For people with liver diseases, the most important thing to consider when it comes to nutrition is to reduce the load for the liver and to facilitate liver detox. If you have any questions or unsure about what is best for, please always consult a healthcare professional.
General nutrition recommendations for liver disease include:
- Try to limit the consumption of animal fats, smoked, sour or spicy foods, flour, vegetables and fruits with coarse fiber and products causing increased gas production
- Ensure that your food is neither too hot nor too cold
- Choose methods of cooking that are favorable for liver disease, such as boiling, baking, stewing and steaming, and avoid fried food.
Nutrition for liver disease may include:
- Vegetable and dairy soups
- Lean meat and fish cooked without salt and spices
- Fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini
- Mashed potatoes, beetroot and green peas, ripe fruit in the form of mousse or mashed potatoes, raisins, apricots, honey, jam, marshmallows, vegetable oil, dried white bread.
On the service section of this page, you can find an overview of the foods that are suited for people with liver disease.
Sports in liver disease
People with a liver disease can benefit from physical activity and improve their quality of life – especially when the exercises are approved by a doctor or healthcare professional. The fact is that sports affect metabolism, one of the most important functions performed by the liver. However, excessive loads or exercises during the exacerbation period can lead to deterioration and complications of chronic liver diseases. If you are not sure what kind of exercise is right for you, please always consult an healthcare professional.
Properly selected exercises can help improve blood circulation, the flow of bile and relieve from stagnation and spasms in the abdominal organs. In general, sports that are recommended for people with liver diseases are: walking, easy jogging, swimming, skiing, skating.
Moderate exercise and physical therapy combined with breathing exercises are a good combination to support the treatment of the liver. Here are examples of such exercises:
- Warm up: Take turns to rise to the toe of the right or left foot, while at the same time tilting the head in the opposite direction.
- Lie on the left side with your arm straight and the left knee bent. Then, raising the right hand, exhale and pull your right knee to the chest. Repeat with other side.
- Getting up on all fours, raise your head and take a breath. Slowly move the right leg to the position between the arms, while the foot should slide along the floor. Then, perform the same exercise with your left leg.
- Lying on the back, perform the exercise „bike” for 30-60 seconds.
- From the position lying on the left side, simultaneously raise the right leg and arm, hold for a few seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat with other side.
- Stand on all fours, then sit on your heels and hold this position for 1-2 minutes.
- Do squats with hands on a belt – 15–20 times.
- Jump on two legs for 5-6 times.
