Liver-Friendly Diet

Many different medical conditions can cause reduced liver function, and you may not even know you have a problem with your liver until your physician identifies it through routine blood tests. If your doctor tells you that you have reduced liver function, you may need to follow a special, liver-friendly diet to avoid stressing this important organ.

A. Causes
Viruses, such as hepatitis, can damage your liver, and so can alcohol. Both of these potentially can cause reduced liver function, according to MedlinePlus. Diabetes and obesity also play a role in fatty liver disease, which may affect as many as 20 percent of all Americans, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

B. HOW?
If you're following a liver-friendly diet, your goal is to avoid stressing your liver.


1. First and foremost, you'll need to avoid alcohol in all forms, since processing alcohol stresses your liver significantly, according to the Ohio State University Medical Center.
2. You'll also need to watch how much liquid you drink.
3. How much protein you eat and
4. How much salt you use.

C. Liquids and Salt
If your liver isn't working as well as it should, you may find yourself retaining water, especially in your feet and hands, according to the Ohio State University Medical Center. To avert this problem, drink only when you're thirsty, and avoid sipping beverages when you don't really need them. Also, limit your salt intake, because too much sodium in your diet also can cause water retention. If a food contains more than 300mg of sodium per serving, avoid it.

D.  Protein

Your liver works hard to process protein, and your liver-friendly diet will need to limit the protein you eat to help your liver function optimally. If you have particularly bad liver damage and you eat too much protein, toxic waste products from improper protein metabolism can build up in your blood and affect your brain, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Your physician will tell you how much protein to eat. Remember that meats, dairy products, nuts and beans all contain protein, and most grains and vegetables also have a little bit of protein.

E. Considerations
Because you're limiting protein on your liver-friendly diet, you'll need to replace those calories with something else.  Carbohydrates can form the backbone of your diet, according to the Ohio State University Medical Center. Just watch out for added salt in processed carbohydrate products, such as crackers and chips, and remember to include plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables in your diet.