AIIMS and Stanford trained gut doctor shares 4 worst habits wrecking your liver: 'Even just 1 drink a day can stress...'

Drinking often, even just a drink a day, can stress liver detox pathways and lead to liver damage over time: gastroenterologist shares four most harmful habits.

Some daily habits can negatively impact liver health, according to Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist and Harvard, Stanford, and AIIMS-trained gut health expert. In July, he took to Instagram to share a post titled 'Worst habits wrecking your liver'. In it, Dr Sethi shared how you might be doing these four things daily without knowing and harming your liver.

Tips for liver health

By being mindful of these habits and making positive changes, you can support your liver health and overall well-being. Dr Sethi suggested you limit alcohol intake to minimise liver stress and focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods to support your liver health.

He also shared that you should reduce consumption of foods high in added sugars, especially fructose. Another tip is to ensure you're getting enough protein to support liver function and overall health as the liver needs protein to repair and detox effectively, Dr Sethi said.

4 worst habits for your liver

According to him, these four unhealthy habits are harming your liver without you even releasing the damage:

1. “Drinking too often, even 'just one a day', can stress liver detox pathways,” Dr Sethi said.

2. “Eating ultra-processed foods, full of additives that your liver has to filter,” he added.

3. According to Dr Sethi, “Too much sugar, especially fructose, which gets metabolised by the liver and can lead to fat buildup.”

4. “Not getting enough protein; your liver needs it to repair and detox effectively,” he concluded.

Would you like more tips on maintaining a healthy liver or improving your diet? Click here to know the 10 best foods and juices to boost liver health and reduce inflammation, from green leafy vegetables to beetroot juice.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.