Common Sense of Liver Health Care (High Quality)
I. Location of the liver
The liver is the largest gland and solid organ in the human body. It is mainly located in the right hypochondriac region and upper abdomen. The weight of an adult liver in China is about 1.1-1.45 kilograms, accounting for about 1/40-1/50 of the body weight. Due to its rich blood supply, the liver appears brownish red, soft and fragile. Most of the liver is covered by the costal arch, so it is normally difficult to touch the liver with your hand.
II. Functions of the liver
The liver is the largest digestive gland in the human body and also the central station of metabolism in the body. It is estimated that more than 500 chemical reactions occur in the liver. Experimental evidence shows that animals can survive for no more than 50 hours even after corresponding treatment following a complete liver removal. This indicates that the liver is an essential organ for sustaining life activities. The blood flow of the liver is extremely abundant, accounting for about 1/4 of the cardiac output. About 1000-1200ml of blood flows into the liver per minute. The energy required by the human body comes from the food we eat, which contains carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The metabolic processes and mutual conversions of these nutrients mainly take place in the liver.
1. Bile secretion: Hepatocytes continuously secrete bile, which promotes the digestion and absorption of fat in the small intestine.
2. Carbohydrate metabolism: Carbohydrates are the main source of heat production in the human body. After grains enter the digestive tract, they are digested and hydrolyzed into glucose, then transported to the liver, and finally absorbed and utilized by the human body. A small portion of glucose is stored in the liver for future use, while most of it enters the bloodstream as blood sugar, supplying energy to the tissues and cells of the body.
3. Protein metabolism: Amino acids absorbed in the digestive tract undergo protein synthesis, deamination, transamination, etc., in the liver. The synthesized proteins enter the blood circulation to meet the needs of organs and tissues throughout the body.
4. Lipid metabolism: The liver plays an important role in the digestion, absorption, decomposition, synthesis, and transport of fats. When a person is hungry, stored fats are mobilized to the liver for decomposition metabolism. Disordered fat metabolism can lead to fat accumulation in the liver, forming fatty liver.
5. Vitamin metabolism: The liver stores fat-soluble vitamins. 95% of the vitamin A in the human body is stored in the liver. The liver is also the storage and metabolism site for various vitamins such as C, D, E, K, B1, and B6.
6. Hormone metabolism: Under normal circumstances, the content of various hormones in the blood remains at a certain level, and the excess is processed by the liver to lose activity.
7. Detoxification function: The liver is the main detoxification organ in the human body. It protects the body from damage by converting toxins into less toxic or more soluble substances, which are excreted from the body through bile or urine. In addition, the liver has defensive functions, regulates blood circulation, manufactures coagulation factors, produces heat, and has regenerative capabilities. Therefore, in a certain sense, liver health is one of the basic conditions for overall human health.
III. Traditional Chinese Medicine's Understanding of the Liver
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the understanding of internal organs does not merely refer to physical organs but more importantly involves physiological and pathological perspectives. According to the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, the liver has physiological functions including regulation, blood storage, control of tendons and nails, opening to the eyes, and interdependence with the gallbladder. Blood storage in the liver refers to the liver's ability to store blood and regulate blood volume. Emotional well-being is related to liver function. The liver is also associated with the spleen and stomach. Adequate liver blood results in strong tendons and muscles, giving strength to the hands and feet. The liver opens to the eyes; if there is insufficient liver blood, vision may become blurred or night blindness may occur. Hyperactivity of liver yang causes headaches and dizziness, while liver fire ascending leads to redness and swelling of the eyes. The liver and gallbladder are closely related, directly affecting bile secretion. Additionally, the liver has inseparable relationships with the kidneys, heart, and lungs. Many common diseases in the human body are related to dysfunction of the liver.
IV. Enemies of the Liver
The liver is very important to us, but in daily life, it often suffers damage due to unhealthy lifestyles. A few examples from everyday life will make you realize the alarming situation.
Example One: Many elderly people rely on medication for health maintenance, excessively taking nutritional supplements, tonics, or therapeutic drugs every day. However, "all medicines have side effects," and the liver is the first to bear the brunt. Long-term excessive medication inevitably endangers liver health.
Example Two: Some young and middle-aged adults consider alcohol as their companion, boasting titles like "wine fairy" or "wine god," indulging in heavy drinking. While they enjoy the "oral pleasure," their livers suffer immensely under the influence of alcohol.
Example Three: Food and fruits and vegetables are contaminated by pesticides, fertilizers, and other harmful substances like chemical preservatives and colorants, which has become a serious concern. If cleaning and anti-pollution measures are neglected, it poses a severe threat to the liver.
Example Four: With improved living standards, overnutrition, reduced exercise, and obesity have become common illnesses. Excess fat becomes a potential threat to human health, burdening the liver heavily. Statistics show that more than 50% of obese individuals have suboptimal liver health. These phenomena indicate that many people lack awareness of liver protection. If the liver develops problems, it can affect the entire body and even threaten life, making longevity impossible. A hospital surveyed a group of elderly people and found chronic bronchitis, emphysema, coronary heart disease, and even cancer, but no liver disease, suggesting that those with liver disease find it hard to become centenarians. Thus, establishing the awareness of "healthy liver, longer life" is crucial. The enemies of the liver include hepatitis viruses, which top the list of liver threats, often dragging patients into a deadly path of hepatitis → liver cirrhosis → liver cancer. Medications cause liver damage in about 10% of hospitalized patients, with a higher incidence among the elderly. Even seemingly safe drugs (like nutritional supplements) can pose risks if misused or abused. Statistics show that about 600 chemical drugs may cause liver damage, such as lipid-lowering drugs, anti-tuberculosis drugs, and antibiotics. Food contamination includes pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits, water pollution, grilled foods, and spoiled foods like rotten ginger and sprouted potatoes. Although food contamination may not cause harm in the short term, the long-term accumulation of chronic toxicity can impair liver function. Obesity can lead to liver dysfunction when the fat content in the liver reaches over 10%, medically termed fatty liver, which could deteriorate into cirrhosis. The harm of obesity should not be overlooked; it threatens not only adults but also children, with a reported fatty liver incidence rate of 80% in overweight children. Alcohol harms the body. Of course, the liver suffers first. Since alcohol itself is toxic, it damages the liver. Fatty liver is the earliest sign, appearing after just a few days of heavy drinking, followed by "fibrosis" and alcoholic liver disease, eventually leading to irreversible "liver cirrhosis." Emotional fluctuations can disrupt hormone secretion balance, causing circulatory disorders and affecting the liver's blood supply, leading to liver cell death.
V. Protecting the Liver
The liver lacks pain-sensing nerves. People usually do not feel minor liver issues until the liver area hurts, indicating liver enlargement, which is too late. Therefore, liver care must focus on prevention. Experts suggest starting from the following aspects:
Preventing hepatitis virus invasion Pay attention to dietary hygiene, and the most effective method is vaccination against hepatitis. Reasonable eating Highlight the importance of protein and vitamins in meals to delay liver tissue aging and enhance liver cell repair, renewal, and detoxification abilities. Such foods include eggs, fish, poultry, soy products, and animal livers. Eliminating pollution Try to buy vegetables and fruits with light or no pesticide residue and wash them thoroughly with clean water. Avoid using medications randomly, especially oral medications, which almost 100% pass through the liver for processing. Even nutritional or tonic drugs should be taken under a doctor's guidance to avoid improper medication increasing the liver's burden. Drink plenty of plain water Keep the water fresh. Drink three to four times a day, each time a cup. Plain water increases circulating blood volume, enhances liver cell vitality, and helps eliminate metabolic waste, achieving liver protection. Quit smoking and limit alcohol Smoking reduces the liver cell's detoxification function, and it's best not to smoke. Alcohol directly damages liver cells, causing degeneration, edema, and necrosis, so alcohol intake should be strictly limited (a 60 kg adult should not drink more than 2 liang of 60-degree liquor per day). If the liver already has lesions, it's better to abstain from alcohol completely. Maintain a good mood Middle-aged and older adults should learn to adjust their emotions, striving for calmness, comfort, optimism, and cheerfulness. When angry, remind yourself to stay calm and not let anger last more than three minutes. Exercise regularly Moderate exercise can reduce excess weight, prevent obesity, eliminate excessive fat's harm to the liver, promote gas exchange, accelerate blood circulation, and ensure the liver receives more oxygen and nutrients. As for exercise types, gymnastics, walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, and other gentle exercises are recommended.
Reference: The liver is located in the upper right abdomen. Its main functions include secreting bile, protein metabolism, fat metabolism, hormone metabolism, detoxification, and immune function. The liver is also the site where many coagulation substances are produced.
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