52 / 100

An unhealthy liver can also affect your mental health, know some healthy tips to keep it healthy and strong.

Our mental health is important at every stage of life. It affects the way we act, feel and think. The liver is the jack of all trades, performing more than 500 vital functions, such as cleansing the body and digesting alcohol, drugs and toxins. Now you must be wondering why we are talking about the liver and the brain here! Do you know that your liver can harm your brain? If not, then you should know that an unhealthy liver can cause many serious mental health problems for you.

To understand the impact of liver on mental health, Health Shots spoke to Dr Ankur Garg, Senior Consultant and Head of Department, HPB Surgery and Liver Transplant, Saner International Hospital. The doctor has listed some of the negative effects of liver health on mental health and also explained how mental health can be established (how liver affects your mental health).

Know how an unhealthy liver affects your mental health

According to Dr. Ankur Garg, “Liver health goes beyond its well-known detoxifying functions; it plays a vital role in mental clarity and emotional well-being. The liver metabolizes toxic substances, regulates hormones and maintains energy levels, which are essential for optimal brain function. If your liver is unhealthy, toxic substances can accumulate in the bloodstream, impairing cognitive abilities such as memory, concentration and decision-making.”

“Additionally, the liver affects the synthesis and regulation of neurotransmitters, which are essential for mood and emotional stability. Conditions such as hepatic encephalopathy resulting from liver dysfunction cause confusion, mood fluctuations, and depression, which suggests that the liver can affect your brain.”

Know some healthy tips to keep the liver healthy and strong (how to boost your liver health)

1. Diet and nutrition

Liver health is largely influenced by the foods we eat. Ensuring a nutritious and balanced diet is important to maintain liver health. Controlling processed and refined foods and alcohol can significantly help you maintain normal liver health. Excessive intake of fat-rich food sources can lead to accumulation of fat in the liver, causing fatty liver problems. A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins helps the liver stay healthy for a long time.

2. Hydration

Adequate hydration is essential to ensure a healthy liver. Hydration helps flush out toxins from the body that, if not removed, can harm liver function. On the other hand, not consuming enough water can cause potentially dangerous toxins to accumulate in the body, which can have a serious negative impact on overall health.

3. Detox the liver

Eliminating toxins from the body through liver cleansing and detoxification can prove beneficial in maintaining liver health. There are many natural liver cleansing processes, which work effectively without any side effects. One such simple method is regular consumption of lemon water, which is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which help you detox the liver. Consuming coffee in limited quantities can help keep your liver healthy.

4. Pay attention to liver problems

Liver problems vary in severity and can have dire consequences if left unaddressed. Fatty liver disease is caused by the accumulation of excess fat in the liver, leading to inflammation and fibrosis. Causes include obesity, high cholesterol and an inactive lifestyle including diabetes, all of which must be controlled to prevent or resolve this problem.