The liver and kidneys are organs that are crucial to the proper functioning of a variety of different bodily functions and systems.
The liver is responsible for bile production, regulation of blood sugar levels, the filtration and elimination of harmful bodily waste products and toxins, storing and utilizing nutrients from food and much more.
The kidneys are responsible for releasing hormones that regulate blood pressure, controlling the production of red blood cells and removing waste products from the body such as urea and creatinine.
Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the liver and kidneys are kept healthy.
Interested?
Try reading: How to avoid kidney problems?
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1. How To Make Liver And Kidney Healthy:
1. Maintain A Healthy Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet that is low in sodium, processed sugar, preservatives and toxic external toxins and chemicals is a vital aspect of maintaining kidney health. (1)
Furthermore, avoiding high-calorie foods with high levels of saturated fats and refined carbohydrates can be greatly beneficial for maintaining good liver health.
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2. Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is greatly beneficial for maintaining good liver and kidney health. (2)
Exercise can not only help prevent chronic kidney disease but also substantially reduce blood pressure which can also reduce the risk of heart disease. Furthermore, regular exercise can help burn triglycerides and thus reduce liver fat.
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3. Avoid Illicit Drug Use
Consumption of illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and sedatives can be extremely harmful to liver and kidney health. (3)
Furthermore, excessive usage of Over-The-Counter (OTC) drugs such as naproxen and ibuprofen may also cause substantial damage to the kidneys.
Excessive consumption of alcohol is also a toxic habit for your liver and kidneys. Recommended reading: Can alcohol cause kidney pain?
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4. Monitor Weight
People that are overweight may be at a significantly higher risk for kidney and liver ailments.
Therefore, carefully monitoring weight can be extremely helpful for maintaining good liver and kidney health.
Being overweight can result in an increased risk of diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
2. Foods That Promote Liver And Kidney Health
The following is a comprehensive list of foods for liver and kidney health:
Foods To Keep The Liver Healthy:
1. Tofu
Soy, the main ingredient in tofu, can help significantly reduce the buildup of fat in the liver. (4)
Soy can make the process of processing fats in the liver much easier which can reduce stress on the liver. Soy has also been linked to a decreased risk of alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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2. Oats
Oats are high in fiber and antioxidants and can thus not only speed up healthy liver recovery after damage but have even been shown to decrease the rate of the death of damaged liver cells.
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3. Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice that contains a chemical known as curcumin, which has been shown to reduce swelling. (5)
Turmeric may be able to reduce elevated levels of certain liver enzymes as well as improve certain stages of liver disease due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
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4. Nuts
Nuts are rich in healthy fats, Vitamin E compounds and plant-based compounds that can help keep the liver healthy and may even help reduce the risk of alcoholic liver disease. (6)
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5. Green Tea
Green tea has been shown to reduce the amount of fat in the liver, which can substantially reduce the risk of liver disease.
Green tea may also help reduce oxidative stress and improve liver enzyme levels.(7)
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6. Apples
Apples are high in fiber and anti-inflammatory compounds and have been linked to reduced risk of cancer, heart disease as well as lower cholesterol levels. (8)
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7. Egg Whites
Egg whites are very high in protein and can hence be an extremely beneficial addition to any healthy diet.
However, egg whites provide a large amount of protein to the diet without as much excessive phosphorus as other sources of protein, which can help kidney health.
If you’re someone who is looking to consume protein as a supplement for workout or body building you should not miss out on the whey protein side effects for kidney.
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8. Fish
Fish has high levels of healthy Omega-3 fats, protein and anti-inflammatory compounds. Omega-3 fats have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol levels and risk for diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
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9. Olive Oil
Olive oil contains high amounts of oleic acid, polyphenols, monounsaturated fats and antioxidant compounds that can prevent oxidation and inflammation. (9) Studies have shown that people that replace other sources of oil with olive oil have a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease.
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10. Red Bell Peppers
Red bell peppers are excellent additions to the diet when trying to improve kidney health. (10)
Red bell peppers are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, antioxidants, folic acid and fiber. Red bell peppers are also low in potassium and have been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancers.
There are other interesting foods you can consume for maintaining your kidney health such as dandelions, parsley, ginger and many more.
Recommended reading: Side effects of ginger for your kidney
3. How To Add Foods That Promote Liver And Kidney Health In The Diet
Foods that are beneficial for liver and kidney health should be slowly introduced into the diet instead of creating large, unsustainable dietary changes at once.
Furthermore. These dietary changes should also be done in combination with various lifestyle changes such as introducing regular exercise into your daily routine, maintaining a healthy diet rich in nutritional value, avoiding alcohol and drug consumption and carefully monitoring weight.
4. Side Effects of Liver and Kidney Ailments
Liver and Kidney ailments or failure can have numerous side effects and symptoms including:
- Itchy and Dry Skin
- Nausea and Dizziness
- Loss of Appetite
- Vomiting
- Fatigue and Weakness
5. Conclusion
The kidneys and liver are imperative to the smooth functioning of a variety of different bodily systems and functions.
Therefore, patients must understand how to boost liver and kidney health. Readers may be wondering- ‘how to get a healthy liver and kidney?’
Maintaining a healthy diet, undergoing regular exercise, avoiding illicit drug use and carefully monitoring weight can help you maintain good kidney and liver health.
Furthermore, there are certain foods good for the liver and kidney repair such as tofu, oats, turmeric, nuts, green tea, apples, egg whites, fish, olive oil and red bell peppers; that if added to the diet may help prevent or reverse damage to the liver or kidneys.
