Almost everyone enjoys a drink on the weekend or at a social gathering. You might know that alcohol has a significant impact on your body, but it's especially your liver that takes a beating when alcohol is consumed.
Functions of the liver
The liver has various functions, and the most important ones are:
1. Energy production
2. Bile production
3. Maintaining stable blood sugar levels
4. Cholesterol production
5. Storage of several important vitamins and minerals: A, B-vitamins, D, K, and iron.
Alcohol is essentially toxic to our bodies and must be filtered by our liver. The breakdown of alcohol creates substances that are harmful to the liver. Approximately 90% of total alcohol consumption is processed by the liver. When alcohol is consumed frequently and in large quantities, the liver risks damage. With prolonged and excessive alcohol use, you can develop fatty liver disease, an inflammation of the liver.
What happens when you stop drinking alcohol
When you stop drinking alcohol, you'll notice an immediate difference. Your body can recover, becoming fitter, clearer, and happier. This effect is often noticeable after just a few days. The benefits of quitting alcohol include:
- You sleep better: alcohol disrupts your sleep; while you might fall asleep faster, you sleep more restlessly and less deeply.
- You feel fitter and sharper.
- You improve your immunity: when you drink alcohol, your immune system is significantly weaker, making you more prone to illness.
- Your skin will glow: alcohol dehydrates your body, and this is visible on the skin, making it look duller.
- You can lose weight: Did you know that drinking alcohol increases your hunger hormone? That explains why you often crave greasy food after a night out. Alcohol contains calories, which you might not immediately think about, but these are 'empty calories'.
- You make your liver healthier!
Tips for quitting alcohol
When you want to stop drinking alcohol, it's important to support your liver well. The following tips can help:
1. Your liver loves foods with a bitter taste. These include chicory, artichoke, endive, Brussels sprouts, onion, radish, garlic, arugula, thyme, nettle, and ginger. Tip: try to include some of these foods in your diet at least weekly.
2. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric and promotes better digestion in your gastrointestinal tract and supports the liver in its detoxification phase. It also ensures proper gallbladder function. Tip: use turmeric spices more often in your dishes or make a delicious turmeric milk (recipe).
3. Choose organic food as much as possible. Supermarket food is heavily sprayed. These toxins must pass through the liver to be rendered harmless, even though your liver already has so many tasks to perform.
4. Drink enough water. Your liver neutralizes waste and toxins by, among other things, making them water-soluble so that the kidneys can excrete them. In this way, you excrete the waste products.
5. Add more green vegetables to your diet. Green vegetables contain a lot of chlorophyll, which stimulates detoxification. Drinking nettle tea is also good for detoxification.
