Did you know that chronic liver disease is increasing among the older adults? And it often goes undiagnosed in seniors!
There are several preventative measures we can take to protect our vital organ that may reduce the risk of developing the liver disease. Remember that everything we consume eventually makes its way to the liver including medication, so it’s important to take steps to maintain liver health.
Here are a 5 ways:
1. Alcohol In Moderation
Drinking alcohol in moderation has some health benefits for seniors, including lowering the risk of developing gallstones. Too much alcohol can cause swelling and scarring in the liver that leads to cirrhosis (scarring (fibrosis) of the liver caused by long-term liver damage). In general the recommendation is two glasses a day for men and one for women.
2. A Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise can reduce the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition often affected by excessive weight. A healthy diet for seniors includes a mix of fruits and veggies, grains, and protein. Check out our blog Nutrition 101 for seniors for some tips, https://www.canes.on.ca/blog/nutrition-101-seniors
3. Medications Mindfulness
Some painkillers and cholesterol drugs seniors take on a regular basis may have an adverse affect their liver. Excessive amounts of acetaminophen can cause damage to your liver. This is also a comment ingredient found in many cold medications so be sure to talk to your doctor and see if regular liver check-ups are necessary.
4. Drink Water
We have talked about this one before. Seniors often don’t feel thirsty but water is amazing for your body. Drinking eight glasses of water during the day can boost your liver health! Water flushes toxins out through the bladder and bowels and prevents the recirculation through the bloodstream. Simply adding a few drops of lemon juice to a few of those glasses of water can further aid with digestion and help the liver. Keep sipping water throughout the day.
5. Chemical-Free Products
This one is kind of incredible. Did you know everything applied to the skin eventually making it to the liver? It’s true!The skin is highly absorptive so choosing chemical-free body care products whenever possible can help minimize what’s absorbed into their skin. Remember this when choosing products like shampoo that are used on a regular basis.
The liver is the largest solid organ and the largest gland in our bodies. It’s responsible for more than 500 important tasks, and is and major part of the digestive system. Cool fact about the liver is it can regrow rapidly if kept healthy. It can regrow back to Its original size without any loss of ability. Keep that liver healthy and it’ll take care of you too!
