October is liver awareness month, a time to highlight the vital role your liver plays in keeping you healthy. Your liver is not only the largest internal organ, but also one of the hardest-working. It processes everything you consume, from food and alcohol to medications and toxins—helping your body function at its best.

To support your liver health, here are four top tips to keep in mind:

Be mindful of medications and supplements, and always follow dosage instructions.

Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Limit alcohol consumption and avoid recreational drug use.

Stay active with regular physical exercise.

Diabetes and your liver

People with diabetes are at increased risk of liver conditions compared to the general population.

Fatty liver affects 60-70 per cent of people with type 2 diabetes; however, research has shown many people are unaware of the condition. Fortunately, many of the changes which improve the management of diabetes also improve your liver health.

Tips for keeping your liver in top shape

In many cases, lifestyle changes can help reverse or stop the progression of fatty liver disease. Plus, improving the health of your liver can have wide-ranging health benefits.

1. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Limit fat, cholesterol and salt. Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit.

2. Exercise regularly. Exercise improves your overall wellbeing and helps maintain a healthy body weight.

3. Limit alcohol intake. Heavy alcohol use can permanently damage your liver and its ability to function. It’s recommended that adults have no more than two standard drinks per day with at least two alcohol-free days per week.

4. Ask your GP for a liver health check and hepatitis test. Viral hepatitis often has no symptoms but left untreated, can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.

Why is it important to look after your liver?

Your liver needs to be kept in shape so it can perform all the important jobs that keeps your body functioning. The liver is like an elastic band. It can only stretch so far before it will show signs of damage or even break.

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD), is a condition where fat builds up in the liver and is the most common type of chronic liver disease in Australia. In 2019, it was estimated that 1 in 5 Australians had MAFLD – that’s 5.5 million people. While it may not cause any symptoms, it can lead to significant health problems.

This month is a good reminder to take action to look after this important organ. You can’t survive without it!

This article was originally published in April 2021