Human organs that receive a lot of attention include the heart, lungs, and even the stomach. These are the organs that people know quite a bit about and are concerned about their care. An organ that receives less attention is the liver, even though it is vitally important to our overall health. Why is that the case?

We’re not sure, but it’s something to ponder while we all observe October as National Liver Awareness Month. During this month, people are encouraged to give more thought to their liver and do the things that will keep their liver functioning as well as possible.

The History of National Liver Awareness Month

Who invented National Liver Awareness Month, and why was it invented? Unfortunately, those are questions we have yet to answer. We’ve searched the Internet far and wide but were unable to uncover the origins of this month.

Facts About the Human Liver

To help everyone reading this realize just how important their liver is to their health, we’ve decided to list some facts about the human liver. We think the following facts will be quite informative to most people and will give them the knowledge they need to start taking care of their own livers.

• The liver is the second-largest organ besides our skin and is the largest glandular organ.
• Approximately 10% of a healthy liver is composed of fat.
• If the fat content of a person’s liver rises above 10%, it greatly increases their chance of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
• The liver detoxifies a person’s body and acts as a blood recycling system.
• The liver is capable of regenerating itself.
• The liver stockpiles iron and other important nutrients for later use.

Observing National Liver Awareness Month

The best way to observe National Liver Awareness Month is by making sure that people take the time to care for their livers. After all, without our livers, none of us would be here. How do you take care of your liver? Well, let us give everyone some tips.

A person can avoid drug use and enjoy alcohol responsibly. They can also eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, and get consistent exercise. It’s also a good idea to practice safe sex to limit the possibility of contracting diseases such as Hepatitis B and C.

People should also follow the directions on all their medications. Abusing certain medications can cause significant damage to the liver, so that should be avoided at all costs. We also encourage people who are observing this month to use the hashtag #LiverAwarenessMonth to spread the word about it to other people.