The liver is one of the largest organs in the body and is one of the organs of the digestive system. It is located on the right side of the abdomen, and it weighs about 3 pounds. It is also one of the internal organs responsible for carrying out the most important functions that maintain the health and safety of the body, so you should know the signs of a healthy liver that confirm the safety of your health. Also follow the next article.

Signs of healthy liver

To know the signs of a healthy liver or signs that indicate a disease in it, you must follow two basic steps that will tell you whether your liver is healthy or not:

1- Ensure that the liver performs its functions

The liver has many important functions that help maintain the health and safety of the body. To begin with, to make sure and know the signs of the health of your liver, you must ensure that it performs its functions to the fullest. The main functions of the liver include the following:

Production of some important substances for the health of the body

• Bile production: Bile helps in the process of breaking down and digesting some nutrients in the small intestine, such as: fats, cholesterol, and some vitamins. Bile is made up of bile salts, cholesterol, bilirubin, electrolytes, and water.
• Albumin production: Albumin is one of the most common proteins in the blood, and it helps transport important fatty acids and steroid hormones to help maintain blood vessel pressure levels.

Eliminate toxins and harmful substances to promote a healthy body

• Alcohol, drugs, medications and some toxins.
• Some of the hormones that are found in the blood, such as: estrogen and aldosterone.
• Absorption and metabolism of bilirubin: Bilirubin is formed when hemoglobin breaks down, and this substance is eliminated by its metabolism and absorption by the liver.
• Absorption and metabolism of ammonia: a substance produced when proteins are broken down.

Helps the liver metabolize and break down some nutrients

• Fats: bile secreted by the liver breaks down fats and makes them easier to digest.
• Proteins: Bile helps break down and disassemble proteins in order to facilitate digestion.
• Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are stored in the liver, where they are broken down into glucose and pulled into the bloodstream to maintain normal glucose levels in the body. They are also stored as glycogen and released whenever a quick influx of energy is needed.

Other functions of the liver

• Regulating blood clotting processes “blood clotting” Clotting: the bile secreted by the liver helps in the absorption of vitamin K, which is necessary to create some coagulants that help blood clotting, and if the liver does not produce enough bile, clotting factors cannot be produced.
• Storing vitamins and minerals: The liver stores important vitamins for the body such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin E, and vitamin B12, where they are kept for years as a backup. The liver also stores iron from hemoglobin in the form of a substance called ferritin so that it is ready to produce cells. new red blood. The liver also stores copper and then releases it.
• Immune function: The liver contains large numbers of cells that contribute to immune function. These cells work to destroy any disease-causing agents that may enter the liver through the gut.
• Angiotensinogenesis: A hormone that raises blood pressure by constricting blood vessels when stimulated, by producing an enzyme called renin in the kidneys.

2- Ensure that there is no liver dysfunction

To be sure of the signs of a healthy liver, you must ensure that the following symptoms do not appear that confirm the presence of liver disease:

• yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
• Swelling in the legs and ankles
• Pain and swelling in the abdomen
• dark urine color
• Pale (light) stool color
• Feeling itchy skin
• Feeling chronically tired
• Nausea
• vomiting
• Anorexia
• Bruising easily

Notice; A person may have a liver disease or other health problems related to the liver, but without showing any symptoms, so if you think that there is a problem with the safety of your liver, you should contact the doctor and conduct the necessary tests.

What are the most important liver diseases?

There are some diseases that affect the liver and indicate that it is not healthy, so one of the signs of a healthy liver is also the absence of these diseases:

• Liver failure: It is a disease that occurs as a result of an infection, a genetic disease, or excessive alcohol consumption.
• Lever Inflammation: It is an inflammation that results from infection with viruses such as: virus A, B, and C. Hepatitis can also have non-infectious causes, including excessive alcohol, medication, allergies, or obesity.
• Cirrhosis: Long-term liver damage can lead to a disease called cirrhosis, which stops the liver from working well.
• Liver Cancer: The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which almost always occurs after cirrhosis.
• Ascites or fluid leakage: Cirrhosis causes fluid to leak into the abdomen, causing the liver to become swollen and heavy.
• Gallstones: If gallstones get stuck in the bile duct, it can lead to hepatitis and an infection of the bile duct (cholangitis).
• Hemochromatosis: Hemochromatosis causes iron to be deposited in the liver, which damages it. Iron can also be deposited throughout the body, causing many other health problems.

How do you maintain a healthy liver?

After you know the signs of a healthy liver, you should follow some tips to ensure that you do not suffer from any health problems or develop a liver disease. Follow the following tips:

• Maintain a healthy weight: If you are obese or overweight, you are more likely to have fatty liver that can lead to fatty liver disease, so losing weight can help reduce the fat in your liver.
• Follow a healthy balanced diet: Avoid meals high in calories, saturated fats, and refined carbohydrates such as: white bread, white rice, pasta, and sugars. Do not eat raw or undercooked shellfish. For a good healthy diet, eat fiber that you can get from fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread, rice, and cereals. Also eat meat – but limit the amount of red meat – dairy products, good monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as vegetable oils, also eat nuts, seeds and fish, and make sure to drink plenty of water.
• Regular exercise: Exercising regularly helps burn triglycerides for energy and can also reduce liver fat.
• Stay away from toxins: Toxins can infect liver cells, so limit direct contact with toxins from cleaning products, aerosols, pesticides, chemicals, and additives. When using nebulizers, make sure the room is well ventilated, wear a mask, and don’t smoke because it is one of the types of toxins that also harms the liver.
• Follow your doctor’s instructions when taking medications: When medicines are taken incorrectly, by taking too much or the wrong kind, or by mixing medicines together, it can damage your liver. Never mix alcohol with any medicines. Tell your doctor about any medicines, supplements, natural remedies, or Herbal you can use without a prescription.
• Abstain from alcohol: Alcoholic beverages can cause many health problems, including damage and destruction of liver cells and scarring of the liver as well.
• Make sure to take the necessary vaccination: There are some vaccines against hepatitis A and hepatitis B, but unfortunately there is no vaccine against hepatitis C virus.
• Avoid contaminated needles: Using contaminated needles can lead to transmission from one person to another.
• Do not share personal hygiene items: Razors, toothbrushes, and nail clippers can carry microscopic levels of blood or other body fluids that may be contaminated.
• Wash your hands well: Use soap and warm water immediately after using the bathroom, when changing a nappy, and before preparing or eating food.

In the end, after knowing what are the signs of a healthy liver by making sure that you do not have any of the symptoms of liver disease, and that the liver performs its functions to the fullest, as well as that you do not have liver disease, you must realize that it is possible that you have one of these previous diseases without knowing You know, so you must perform the necessary tests to ensure the safety of your liver, and we wish you good health and wellness.