1.Maintain a healthy weight — Excess visceral fat, particularly around the abdomen, releases a steady stream of inflammatory cytokines and free fatty acids into the portal vein, which delivers them directly to the liver. This promotes hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and impaired liver function.²⁷

Moreover, studies show that waist circumference is a stronger predictor of liver health than weight alone. Keeping your waistline in check and maintaining a healthy weight through a combination of a healthy diet and regular physical activity helps ease the pressure on your liver.²⁸

2.Move regularly — Regular physical activity is linked to lower levels of liver enzymes, a key marker of liver damage and dysfunction. Because elevated enzyme levels signal various liver conditions, this association points to exercise as a protective factor that supports liver health.²⁹

Even short walks of 10 to 15 minutes after meals help lower blood sugar spikes, easing the metabolic load on your liver.³⁰ Find out the optimal amount of exercise you need in “Nailing the Sweet Spots for Exercise Volume.”

3.Get adequate high-quality sleep — Quality sleep allows your liver to repair and detoxify, whereas poor sleep heightens inflammation and disrupts blood sugar balance, straining your liver over time.³¹ Aim to get adequate, high-quality sleep nightly by maintaining a consistent bedtime routine.

Other strategies include limiting blue light exposure from screens in the evening, getting morning sunlight to reset your circadian rhythm, and keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet to enhance deep sleep.

4.Limit toxin exposure — Many environmental toxins, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in plastics, pesticides, industrial solvents, and heavy metals, place additional strain on your liver’s detoxification processes. To reduce your exposure, use glass or stainless steel food containers instead of plastic ones, choose organic produce, filter your drinking water, and ventilate living spaces during cleaning.

5.Manage chronic stress — Ongoing stress raises hormones like cortisol, which promote fat storage and inflammation in your liver, making it harder for it to function smoothly.³² Practices like deep breathing, meditation, or spending time in nature helps calm your body and mind, reducing these effects.

Consider doing Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) as well, which is a form of psychological acupressure based on the energy meridians used in acupuncture that quickly restores inner balance and healing. In the video below, EFT practitioner Julie Schiffman demonstrates how to tap for stress relief.

6.Get regular sun exposure — Adequate vitamin D status has been linked to reduced liver inflammation, improved insulin sensitivity, and lower risk of progression from simple steatosis to more advanced liver disease.^33,34 Unfortunately, deficiency is common among older adults, especially those with limited outdoor time.

To naturally increase your levels, regularly spend time under the sun to stimulate your body’s vitamin D production. However, keep in mind that your skin’s tolerance to sunlight depends on your internal state, especially the types of fats stored in your tissues. If your body is still working to clear excess LA, sun exposure requires more caution.

LA tends to accumulate in skin tissue and is highly prone to oxidation. When exposed to sunlight, it triggers inflammation and DNA damage, putting you at risk of sunburn. Hence, if your diet is rich in LA, avoid direct sunlight during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) until you’ve reduced LA intake for at least six months. This gives your body time to flush out some of the stored LA, lowering your risk of sun-induced skin damage.

To speed up this process, consider boosting your intake of C15:0 (pentadecanoic acid), a stable odd-chain saturated fat in full-fat dairy and butter.³⁵ Most people get only about 10 to 200 milligrams of C15:0 per day. I personally take 2 grams daily. Learn more about this nutrient in “The Fast-Track Path to Clearing Vegetable Oils from Your Skin.” For more tips on how to get safe sun exposure, read “Beyond Vitamin D Production — How Sensible Sun Exposure Supports Overall Health.”