Role Of Nutrition And Physical Activity In Liver Health

The liver is the body's detox powerhouse, responsible for filtering toxins from the blood, producing bile to aid digestion, and storing essential nutrients.

The liver plays a very important role in a number of metabolic, both catabolic and anabolic processes, and is therefore called the 'central laboratory' of the organism. Eating the right foods supports your liver in performing its functions more effectively and keeps it healthy. So, it is essential to have a balanced diet rich in nutrients that support liver health.

An easy way to build a balanced plate is to fill about half your plate with nonstarchy vegetables, one quarter with whole grains or other carbohydrates, and one quarter with protein like fish, tofu, legumes or lean meat.

Consume fresh, locally available and preferably seasonal vegetables and fruits. These have higher level of micronutrients and are also tastier. It is recommended that every individual should consume at least 400g of vegetables (Green leafy vegetables : 100g; Other vegetables: 250g; Roots and Tubers: 50g- Root vegetables like carrots, radish, beetroot, knol-kohl, and turnip should be preferred to tubers like potato, yam, colocasia and cassava. ) and 100g of fresh fruits every day.

• Whole grains (minimally polished) are preferred. All cereal (or millet) based diets are accompanied with adequate pulses or beans for good quality protein and fibre.
• Limit the use of high saturated-fat containing oils/fats such as ghee, butter etc.
• Minimize consumption of ready-to-eat fast foods,bakery foods and processed foods which may contain trans fats and saturated fats.
• Avoid using partially hydrogenated fats (vanaspati) as the cooking medium as they may contain trans-fats and saturated fats.
• Repeated heating of cooking oils generates harmful oxidative (polar) compounds and hence must be avoided.
• Restricting meal frequency to two to three times a day.
• Avoiding ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS).

Regular physical activity, yoga and exercise of moderate intensity are recommended for good health and wellbeing.

• These help in maintaining desirable body weight, muscle strength, bone health, flexibility of joints and appropriate body mass composition,

Some tips to keep physically active even when on a busy schedule

• At work, use a standing desk or stand every half hour.
• Walk for 5–10 minutes every few hours.
• Take all phone calls walking, both at work place or home.
• Use stairs instead of lifts/elevator.
• Park vehicle away from work place.
• While watching TV, move around every few minutes or during commercial breaks.
• As you get up in the morning, do some simple yoga and stretches to keep your muscles active and joints flexible.
• Not using muscles causes muscle atrophy. Muscle strengthening exercises, activating all muscle groups should be performed for a minimum of two days in aweek.
• This activity tends to increase the heart rate and breathing, resulting in greater improvement in the heart and lung functioning. The activities range from briskwalking (moderate) to running or jogging or swimming or bicycling (vigorous). 30–60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per day for at least five days in a week is recommended