor. They can run blood tests to check how your liver is functioning. The sooner liver issues are caught, the easier they are to treat.
Boost energy, detoxify & improve wellness with LIV PURE! Just a few drops a day can make a huge difference. Click to learn more
Major Causes of Liver Damage in Teens
Some of the top causes of liver disease in teens and young adults include:
1. Fatty Liver Disease
Too much fat buildup in liver cells is called fatty liver or steatosis. It’s often caused by obesity, poor diet, or diabetes. Fatty liver can lead to inflammation and liver scarring over time if not treated.
2. Medications and Supplements
Certain prescription drugs like acetaminophen or supplements like creatine when taken in high doses over long periods can stress the liver. Follow dosing instructions carefully.
3. Infections
Viral infections like mononucleosis, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B can inflame the liver. Some sexually transmitted diseases also impact liver health.
4. Autoimmune Disease
Conditions where the immune system attacks the body, like autoimmune hepatitis, can cause long-term liver damage.
5. Genetic Conditions
Certain inherited diseases like Wilson’s disease, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, and hemochromatosis also raise the risk for liver problems.
6. Excessive Alcohol Use
Consuming too much alcohol, especially on an ongoing basis, can lead to alcoholic liver disease. This includes fatty liver, cirrhosis, and liver failure over time.
The good news is that by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, you can prevent or reverse many types of liver trouble. Let’s go over some proactive steps you can take.
9 Ways to Show Your Liver Some Love
Small changes to your daily habits can go a long way towards liver health. Here are proactive strategies:
1. Eat a Nutritious Diet: Focus on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and fiber. Limit sugar, salt, saturated fat, and processed junk foods which are hard on the liver.
2. Maintain a Healthy Weight: Excess weight and obesity contribute to fatty liver disease. Exercise and watch your calorie intake to reach or stay at a healthy BMI.
3. Reduce Toxins: Avoid smoking, second-hand smoke, alcohol use, unnecessary medications, supplements, and environmental pollutants. These can all tax your liver.
4. Drink Water : Staying hydrated with plain water flushes toxins out of your system and keeps liver enzymes functioning properly.
5. Limit Caffeine: Consuming too much caffeine from coffee, tea, soda, or energy drinks can cause the liver to overwork itself.
6. Avoid Unprotected Sex: Practice safe sex using condoms and dental dams to prevent STDs that can impact liver function. Get vaccinated for hepatitis A and B.
7. Sleep Enough: Not getting 7–9 hours of sleep per night can disrupt liver health. Maintain healthy sleep habits for hormone regulation.
8. Manage Stress: Chronic stress produces hormones that inflame the liver. Make time to relax through yoga, meditation, massage, or talking to a counselor.
9. Take Supplements Sparingly: Herbal supplements and fat burners can burden the liver. Check with your doctor before taking anything new.
Pledging to follow these tips will go a very long way towards maintaining your liver health for years to come!
When to See a Doctor
Even with the best efforts, liver issues can sometimes develop. Call your pediatrician or family doctor if you have:
- Yellowing eyes or skin
- Abdominal swelling or fluid retention
- Nausea and vomiting that won’t go away
- Extreme fatigue or weakness
- Fever with abdominal pain
- Dark urine or light colored stools
Blood work and imaging tests can help diagnose any underlying liver problems. The sooner treatment begins, the better the outcome will be for your liver.
Boost energy, detoxify & improve wellness with LIV PURE! Just a few drops a day can make a huge difference. Click to learn more
The Takeaway: Love Your Liver!
The liver has so many vital jobs that we often take it for granted. But by paying attention to your body, avoiding damaging behaviors, eating healthy, and taking preventative steps, you can keep your liver in tip-top shape for years to come. Show your liver some love, and it will keep working hard to keep your body happy and healthy!
Post a Comment
0Comments