3 Tips For A Healthy Start Into A New Year

1. Cut back on salt

A high-sodium diet may cue further complications and can contribute to liver disease worsening. Too much sodium in food can cause liver dysfunction resulting in water retention, swelling, and inflammation.

How much salt do I need?

The recommended maximum sodium intake per day for a healthy adult is 2,300 mg² whereas on average Americans eat over 3,4000 mg of sodium per day.

How to reduce salt consumption?

• Eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Replace processed and canned foods with fresh foods and use herbs for seasoning instead of salt.
• Avoid fast foods as they usually contain a very high amount of salt.
• Avoid high-salt sauces such as soy sauce, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup.

2. Reduce refined sugar

A staggering 30% of Americans suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The main cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is poor diet (high in sugar, fat, and salt) and a sedentary lifestyle. This means that in most cases the disease can be prevented by implementing a liver-healthy diet and lifestyle.

But why is sugar to blame? Well, almost all added sugars contain high amounts of fructose. Unlike any other type of sugar, fructose is processed by the liver, but not when consumed in high amounts. Over time, it causes fat accumulation in the liver and leads to liver diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

98% of Liver Experts Would Recommend Amsety Bars

3. Avoid alcohol

Alcohol is classified as a depressant, a group of drugs that impact the Central Nervous System. Alcohol interferes with vital body functions and can have a number of consequences on our health:

• Cause or worsen depression and anxiety
• Increase blood pressure and cause heart problems
• Cause weight gain and disrupt your metabolism
• Disrupt sleep
• Negatively impact brain activity (memory, coordination, emotional state etc.)
• Increase sugar levels in the blood
• Increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer
• Cause hormonal imbalance

Alcohol — just as everything else we drink, eat or put on our skin — is metabolized by the liver. As a result, alcohol can have the following negative effects on this precious organ:

• Weaken the liver functions and disrupt the natural detoxification process which leads to the build-up of excess toxins in the organism.
• Compromise the liver´s ability to regenerate itself.
• When alcohol is processed by the liver, it causes the release of free radicals, highly reactive molecular fragments that can cause liver damage.
• Cause liver hypoxia and inflammation.

What are the official dietary recommendations?

In June 2020, the American Cancer Society (ACS) made a radical change in their guidelines on cancer reduction and prevention — it is for the first time that the ACS officially recommends avoiding alcohol completely instead of just limiting its consumption. “It is best not to drink alcohol”, stated the new guidelines of the ACS.