Liver Health

Dear Daddy,

I know you are not going to like this, but here’s the truth, and we need to have intervention. Has alcohol consumption become a problem for you?

The liver is a vital organ of the human body. It helps in digestion, absorption and metabolism as well as filtering toxins from blood, it’s a journey. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that affects its normal functioning. Hepatitis can result due to various reasons including alcoholism, exposure to chemicals like pesticides or any other medications for a prolonged period. Liver cirrhosis results when hepatic tissue or cells are damaged, and scarring occurs. This problem leads to hardening of the liver which happens over time but can be accelerated by Hepatitis C infection.

So let me tell you more about Liver Health.

What’s the easiest way to damage a great organ?

This is what we do for fun: If you drink alcohol for more than 4 weeks, your risk of developing hepatitis increases by 10 times! liver today, live tomorrow. skip the booze and you won’t have to worry about this thing called “liver damage”.

My 2 cents: Got a liver? Water down your drinks, not your life.

Are you overworking and ignoring your body will eventually lead you nowhere. Protect your liver

Overworking is normalized and made into a routine for our generation. We may not realize the amount of stress we’re putting our minds and bodies through. The workaholic lifestyle that we’re all used to by now may look healthy to you, but is it for your body? And much important is it healthy for your mind?

Your body may give you many hints that its going through too much stress and that it needs rest. Some of those hints include insomnia, anxiety, missing your periods if a woman and lack of sex drive and many more. Ignoring these symptoms may lead to life threatening diseases.

The liver is important, but not as much as you think?

What damages the liver?

Damaging the liver is easier than you think. Do you know what you eat?

If yes, do you know the nutritional value of it? Knowing the nutritional value of your food may give your liver a longer term. Alcohol isn’t the only thing that damages your liver, the things you eat on a daily basis, even without your knowledge may be damaging your liver. Over-consumption of sugar can damage your liver just as severely a dozen bottles of vodka can.

Overeating is a devil when it comes to your liver.

Smoking has an impact on not just your lungs, the chemicals in cigarette smoke eventually make their way to the liver. These chemicals cause oxidative stress on the liver, which leads to damage to the liver cells and fibrosis.

NOTE: Cigarette smoke contains many known carcinogens. educing normal cellular regeneration and promoting the development of cancer.

Poor sleep negatively impacts patients’ quality of life and cognitive functions and increases mortality. Sleep deprivation can cause oxidative stress to the liver.

Chronic alcoholism is the most common and dangerous ways of getting infected with liver disease.

Here’s what happens when you drink: Drink too much too often, and a double whammy of damage can result: Acetaldehyde damages the liver, and fat is stored in the liver instead of elsewhere in the body or being burned off altogether.

Some other reasons by which you get infected are:

• Iron buildup in the body
• Genetic digestive disorder (Alagille syndrome)
• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
• Inherited disorders of sugar metabolism
• Cystic fibrosis
• Poorly formed bile ducts
• Medications, including methotrexate or isoniazid
• Hardening and scarring the bile ducts
• Destruction of the bile ducts
• Infection, such as syphilis or brucellosis

Do you know there are many kinds of liver diseases:

• Diseases caused by viruses, such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C
• Diseases caused by drugs, poisons, or too much alcohol. Examples include fatty liver disease and cirrhosis.
• Liver cancer
• Inherited diseases, such as hemochromatosis and Wilson disease

Symptoms of liver disease can vary, but they often include swelling in the abdomen and legs, bruising easily, changes in the color of your stool and urine, and jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes. And sometimes there are no symptoms. Tests such as imaging tests and liver function tests can check for liver damage and help to diagnose liver diseases. Clarify your questions by visiting a Specialist at in Kundalahalli, brookefield Hospital

Diseases caused by viruses

There are three kinds of hepatitis. One is called A, one is called B, and one is called C.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A signs and symptoms typically don’t appear until you’ve had the virus for a few weeks. But not everyone with hepatitis A develops them. If you do, hepatitis signs and symptoms can include:

• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain or discomfort
• Clay colored bowel movements
• Loss of appetite
• Dark colored urine
• Joint pain
• Jaundice

These symptoms may be relatively mild and go away in a few weeks. Sometimes, however, hepatitis A infection results in a severe illness that lasts several months.

Unlike other types of viral hepatitis, hepatitis A does not cause long-term liver damage, and it doesn’t become chronic. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take care of yourself if you or anyone you know experience these symptoms. Prevention is better than cure folks!

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is the most dangerous among the 3. All three of it causes damage to the liver, but hepatitis damages the liver chronically. Having chronic hepatitis B increases your risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis — a condition that permanently scars the liver.

• What are the symptoms of hepatitis B?
• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Jaundice
• Nausea
• Malaise

Signs and symptoms of hepatitis B usually appear about one to four months after you’ve been infected, although you could see them as early as two weeks post-infection.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a curable one among them. Even if you’ve been chronically affected by it, oral supplements and weekly vaccinations can cure it.

• Symptoms of hepatitis C include:
• Poor appetite
• Bruising and bleeding easily
• Hepatic encephalopathy (confusion, drowsiness, and slurred speech)
• Spiderlike blood vessels on your skin (spider angiomas)
• Swelling in your legs
• Fluid buildup in your abdomen (Ascites)
• Weight loss
• itchy skin
• jaundice

Long-term infection with the hepatitis C virus is known as chronic hepatitis C. Chronic hepatitis C is usually a “silent” infection for many years, until the virus damages the liver enough to cause the signs and symptoms of liver disease.

To not end up in a hospital bed as patient with tubes going in and out of you, do yourself a favor and drink some water. Don’t like water? Infuse water with fruits. Mind you, fluids don’t include alcohol. Alcohol is the worst tortures you could do to your liver.

How can you get infected with liver cirrhosis?

Now, cirrhosis of the liver is nothing like hepatitis. It is life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention and treatments. Ignoring the symptoms of liver cirrhosis is extremely dangerous. Every time you damage your liver, either by unhealthy habits like drinking or smoking, your liver heals itself. While healing itself, scar tissue is being formed in order to carry out the healing process. The more damage you cause, the more scar tissue is formed and too much scar tissue gives you liver cirrhosis on a silver platter.

Damage done by liver cirrhosis cannot be reversed. What’s done is done. But that again doesn’t mean that you you have no access treat it. Cirrhosis often has no signs or symptoms until liver damage is extensive. When signs and symptoms do occur, they may include:

• Fatigue
• Easily bruising
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
• Nausea
• Swelling in your legs
• Wight loss
• Itchy skin
• Jaundice
• Redness in the palms on the hand
• Confusion or slurred speech

Liver cancer is what always pops up in our brains when we think of alcohol. And alcohol does have a very significant role in getting infected with liver cancer. We all know that cancer is incurable, but there’s hope in the treatments, medicines and surgeries. Cancer cells can develop almost everywhere and anywhere in your body. Several types of cancer can form in the liver. The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which begins in the main type of liver cell (hepatocyte). Other types of liver cancer, such as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatoblastoma, are much less common.

How do you know if there is developing liver cancer?

Liver cancer is life threatening. Liver cancer happens when liver cells develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell’s DNA is the material that provides instructions for every chemical process in your body. DNA mutations cause changes in these instructions. One result is that cells may begin to grow out of control and eventually form a tumor — a mass of cancerous cells.

Most people don’t have signs and symptoms in the early stages of primary liver cancer. When signs and symptoms do appear, they may include:

• Losing weight without trying
• Loss of appetite
• General weakness or fatigue
• Abdominal swelling
• Jaundice
• Nausea
• White, chalky stools

How can you prevent this from happening?

• Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit the amount you drink. For women, this means no more than one drink a day. For men, this means no more than two drinks a day.
• Maintain a healthy weight. If your current weight is healthy, work to maintain it by choosing a healthy diet and exercising most days in the week. If you need to lose weight, reduce the number of calories you eat each day and increase the amount of exercise you do. Aim to lose weight slowly — 1 or 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilograms) each week.

Still want that last peg of whiskey? And have a check up done today at brookefield Hospital in Kundalahalli Bangalore

The liver is your best friend. Protect it always!

How can you put yourself at risk of developing liver diseases? It’s easier than you think so why put yourself at risk?

More common and identifiable risk factors for liver disease may include:

• Family history of liver diseases
• Genetics play a very significant role in developing liver diseases. Whether you or a family member has experienced liver disease, you may be more vulnerable to liver conditions. For example, hepatitis B or C and hemochromatosis are risk factors for liver cancer. If a close relative ever had a genetic liver disease, such as hemochromatosis, Wilson disease or alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency , then you should watch out for symptoms.
• Exposure to certain chemicals or toxins including prescription and over-the-counter medications, herbal medications and recreational “street drugs” (i.e.: acetaminophen overdose, mixing medication with alcohol) drugs injected into our body using needles is the easiest ways to get yourself in trouble. The needle may be used by someone who may have been contaminated hence putting you in danger.

Some other risk factors of developing liver diseases are:

• Poor sanitation: Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and adequate treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage
• Unprotected sex: unprotected sex means sex without contraceptive barriers.
• Living in a household with someone who’s infected
• Use of recreational drugs: For some drugs, liver damage is predictable. MDMA, cocaine, heroin and LSD (acid) are the common ones.
• Lack of safe water: if you don’t know where your water’s coming from, best stick to bottled water.
• Travelling to areas with high endemicity without being immunized, before your journey get vaccinated at brookefield hospital

One major negative effect of poor sanitation is its bad impact on health. Improper disposal of waste can greatly affect the health of the population living nearby polluted areas or landfills. Waste disposal workers and other employees in these landfill facilities are at a greater risk.

Get your vaccines at Brookefield Hospital, In Kundalahalli Bangalore.

Your liver needs a rest. Take one today!

How to Prevent and Treat Liver Disease

Your liver is a very important organ and plays a very vital role in your metabolic health. Just imagine yourself as your liver. For example, you have been given a job and you oblige to do it. Your boss puts more stress and work on top of you and you grow tired. What would happen if you don’t get enough rest? Obviously, you’re going to over work and we spoke about over working in the beginning and its not healthy. You won’t be getting enough sleep because of all the stress and tension and work being put on top of you. Your liver is similar. It needs a rest once in a while and giving it rest may decrease your chances of developing any sort of liver disease.

How can we protect our liver and prevent us from getting infected?

• Avoid toxins. Toxins can injure liver cells. Limit direct contact with toxins from cleaning and aerosol products, insecticides, chemicals, and additives. When you do use aerosols, make sure the room is ventilated, and wear a mask. Don’t smoke. Use alcohol responsibly. Alcoholic beverages can create many health problems.
• Drinking plenty of water is also very important to care of our liver because this liquid can cleanse and purify your body by removing toxins through the urine. To take care of your liver remove sodas and sugary drinks like packaged juices from your diet. Opt for healthier alternatives like natural tea and fresh juices.
• Follow directions on all medications
• Practice safe sex
• Wash your hands regularly
• Get vaccinated
• Get medical care if you’re exposed to blood
• Avoid contaminated needles
• Eat a balanced diet
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise regularly
• Get the vaccines for hepatitis to prevent the development of hepatitis A or B
• Drink alcohol in a moderate amount
• Do not share personal toiletry items
• If getting a tattoo make sure that the needle is safe and sanitized
• Avoid injecting drugs using used needles
• Adequate supplies of safe drinking water
• Proper disposal of sewage within communities
• Personal hygiene practices such as regular hand washing before meals and after using the restroom.

Talk to a Dietician in Kundalahalli Bangalore, brookefield Hospital

Do not neglect your liver, Your liver takes a beating everyday , give it some love

( The Importance of a Healthy Diet )

Having a healthy and balanced diet benefits your entire body. Taking in the nutrients in food form or supplement form is very effective for your body. Not getting enough nutrients can lead to deficiencies or even malnutrition and both of these things can do you a huge deal in the long run.

What would your liver tell you if it could talk? Have you ever thought about it?

It’s true. Even though you can’t see it hidden away under your rib cage, if your liver could speak to you, it would say: “I’m working hard, doing my best to process what you eat and drink into energy and nutrients. Hey, I’m also your filter! I’m trying to remove harmful substances from your blood. So, won’t you at least help me?”

A talking liver sounds odd, doesn’t it? But actually, your liver does communicate with you.

If you eat a healthy diet, your liver “tells” you that you’re doing a great job. You get the message because your liver is able to function properly and, provided your overall health is good, you feel in great physical shape.

Liver disease and, possibly, disorders that could affect other organs. Of course, it’s important to maintain a healthy weight. In addition to eating a healthy diet, exercise regularly.

How can you help your liver in getting the needed nutrients?

• What to avoid: Don’t eat foods high in fat, sugar and salt. Stay away from a lot of fried foods including fast food restaurant meals. Raw or undercooked shellfish such as oysters and clams are a definite no-no.
• Talk to your doctor about alcohol and your liver health: Depending on the state of your liver, you should avoid alcohol. If you’re allowed alcohol, limit it to no more than one drink a day if you’re a woman and two drinks a day if you’re a man.
• Eat a balanced diet: Select foods from all food groups: Grains, fruits, vegetables, meat and beans, milk, and oil.
• Eat food with fiber: Fiber helps your liver work at an optimal level. Fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads, rice and cereals can take care of your body’s fiber needs.
• Drink lots of water: It prevents dehydration and it helps your liver to function better.
• Decide over lean cuts of meat instead of those high in fat
• Eat fish at least twice a week, especially fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (e.g. salmon, trout and herring)
• Make sure your dairy is Fat-free (skim) or lowfat (1%)
• Avoid foods with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat
• Limit saturated fat and trans fat by replacing them with the better fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated)
• Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars
• Choose foods with less sodium and prepare foods with little or no salt

Talk to a Dietician in brookefield hospital, kundalahalli bangalore

“It’s no surprise that your liver is one of the most important organs in your body. As a vital organ, it performs many functions to keep you healthy and happy. It removes toxins from your blood, stores energy when glucose levels are too high or if there is not enough food available for the cells to use as fuel, converts fat into usable substances like ketones which can be used by other parts of our bodies (including brain), produces bile needed for digestion and detoxifies drugs.” With so much responsibility on its shoulders, it’s understandable that any damage or disease would have significant effects on how well we function physically and mentally.

Luckily there are ways to prevent any kind of harm before it happens. If you want to know more about liver disease, please book a meeting with the Doctor in Kundalahalli at brookefield hospital for an appointment with one of the family doctors. They would be happy to answer all your questions and providing the best Service and treatment plan possible so that you can start feeling better as soon as possible! Or if all is well, it’s a preventive measure we want to have, and they can creating a diet plan tailored specifically for YOU – brookefield Hospital offers state of the art services and treatments, in Kundalahalli, Bangalore ! They would love nothing more than helping us be proactive about our health by incorporating these tips into everyday life changes.