Keep Your Liver Healthy : World Liver Day

• The World Liver Day is observed annually on 19^th April to spread awareness on liver-related diseases.

Liver is the second largest and the most complex organ in the body, except for the brain. World Liver Day is observed each year on 19^th April to spread awareness on liver-related diseases. It is the key player in the human digestive system.

Liver

Liver is a vital organ that is located in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, that is below the diaphragm.

It weighs around 1.8 kg in men and around 1.3 kg in women. The liver is capable of holding 13% of your total blood supply and is capable of performing more than 500 functions.

Functions of the Liver

Some of the major functions of the liver include:

• Fights infection and illness
• Regulates blood sugar
• Helps to remove toxic substances from the body
• Controls the cholesterol levels
• Helps in blood clot
• Releases bile that helps to break down food and aids in digestion

Liver-Related Diseases

Liver-related diseases can occur due to a variety of illnesses but are mainly linked to the use of drugs or alcohol.

Cirrhosis (liver inflammation),fatty liver disease, iron overload, Hepatitis A, B, alcohol abuse, autoimmune disorders like primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and liver cancer are some of the liver-related diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Liver Foundation have stated that around 31,000 people die in the U.S. every year from cirrhosis.

Around 3.5 million to 4.6 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis B kills around 2000 people in the United States.

Risk Factors for Liver-Related Diseases

There are some risk factors which are capable of causing liver disease. This includes:

• Excess alcohol consumption
• Drug injections using needles
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• High triglyceride levels in the blood

What Does Alcohol Do to Your Liver?

Consuming too much alcohol may make it a toxic substance to the liver. Around 90% of the people who drink more than two ounces of alcohol per day are in their first stage of an alcoholic liver disease.
It can further lead to fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis.

What is Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease refers to a range of liver conditions that affects people who drink little or no alcohol. They mainly cause a build-up of fat in the liver. It occurs in the age group of 40 years and 50 years of age.

NAFLD is often diagnosed by a liver function test that produces an abnormal result. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the best way to manage NAFLD.

How to Keep Your Liver Healthy?

• Say no to alcohol, drugs and cigarettes
• Drink green tea or lime juice to cleanse the liver
• Try to develop a preference for grains like millet, buckwheat
• Include cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower in the diet

References:

1. World liver day - (https://www.nhp.gov.in/World-liver-day_pg)
2. Liver Disease - Risk Factors - (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-problems/basics/risk-factors/con-20025300)
3. Liver Diseases - (https://medlineplus.gov/liverdiseases.html)
4. Liver Disease Statistics - (http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/liver_biliary_and_pancreatic_disorders/liver_disease_statistics_85,P00686/)
5. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - (http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/nafld/)

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Source-Medindia