Liver is a large organ situated in the abdomen part of our body. It performs many important bodily functions, including blood filtering. It is also considered a gland because it makes chemicals the body needs. This crucial organ of our body can get damaged due to certain lifestyle issues or diseases. Although we have no control over diseases we can make some lifestyle changes to ensure a healthy life. However, before that you should know the importance of protecting your liver means what kind of work it does. This will help in understanding. In this blog, we will inform you of the importance of protecting your liver and ways of it; to ensure a healthy life, do not forget to have your regular medical check-up. Connect with Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital for your regular medical check-up, the best medical assistance & 24*7 emergency care.

What is the liver?

The liver is one of the most crucial organs and glands of our body. It is spongy. It has a wedge shape and it is reddish-brown. It is almost like a about the size of a football. However, the size of your liver varies on your body weight or height.

It has been counted as an organ because it performs hundreds of functions necessary to sustain life. On the other hand, it has been named a gland because it makes proteins and hormones that other parts of the body need.

What is the importance of protecting your liver?

To understand the importance of protecting your liver, you have to understand the kind of work it does. The liver has hundreds of jobs. Some of the most vital are:

• Cleans toxins (harmful substances) out of the blood.
• Gets rid of old red blood cells.
• Makes bile, a fluid that helps the body digest (break down) food.
• Metabolizes proteins, carbohydrates, and fats so your body can use them.
• Produces substances to help blood clot.
• Regulates the amount of blood in the body.
• Stores glycogen (an energy source) and vitamins to be used by the body later.

What are the ways of managing a healthy liver?

Here are some ways that will help you to manage a healthy liver. The ways are:

a. Manage the right body weight: Obesity can cause liver diseases such as fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. Consult with a doctor to know your right body weight, maintain a healthy diet, and exercise regularly. It will help in cutting down the chances of liver issues.

b. Say no to alcohol: It is best if you quit alcohol. However, if that's not possible, then you should drink in moderation. Excessive alcohol consumption can cause live issues such as alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis.

c. Take the necessary vaccine: Vaccines are available for hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Getting vaccinated can help prevent these infections and protect the liver.

d. Protected sex: Hepatitis B and hepatitis C can be transmitted through sexual contact. Practicing safe sex can prevent the spread of these infections.

e. Avoid over-exposure to medicine: Exposure to drugs and toxins can damage the liver, leading to liver failure. Hence, avoid such practices.

f. Regular medical check-ups: Regular medical check-ups can save you in 1000 ways. It helps in detecting any health issues at an early stage and helps in faster recovery.

g. Maintain hygiene: Maintaining some hygiene also helps in managing a healthy liver. You should practice hygiene such as not sharing needles, razors, toothbrushes, or any other personal items, that can spread viruses, washing your hands frequently, etc.

What are the symptoms of liver issues?

Detecting a health issue plays a pivotal role in treatment. If it gets recognized at an early stage, it is easier to tackle it. So, here are some symptoms; if you or your loved ones have these symptoms, you may be at risk for liver problems. The symptoms are:

• A build-up of fluid in the belly area (ascites).
• Easy bruising.
• Itchy skin.
• Low blood pressure.
• Pain in the abdomen.
• Swelling in the legs or ankles.
• Tremors (shaking).
• Weakness, loss of balance, or constant fatigue.
• Confusion or loss of orientation

Apart from these, when a person has a liver problem, one of the most common symptoms is jaundice. There are the most common symptoms of jaundice and the symptom is turning yellow. Yes, in jaundice, the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow because of too much bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow waste product the liver gets rid of when it breaks down red blood cells. Higher levels of bilirubin indicate a possible problem in the liver.

What are conditions and disorders which affect the health of your liver?

There are many things or conditions which affect the health of your liver. The things are:

a. Your consumption: If you consume too many toxins, it leads to liver issues such as alcohol-related liver disease and fatty liver disease (extra fat).

b. Inheritance: You can receive live issues in your inheritance. Some inherited diseases are hemochromatosis (iron overload) and Wilson disease (too much copper in the body).

c. Cancer: Liver cancer is becoming common these days. When abnormal cells grow too quickly it leads to live cancer.

d. Internal issues: Many times liver gets affected due to internal body issues. For example, when the immune system attacks the liver, such as autoimmune hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and primary biliary cholangitis.

Apart from the above-mentioned, viral infections, such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C can affect the liver. Many of these conditions can lead to cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver.

Some common FAQs:

Are liver diseases fatal?

Well, it depends on the issue you have. However, it is important to mention that acute liver failure can develop quickly in an otherwise healthy person, and it is life-threatening.

How can we protect our liver?

We can protect our liver by maintaining a healthy body weight, reducing or limiting alcohol consumption, and by a regular health check-up.

How much alcohol consumption can lead to a liver issue?

Long-term intake of more than 30 g of absolute alcohol per day increases the risk of alcoholic liver disease. It is also important to mention, that liver disease is nearly certain in long-term consumption of more than 80 g of absolute alcohol per day.

Final words: We hope that this blog will help you protect your liver and will also help in managing a healthy life. Connect with Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital for your regular medical check-up, the best medical assistance & 24*7 emergency care.

Disclaimer

Though all attempts are made to provide correct information on the subject, inadvertent & typographical errors arising out of manual intervention cannot be ruled out. It is requested to bring any such discrepancies to the notice of the blogger for correction.