Liver Disorders The liver is the second largest organ in your body and is located under your rib cage on the right side It weighs about three pounds and is shaped like a football that is flat on one side The liver performs many jobs in your body It processes what you eat and drink into energy and nutrients your body can use The liver also removes harmful substances from your blood How does a healthy diet help the liver Eating a healthy diet helps the liver to do its functions well and to do them for a long time Eating an unhealthy diet can lead to liver disease For example a person who eats a lot of fatty foods is at higher risk of being overweight and having non alcoholic fatty liver disease For people who have liver disease eating a healthy diet makes it easier for the liver to do its jobs and can help repair some liver damage An unhealthy diet can make the liver work very hard and can cause more damage to it What does a healthy diet include Eating foods from all the food groups grains proteins dairy fruits vegetables and fats Eating foods that have a lot of fiber such as fresh fruits and vegetables whole grain breads rice and cereals Are there diet changes for those with liver disease It is important for people with liver disease to maintain a healthy weight by eating a balanced diet with foods from all food groups Also Do not eat uncooked shellfish such as oysters and clams Limit eating foods that have a lot of sugar or salt Liver Diseases and Diet Some liver diseases have specific diet recommendations Bile Duct Disease Bile is a liquid made in the liver that helps break down fats in the small intestine Bile duct disease keeps bile from flowing to the small intestine Diet Recommendations Use fat substitutes Use kernel oil i e canola olive corn sunflower peanut flax seed oils because it needs less bile to break down fats than other types of oil Cirrhosis Cirrhosis is the scarring and hardening of the liver Diet Recommendations Limit salt and foods that contain a lot of salt Talk to your doctor about how much protein to have in your diet Fatty Liver Disease Fatty liver disease is the build up of fat in liver cells Diet Recommendations Limit foods that are high in calories Eat foods that have fiber Hemochromatosis Hemochromatosis is the build up of iron in the liver Diet Recommendations Do not eat foods that have iron Do not use iron pots and pans Do not take pills with iron Do not eat uncooked shellfish Hepatitis C Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus Diet Recommendations Limit foods that have a lot of iron Do not use iron pots and pans Limit salt and foods that contain a lot of salt Wilson Disease Wilson disease is the build up of copper in the body Diet Recommendations Limit foods that have copper such as chocolate nuts shellfish and mushrooms Do not use copper pots Limit eating fatty foodskawaljeet bhinder Nutritionist