Today, April 19th, we join the rest of the world to mark World Liver Day 2025, and the theme couldn’t be more relevant for us in Nigeria: “Food is Medicine.”
The liver is like your body’s engine room. It is one of the most hardworking organs in your body—it filters toxins, helps with digestion, stores energy, and supports nearly every function that keeps you alive.
Sadly, more Nigerians are silently suffering from liver-related diseases, especially a rising condition called MASLD (Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease), often caused by unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, and excessive alcohol use. The reality is that many of us are unknowingly damaging our livers through what we eat and drink daily.
Why You Should Care (Yes, You!)
That second bottle of alcohol? It adds stress to your liver.
That heavy, oily evening meal after 10 p.m.? Your liver pays for it.
That sugary snack your child eats every day? It could lead to liver issues later in life.
But here’s the good news: even years of liver damage can be reversed. Just by changing the way you eat today, you can cut your risk of liver disease by up to 50%!
What Does “Food is Medicine” Really Mean?
It means your everyday meals can either protect or poison your liver.
If you’re overweight or have a big tummy, losing just 5% of your body weight can greatly improve your liver health.
The choices we make in the kitchen or at bukas and eateries matter.
Here’s how to handle it:
Choose local and natural: Add more vegetables like ugu, bitter leaf, okra, and fruits like pawpaw and watermelon to your meals.
Reduce the excess: Cut down on fried foods, sugary drinks, too much red meat, and alcohol.
Embrace moderation: Portion control can help reduce weight and stress on the liver—even small weight loss can lead to big liver health improvements.
Eat more vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils like palm oil in moderation or olive oil.
Reduce sugar, salt, fried food, soft drinks, and excess red meat.
What We Face in Nigeria
We understand—healthy food isn’t always affordable or easy to find. Many communities face rising food prices, limited choices, and misleading adverts. But even small changes like switching from soda to water, eating more home-cooked meals, or choosing fruits over pastries can go a long way.
We need stronger policies from our government to support healthy eating—school meal programs, zoning for local markets, fair food pricing, and more awareness.
What You Can Do Today
Get involved: Join the conversation, share your own liver-friendly meal using #FoodIsMedicine on social media.
Eat smart: Choose foods that help your liver, not harm it.
Support your children’s future: Build healthy habits at home.
Visit a health centre: If you’re at risk, ask a doctor about your liver.
Learn more: Watch nutrition videos, read labels, and ask questions about your food.
The truth is: a healthy liver is not just a personal responsibility—it’s a national one. When we eat better, we feel better, work better, and live longer.
This World Liver Day, let’s do right by our livers.
Because food is not just fuel—
Food is medicine.
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