Why is important to know if I have a healthy liver?
The liver is the largest organ in the body and performs over 500 functions including filtration of blood, production of bile and the digestion of essential proteins. Your liver also supplies glucose (sugar) to your blood and helps to maintain a healthy level of glucose in your blood.
There are a number of factors of liver disease but prevention is the best cure - simple lifestyle changes can massively help to reduce your risk.
What are the symptoms of an unhealthy liver or a liver disorder?
Common symptoms of an unhealthy liver or liver disease include:
- dark coloured urine
- jaundice
- swelling in ankles and legs
- abdominal pain
- itchiness
- chronic fatigue
- nausea and/or vomiting
If you have any of these symptoms it may be worth using a blood test to check for liver function.
How to keep your liver healthy
If you are looking at improving the health of your liver there are a few lifestyle changes that include reducing your alcohol intake, improving your diet to a healthly and balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, stop smoking tobacco or decrease your intake of tobacco smoke, doing more exercise.
One of the leading causes of liver disease is hepatitis - prevent exposure to hepatitis A, B and C to lower your risk of liver disease.