Ways to a Healthy Liver
Liver health is vital for our overall wellness, but it’s something that many people do not know much about.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly 4.5 million people in the United States deal with liver disease. What makes this figure more staggering is that most liver diseases can be prevented.
October is National Liver Awareness Month. Please take a moment to determine if your lifestyle puts you at risk of liver disease or damage. If you care about liver health, then read this short article to learn what warning signs to look for and how to keep your liver – and yourself – as healthy as possible.
What Does the Liver Do?
A human liver can perform more than 500 functions, making the organ as versatile as it is powerful. A few crucial liver functions include:
- Clearing toxic substances from your blood.
- Producing bile, which carries away waste during digestion.
- Controlling blood clotting.
- Regulating the amount of blood you have.
- Converts proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into nutrients.
Most Common Liver Diseases
The Mayo Clinic lists diseases caused by hepatitis viruses as the most common liver diseases. Other diseases include:
- Cirrhosis.
- Fatty liver disease.
- Liver cancer.
- Hemochromatosis.
- Wilson disease.
How Can You Keep Your Liver Healthy?
Certain health conditions can impede liver function. For example, if your liver cannot clean your blood, your brain could eventually stop working. You simply can not survive without a functioning liver.
Following the ways to a healthy liver can keep one of the most important organs in your body operating at peak efficiency. You can optimize your liver’s performance when you:
- Reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption.
- Avoid risky behavior like unprotected sex and intravenous drug use.
- Get vaccinated to protect yourself from hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
- Use medications as prescribed.
- Avoid other people’s blood and body fluids.
- Eat a diet rich in fiber and low in calories, saturated fat, and refined carbohydrates.
- Keep a healthy weight.
- Exercise regularly
- Wash your hands after using the bathroom.
Warning Signs to Go to the ER
Adults and children who experience any of the following symptoms in addition to severe abdominal pain should immediately seek emergency care:
- Yellowish skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Swollen legs and ankles
- Dark urine
- Pale stools
- Nausea or vomiting
- Abdominal swelling
- Itchy skin that may or may not easily bruise
- Chronic fatigue
- Extreme reduction in appetite
Support National Liver Awareness Month
This month is a great time to learn more about what your liver does and how to protect it. The key to reducing your risk of liver problems is to act now. Cut back on alcohol. Eat a diet full of fish, chicken, and leafy vegetables. Visit your physician if you have any concerns. Tests can help determine if you have liver damage. The sooner you get on the right track, the better your liver can do what it is meant to do.
If you believe you suffer from liver issues and need immediate treatment, please visit any of our locations, including our emergency room in Corpus Christi, TX. Receiving prompt, high-quality care is easier than you think.
Sources:
“Selected diseases and conditions among adults,” National Health Interview Survey, 2018, https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/NHIS/SHS/2018_SHS_Table_A-4.pdf
“Liver: Anatomy and Functions,” John Hopkins Medicine, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/liver-anatomy-and-functions
“Liver disease,” Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-problems/symptoms-causes/syc-20374502
