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Dear friends,
A few years back I posted a detailed post on KNOW YOUR LIVER.
Here I give short,10 things that affect and cause dIsease of the liver which is one of the most impoRtant organs on our body.
Hope this will be definitely of use to all.
Varadarajan
Ask a lay person what causes liver damage and you will get an invariable answer: heavy drinking. But it is not the only thing that can harm your liver.
The liver is the largest internal organ of the body and is involved in more than 500 different functions of the body including digestion, metabolism, nutrients’ storage and removal of toxins. So, there can be several things and health conditions that can unknowingly cause liver damage:
Alcohol: Heavy alcohol consumption is the most common cause of liver damage. When you drink alcohol, the liver gets diverted from its other functions and focuses mainly on converting alcohol to a less toxic form. Absorption of alcohol by the liver causes fatty liver disease, inflammation of the liver and cirrhosis.
Obesity: People who are obese have excess amount of body fat which tends to accumulate around the liver, causing what is known as a fatty liver disease. Obesity is also linked to cirrhosis of liver and liver failure. Here’s a complete account of health hazards of obesity.
Diabetes: Having diabetes increases the risk of liver disease by 50 percent. People with diabetes due to insulin resistance have high levels of insulin in their blood, which triggers abdominal weight gain. This causes the liver to store fat internally, causing fatty liver disease. Here are all articles related to diabetes.
High salt intake: High salt intake is well known to increase blood pressure, but it can also cause fatty liver disease by building up fluid in the liver (water retention) and swelling it up. Here are some useful tips to reduce salt intake.
Smoking: Although cigarette smoke does not have a direct effect on liver function, harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke increase oxidative stress of the system after reaching the liver, causing irreversible damaging to the liver cells. Here are some ways that can help you to quit smoking
Overuse of Medications: Overuse of over-the-counter drugs and certain prescription drugs is known to cause liver damage. Some of these drugs include antidepressants, mood stabilizers, corticosteroids (used for treating inflammation) and pain relievers. It’s therefore important to review the side effects and adverse effects of medications before taking them. Read more about effect of medicines on the kidneys.
Nutritional supplements: Research suggests that dietary or nutritional supplements can increase the production of certain liver enzymes when taken in excess amounts, causing damage. A well known cause of liver toxicity is overdose of vitamin A.
Inappropriate use of alternative medicines: You may switch to alternative remedies to avoid the side-effects of medicines. But herbal remedies, too, can be harmful to the liver in excess amounts.
Chemotherapy: People undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment have a risk of damaging their livers because of the associated side-effects of the drugs. (Read: Fatty liver caused more by obesity than by alcohol now!)
Infections and Illness:
Viral hepatitis A, B and C and autoimmune hepatitis attack the liver cells directly causing inflammation. Without proper treatment, hepatitis can cause cirrhosis of the liver (hardening and scarring of liver tissue) and may gradually lead to liver failure.
Tuberculosis, although clinically silent, can affect the liver once the bacteria causing tuberculosis gain entry into the liver and colonize it. In an attempt to fight infection, the liver responds to colonizing bacteria, leading to a tumor formation. This condition is called as hepatic tuberculosis.
Intestinal infections caused by the yeast Candida interferes with the detoxification function of the liver causing damage.
Pesticides and heavy metals: Exposure to chemicals in pesticides and heavy metals through vegetables, fruits and adulterated foods and can also damage the liver. These toxins get stored in liver over a lifetime to cause liver damage. (Read: Top 6 natural remedies to keep your liver healthy)
Tips to have a healthy liver:
Maintain healthy weight by avoiding fatty foods and staying fit. Replace junk foods with healthy foods from all food groups such as grains, fruits, dairy products and vegetables. Avoid fad diets which might expose your liver to stressful conditions. Exercise regularly to burn excess fat, if you are overweight.
Before taking any medicine, look for warnings of liver toxicity on the label. Follow dosage recommended by your doctor. Consult your doctor if you are taking multiple medications for different conditions to ensure they are not damaging your liver.
Good hygiene plays an important role in preventing viral infections. Hepatitis infection can be contracted through contaminated food, water, blood and other body fluids, especially when you are travelling abroad. Check for outbreaks before travelling. Do not share razors or needles with anyone. Be cautious about conditions while body piercing or tattooing. You could consider vaccination against hepatitis.
Drink plenty of fluids. Instead of having coffee, tea or aerated drinks, have fresh fruit juices and loads of water. This will help the liver to detoxify the system.
Quit smoking. Smoking not only damages the liver by itself but also increases the toxic effect of medicines you might be taking on the liver.
Limit alcohol intake. The more you drink, the more likely you are to damage your liver.
If you are have diabetes or hypertension, get a medical checkup done regularly. Keep a check on you glucose, fat and cholesterol levels which might cause fatty liver disease.
Your liver has a remarkable regenerative capacity and ability to heal itself. By over-indulging in unhealthy habits, you are abusing your liver and inviting life-threatening complications for yourself.
A few years back I posted a detailed post on KNOW YOUR LIVER.
Here I give short,10 things that affect and cause dIsease of the liver which is one of the most impoRtant organs on our body.
Hope this will be definitely of use to all.
Varadarajan
Ask a lay person what causes liver damage and you will get an invariable answer: heavy drinking. But it is not the only thing that can harm your liver.
The liver is the largest internal organ of the body and is involved in more than 500 different functions of the body including digestion, metabolism, nutrients’ storage and removal of toxins. So, there can be several things and health conditions that can unknowingly cause liver damage:
Alcohol: Heavy alcohol consumption is the most common cause of liver damage. When you drink alcohol, the liver gets diverted from its other functions and focuses mainly on converting alcohol to a less toxic form. Absorption of alcohol by the liver causes fatty liver disease, inflammation of the liver and cirrhosis.
Obesity: People who are obese have excess amount of body fat which tends to accumulate around the liver, causing what is known as a fatty liver disease. Obesity is also linked to cirrhosis of liver and liver failure. Here’s a complete account of health hazards of obesity.
Diabetes: Having diabetes increases the risk of liver disease by 50 percent. People with diabetes due to insulin resistance have high levels of insulin in their blood, which triggers abdominal weight gain. This causes the liver to store fat internally, causing fatty liver disease. Here are all articles related to diabetes.
High salt intake: High salt intake is well known to increase blood pressure, but it can also cause fatty liver disease by building up fluid in the liver (water retention) and swelling it up. Here are some useful tips to reduce salt intake.
Smoking: Although cigarette smoke does not have a direct effect on liver function, harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke increase oxidative stress of the system after reaching the liver, causing irreversible damaging to the liver cells. Here are some ways that can help you to quit smoking
Overuse of Medications: Overuse of over-the-counter drugs and certain prescription drugs is known to cause liver damage. Some of these drugs include antidepressants, mood stabilizers, corticosteroids (used for treating inflammation) and pain relievers. It’s therefore important to review the side effects and adverse effects of medications before taking them. Read more about effect of medicines on the kidneys.
Nutritional supplements: Research suggests that dietary or nutritional supplements can increase the production of certain liver enzymes when taken in excess amounts, causing damage. A well known cause of liver toxicity is overdose of vitamin A.
Inappropriate use of alternative medicines: You may switch to alternative remedies to avoid the side-effects of medicines. But herbal remedies, too, can be harmful to the liver in excess amounts.
Chemotherapy: People undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment have a risk of damaging their livers because of the associated side-effects of the drugs. (Read: Fatty liver caused more by obesity than by alcohol now!)
Infections and Illness:
Viral hepatitis A, B and C and autoimmune hepatitis attack the liver cells directly causing inflammation. Without proper treatment, hepatitis can cause cirrhosis of the liver (hardening and scarring of liver tissue) and may gradually lead to liver failure.
Tuberculosis, although clinically silent, can affect the liver once the bacteria causing tuberculosis gain entry into the liver and colonize it. In an attempt to fight infection, the liver responds to colonizing bacteria, leading to a tumor formation. This condition is called as hepatic tuberculosis.
Intestinal infections caused by the yeast Candida interferes with the detoxification function of the liver causing damage.
Pesticides and heavy metals: Exposure to chemicals in pesticides and heavy metals through vegetables, fruits and adulterated foods and can also damage the liver. These toxins get stored in liver over a lifetime to cause liver damage. (Read: Top 6 natural remedies to keep your liver healthy)
Tips to have a healthy liver:
Maintain healthy weight by avoiding fatty foods and staying fit. Replace junk foods with healthy foods from all food groups such as grains, fruits, dairy products and vegetables. Avoid fad diets which might expose your liver to stressful conditions. Exercise regularly to burn excess fat, if you are overweight.
Before taking any medicine, look for warnings of liver toxicity on the label. Follow dosage recommended by your doctor. Consult your doctor if you are taking multiple medications for different conditions to ensure they are not damaging your liver.
Good hygiene plays an important role in preventing viral infections. Hepatitis infection can be contracted through contaminated food, water, blood and other body fluids, especially when you are travelling abroad. Check for outbreaks before travelling. Do not share razors or needles with anyone. Be cautious about conditions while body piercing or tattooing. You could consider vaccination against hepatitis.
Drink plenty of fluids. Instead of having coffee, tea or aerated drinks, have fresh fruit juices and loads of water. This will help the liver to detoxify the system.
Quit smoking. Smoking not only damages the liver by itself but also increases the toxic effect of medicines you might be taking on the liver.
Limit alcohol intake. The more you drink, the more likely you are to damage your liver.
If you are have diabetes or hypertension, get a medical checkup done regularly. Keep a check on you glucose, fat and cholesterol levels which might cause fatty liver disease.
Your liver has a remarkable regenerative capacity and ability to heal itself. By over-indulging in unhealthy habits, you are abusing your liver and inviting life-threatening complications for yourself.