Caring for your liver
For more information, call KPJ Pusat Pakar Mata Centre for Sight at 03- 4022 6222 ( KL) or 03- 7804 4051 ( PJ). KKLIU No. 1416/ 2016 ALTHOUGH the biological factors are still being researched, it is known that women face a great risk of developing liver disease.
For example, post- menopausal women with lower oestrogen levels are at risk of gaining more weight, which can lead to fat accumulation in the liver. This toxic condition can worsen from fibrosis to cirrhosis, and eventually cancer.
The liver is a powerful organ that performs more than 500 digestive and metabolic functions, including processing nutrients from the small intestine, detoxifying chemicals, and producing proteins for blood clotting as well as bile for the digestion of fat and fat- soluble vitamins.
Without proper care, these vital functions are interrupted – while liver damage is slow and quiet, it certainly poses a serious health risk.
Here are some ways you can keep your liver functioning well for a healthier, happier life:
– As the liver breaks down everything we eat and drink, it plays a large role in detoxifying your body when you drink alcohol. Thus, drinking too much alcohol can overwork the liver, destroy its cells and cause permanent damage.
Alcohol- related liver damage can manifest through deposits of fat in liver cells ( fatty liver disease), liver inflammation and mild scarring ( hepatitis), or advanced injury with severe scarring that can disrupt the liver’s structure ( cirrhosis).
To avoid overworking your liver, do not drink too much, too quickly or too often. Long- term binge drinking is linked to irreversible liver damage.
Women should remember that their bodies absorb alcohol more efficiently than men due to higher body fat, so their intake should be lower. In fact, women face a greater risk of developing cirrhosis as they age even if they are non- drinkers.
– Be careful when taking cholesterol drugs and acetaminophen ( found in cold and pain medicines). The chances of these damaging your liver are increased if they are taken in certain combinations or the wrong dosage.
Be sure to follow your doctor’s orders on dosages and combinations to avoid the potential liver- damaging side effects of medicines.
– Essentially a viral infection of the liver, hepatitis is a serious disease that can be transmitted through infected food or water ( hepatitis A) or blood and body fluid ( hepatitis B and C).
People can go years without knowing they have this disease because the symptoms are not obvious, but a simple blood test will be able to determine your status.
You can protect yourself from hepatitis A and B through vaccinations. However, the best measures to avoid these viruses include practising safe sex, maintaining personal hygiene and getting screened from time to time.