Love Your Liver: Why January is the Perfect Time to Start Caring for Your Liver

“It’s thought that most liver deaths are related to lifestyle and environment, with alcohol consumption being the most common contributing factor.”

– British Liver Trust

Why Liver Health Deserves our Attention

The liver is one of the most hardworking organs in our body - responsible for detoxification, hormone regulation, metabolism, and digestion. Yet for many of us, liver health remains an afterthought. The reality? Liver disease is on the rise, and it's happening younger and faster than ever before.

In the UK, deaths from liver disease have increased fourfold since the 1970s, and many of these cases are entirely preventable.

Your liver is constantly detoxing - for you, every single day. Help it out with the right foods, the right habits, and a little expert support when you need it.

The Silent Threat: When the Liver Struggles

Unlike other organs, your liver has no pain receptors. That means serious damage can occur without you even realising. Often, the first symptoms, e.g. fatigue, low energy, poor digestion, or brain fog, are either ignored or misattributed.

Conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) already affect up to one in three adults globally, making it the most common liver disorder in the modern world.

What’s Putting Your Liver at Risk?

The major culprits are lifestyle-related and surprisingly common:

• Excess alcohol consumption: Alcohol overwhelms the liver’s detox pathways, leading to inflammation, fat build-up, and long-term scarring (cirrhosis).

• Ultra-processed foods (high in sugar, refined fats, and additives): These promote fat accumulation in the liver (especially visceral fat), drive insulin resistance, and increase inflammatory load.

• High-sugar intake: Excess fructose (from soft drinks, sweets, etc.) is metabolised almost exclusively by the liver, where it can convert to fat and contribute to NAFLD.

• Chronic stress & poor sleep: Elevated cortisol and disrupted circadian rhythms impair detoxification, increase inflammation, and promote fat storage.

• Environmental toxins: Everyday exposure to plastics, pesticides, pollutants, and synthetic chemicals places a constant burden on liver detox systems.

• Sedentary habits: Physical inactivity reduces insulin sensitivity and slows down metabolic clearance, both of which can contribute to fatty liver disease.

The Good News? It’s Reversible! Your liver can heal with the right changes - early-stage liver issues (especially NAFLD) can often be reversed. January, with its New Year reset energy, is the ideal time to start!

5 Ways to Love Your Liver This Month

1. Eat the Mediterranean way: Focus on whole foods, olive oil, garlic, cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower), oily fish (like sardines and mackerel), and limit refined carbs and added sugars. These support detox enzymes and reduce inflammation.

2. Get moving: Even moderate daily exercise improves insulin sensitivity, reduces liver fat, and improves bile flow.

3. Stay hydrated: Support liver function with herbal teas like dandelion root, burdock, or milk thistle, and increase your water intake.

4. 4. Use liver-loving supplements: Choline, NAC (N-acetyl cysteine), milk thistle, and glutathione are all shown to support liver regeneration and detoxification pathways. However, not all supplements are right for everyone. It’s best to speak with a qualified practitioner, like a functional nutritionist, before starting any new regimen. I help clients choose supplements that are evidence-based, properly dosed, and matched to their individual needs.

5. Cut the toxins: That means alcohol, smoking, over-the-counter meds you don’t need, and chemical exposure from personal care products.

   
   

Know your Liver Status

One powerful option available during Love Your Liver Month is the British Liver Trust’s online liver health screener. You can also find out if a local event near you is offering free FibroScan liver checks.

Final Thought

Our liver often works quietly, keeping everything in balance. But we live in a time when it needs our support more than ever. Let January 2026 be the moment you start giving your liver the attention it deserves.

How I Can Help: Personalised Liver Support

As a functional nutritionist, I work with clients to uncover the root causes behind symptoms like fatigue, digestive issues, hormonal imbalance, and metabolic slowdowns—all of which often trace back to liver dysfunction.

Whether you're facing known liver concerns or simply want to improve your energy, digestion, or overall health, I can help with:

• Personalised nutrition protocols tailored to your liver health and lifestyle

• Supplement guidance backed by science—not trends

• Functional testing to assess liver function, toxin load, and metabolic balance

• Coaching support to help you make changes that stick

Your liver doesn’t need another quick fix - it needs sustainable support, and that’s what I offer. Interested in a consultation? Contact me and let’s make January the month you put your liver (and your whole health) first.