Some people often drink alcohol, and their livers have more or less some health problems. In addition, there are many other things that can affect liver health. What foods are good for protecting the liver? How to nourish the liver in daily life? Let's find out!
I. Foods that harm the liver
1. Alcohol
Alcohol damages the liver. Especially for patients with existing liver damage, drinking is undoubtedly another heavy blow to the liver, which can further aggravate liver damage. For patients with liver disease whose own detoxification and metabolic functions are already low, the intermediate metabolite of alcohol—acetaldehyde—has a direct damaging effect on liver cells. Therefore, patients with poor liver function should best stay away from alcohol.
2. Sunflower seeds
They contain unsaturated fatty acids. Excessive consumption can deplete a large amount of choline in the body, easily leading to fat storage in the liver, which in turn affects the function of liver cells and is detrimental to the liver.
3. Foods containing preservatives
Various convenience foods such as instant noodles, sausages, canned foods, etc., may contain preservatives and food colorings. Regular consumption increases the burden on the liver's metabolic and detoxification functions. For patients with poor liver detoxification capabilities, this will have an adverse impact.
4. Moldy food
According to research, moldy foods such as peanuts, soybeans, and corn produce a carcinogen—aflatoxin—after they become moldy. Aflatoxin is extremely hepatotoxic to the liver and can easily cause damage, degeneration, and even necrosis of liver cells, which may then lead to or induce liver cancer. Therefore, it is an extremely unfavorable food for the body and the liver.
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II. Foods that protect the liver
1. Lychee
Regular consumption of lychee has a good effect on strengthening the liver and pancreas. People with incomplete liver function should eat more lychees in their daily life to nourish themselves. Therefore, people with damaged liver function should eat more lychees in their daily life to enhance liver function.
2. Lemon
Lemons are well-known to everyone. They are a natural herb plant. Moderate consumption has good effects on nourishing the liver and spleen, and preventing and detoxifying poisons. After consumption, it can also protect liver cells from damage by free radicals, and at the same time promote protein synthesis, thereby accelerating the repair and regeneration of liver cells.
3. Papaya
Experts remind that people with impaired liver function should eat more papaya in their daily life as it has a good liver-nourishing effect. In addition, it can effectively enhance the liver's ability to resist diseases. The reason papaya is beneficial to the liver is that it contains a large amount of vitamin C and various amino acids. These nutrients not only meet the body's needs, but also effectively increase the resistance of liver cells, thereby stabilizing the liver cell membrane.
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4. Black Plum
Sour taste has the effect of tonifying and astringing the liver. Among all sour foods, black plum has the best effect on nourishing and tonifying the liver. Traditional Chinese medicine points out that black plum has good effects of "harmonizing liver qi and nourishing liver blood".
III. Daily methods for liver nourishment
1. Drink more water
Drinking more water can replenish body fluids, enhance blood circulation, and promote metabolism. It can also promote the secretion of glands, especially digestive glands, as well as pancreatic juice and bile, to aid digestion, absorption, and excretion of waste, reducing the damage of metabolic products and toxins to the liver.
2. Traditional Chinese Medicine Liver-Protecting Tablets
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the liver cannot be "tonified" directly, as tonifying it can easily lead to "heatiness". Tonifying the spleen and kidneys can nourish the liver. For people with a weak spleen, they can take Renshen Jianwan (a spleen-strengthening pill) or congee with coix seed, Chinese yam, and fox nut. For people with kidney deficiency, they can take Liuwei Dihuangwan (a kidney-tonifying pill) or stew chicken with goji berries and Tianma. For people with excessive liver fire, they can take Danzhi Xiaoyao Wan or drink chrysanthemum tea to protect the liver.
3. Maintain a cheerful mood
To have a strong liver, you must first learn to control your anger. Even if you get angry, don't let it last more than 3 minutes. Try your best to be calm, optimistic, and carefree, so that the liver fire can be extinguished and the liver qi can be generated and regulated normally. If you violate this natural law, you will damage the liver qi. Therefore, maintaining a cheerful mood can protect the liver.
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4. Pay attention to a balanced diet
Diet should be balanced. The proportions of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals in food should be maintained. At the same time, the five flavors should not be biased, and try to eat less spicy food. A reasonable and balanced diet is also beneficial for liver protection, avoiding liver damage from excessive drinking during social occasions.
5. Maintain moderate exercise
Strengthen exercise to improve your own immunity. Traditional Chinese medicine experts point out that exercise can prevent fatty liver by burning excess fat in the body. People who already have fatty liver should persist in physical exercise, such as slow jogging, fast walking, cycling, and other aerobic exercises. These can burn calories in the body and control weight gain.
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