Summer has started and our social agendas are filling up quite quickly. Bookings for end of year dinners and cheeky cocktails are the perfect plan for catching up with our loved-ones. However, drinking is not the only thing we do during these catch-ups. We also indulge in the irresistible deep-fried bar snacks and tapas alongside our favourite alcoholic beverage while ushering in the year ahead.
As we make time for all those social events, we should also take a moment and think about the key organ in our body which is working, without stopping, to filter everything and allowing us to enjoy those blissful moments while sipping an Aperol Spritz or a spicy margarita. Summer holidays can upend our usual eating and sleeping routine, so here’s a useful lifestyle hack from the leader in vitamin and supplements – BYHEALTH – to support liver health this festive season, without missing out on the fun of connecting with friends.
How does the liver function?
Behind the scenes our liver is a complete rock star. This organ is not only the largest organ in our body – about the size of a rugby ball – it also works like a biological waste-management system, clearing the blood of waste products, hormones, drugs and other toxins.This includes food, alcohol and medicines, plus any chemicals which are absorbed through the skin or even from the air.
The liver clears toxins from the blood and produces bile, which breaks down and carries away waste and fats during the digestion process. But this is only one of the 500 functions the liver is responsible for. In fact, the liver is also the only organ in our bodies which is able to regenerate itself by creating new tissue. This means it can still keep performing even if it is mildly affected, but not as efficiently[1].
BYHEALTH’s milk thistle is rich in antioxidants which have the potential to support liver health which may be affected by free radicals, and are produced when the liver metabolises toxic substances.
The truth about liver health in Australia
Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) is still the most common cause of liver conditions in Australia, affecting approximately 30% of Aussie adults[2].The burden of NAFLD is expected to increase over the next decade, with the number of cases projected to rise 25% from current levels by 2030[3]. Excessive alcohol consumption, fats and salt can potentially reduce the liver’s ability to adequately carry out all of its functions over time. Therefore, the liver needs and deserves to be treated well after all the hard work.
The Science-based Nutrition strategy of BYHEALTH focuses on new testing technologies, evaluation methods and functional products, that are related to personalised and precision and evidence-based nutrition.
How can we love our liver more?
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight with regular exercise and limiting alcohol and other drugs are all good ways to keep your liver in tip-top shape. But sometimes, extra support might be needed to make our liver feel loved.
Scientists are shining the spotlight on one of nature’s wonders and that’s the seed associated with the ancient plant Milk Thistle – also known as Silybum marianum. Native to Mediterranean countries, Milk Thistle is a flowering herb related to the daisy family rich in silymarin, an antioxidant compound taken from the plant’s seeds, which has been shown to support healthy liver function. This flowering herb has been used in traditional medicines for thousands of years and now is used in western herbal medicine to maintain and support liver health alongside a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
The company is also committed to transparency and traceability. To give consumers peace of mind about the purity and quality of its supplements, BYHEALTH has pioneered the world’s first Transparent Factory and Nutrition Exploratorium, where customers are invited to walk through and view the entire manufacturing process from start to finish.
[1] Liver.org.au. 2021. About your liver. [online]
[2] Iser, D., & Ryan, M. (2013). ‘Fatty liver disease: a practical guide for GPs’, Australian Family Physician, 42(6):444-447.
[3] Adams, L. A., Roberts, S. K., Strasser, S. I., Mahady, S. E., Powell, E., Estes, C., Razavi, H., & George, J. (2020). ‘Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease burden: Australia, 2019-2030’, Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, early view.
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