Liver Disease – Ayurvedic Diet, Lifestyle, & Herbal Remedies

Despite all the hype around liver detoxes and cleanses, most people know precious little about what the liver does and how important a role it plays in the body. The liver can be thought of as your body’s engine and processing plant that is largely responsible for the generation, digestion, and metabolism of various essential compounds, as well as for the filtration of blood and distribution of vital nutrients. To keep the plasma tissue (rasa dhatu) pure and free of harmful substances, the liver captures toxins (ama) that pass through and breaks them down before excreting them. For that reason, Ayurveda describes the liver as a hot, fiery organ. As a vital organ, the liver is no less important than the heart. This is precisely why the rising incidence of liver disease is so threatening and it’s a risk that we all need to safeguard against.

The best way to safeguard against liver disease is by taking steps to prevent further liver damage. With the appropriate diet and lifestyle changes, you can encourage liver rejuvenation and reduce the chances of falling prey to dangerous liver conditions

Types of Liver Disease

Liver-Cleansing Foods

Certain foods have the ability to boost the health of your liver and provide you with detoxifying effects. In general, you should follow a pitta-pacifying diet and increase the number of vegetables and fruits you consume. You should also introduce high-fiber plants such as whole grains and legumes to your diet.

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish have been shown to slow down the progression of fatty liver disease through their support of healthy enzyme and blood lipid levels. They also help restrict fat buildups and can fight liver inflammation. In addition to the foods mentioned above, it would be a good idea to bulk up your meals with fresh fruits and vegetables like grapefruits, blueberries, cranberries, grapes, beetroots, cruciferous vegetables, and leafy green vegetables. These foods not only reduce the load on your liver, but they are also rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants that can help minimize any risk of liver damage. Olive oil, turmeric, and green tea would also make for healthy additions

Foods to Avoid

Intake of both salt and sugar needs to be restricted and this requires avoidance of all processed and junk foods. Such foods are also loaded with refined carbs and trans fats, giving you more reason to avoid them. You are also advised to cut back or avoid any consumption of alcohol and foods containing sugar

Stay Active

Physical activity doesn’t necessarily require gyming but can include a range of physical activities, including walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming. Liver conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease have become increasingly common and are closely linked with obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. This risk can be easily mitigated through small measures at bodyweight management. By dropping the extra pounds, blood sugar and lipid levels can also be improved, resulting in further reduction of liver disease ris