The Liver is the largest organ in the human body playing vital roles in the functioning of the human body. It is responsible for bile production, mineral storage, blood filtration and also digestion of proteins. With the Liver performing more than 100s of functions it is important to maintain overall well-being of the Liver.
The Liver can have multiple disorders including cancer and cirrhosis, hepatitis A and Hepatitis B, Fatty Liver Diseases such as ALD and NAFLD(alcoholic fatty Liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty Liver diseases). The causes for these Liver diseases can be anything ranging from infections to genetics. Here are a few ways in order to maintain the overall well-being of the Liver.
Coffee
Coffee is part of our daily diets. We consume all kinds of coffee caffeinated, decaf, latte, iced and the list goes on and on. Coffee might just be a super food!. As much as we enjoy all these variations of coffee, it may just prove to have multiple health benefits for the Liver.
Enjoying 1-2 cups of regular black coffee can be very beneficial in maintaining overall well-being of the Liver. Consume black coffee because, it doesn’t have much alterations in them.
Coffee consists certain acids which can prevent from getting the hepatitis A and B viruses. The chemicals present in the coffee can also fight off cancer. If you regularly consume coffee it can slow down the growth of scar tissue. This will result in not only combating Liver cancer but also cirrhosis and NAFLD.
Coffee if consumed in moderation can prove beneficial especially, to the Liver.
AFL and NAFLD
Fatty Liver Disease
It is an very common disease. It can be chronic disease and can last for lifelong. For chronic diseases like these constant treatment is necessary. Mainly there are two types of Fatty Liver Diseases namely,
Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
It can be caused by too much of alcohol consumption. An alcoholic Liver is caused because of over consumption of alcohol, leading up to a significant built up of fats in the Liver. AFL is an chronic disease therefore, it’s best to avoid too much alcohol consumption. It can only be treated if the patient absolutely abstains from alcohol and lead an healthy lifestyle.
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
NAFLD occurs in people who consume relatively less alcohol or abstains from it completely. It is caused maybe because of your under lying health issues such as obesity, diabetes or when the cholesterol levels are off the charts. Doctors address these issues in order to combat NAFLD.
Just like AFL, NAFLD can also be chronic and persist for years. the symptoms of NAFLD are not prominent in most cases.
It’s best advised to lead an healthy lifestyle by having and healthy diet and exercising regularly. The nutritionist recommend low fat and low carbohydrate diets to tackle NAFLD. Keeping your cholesterol in check becomes remarkably important if suffering from NAFLD.
Getting yourself Vaccinated
In order to prevent the any diseases the scientists come up with vaccines. In current scenario we have multiple vaccines for Covid-19. Similarly, to prevent liver diseases such as, hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines are available.
These vaccines are administered as injections in your arm. These vaccines provide protection against either hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
Vaccines like Twinrix is an combination vaccine and vaccinates against both hepatitis A and B. You can take these vaccines either individually or in combinations. Vaccinations for hepatitis A can provide protection for roughly around 20-25 years and hepatitis B vaccines can protect an individual for roughly around 10 -15 years.
For Hep A vaccine Havrix age group <12 months to 18 years and for adults >19 years 2 number of doses and vaccine Vaqta 2 age group <12 months to 18 years and for adults >19 years number of doses.
For Hep B vaccine Recombivax 3 doses age group <19 and >20 and vaccine Heplisav-B 2 doses age group >18 years.
Source for vaccine information CDC.
Leading Healthy Lifestyle.
As you know apart from human brain the Liver is responsible for performing the complex functions of the human body. It produces bile juice, blood filtrations and purifications, digesting proteins, mineral storage and more than hundreds of other vital functions.
By committing to an healthy lifestyle you reduce the chances of getting any acute or chronic Liver diseases. Some basic routines to do involves abstaining from alcohol or, consuming in moderation.
Having an balanced diet is of utmost importance not just to maintain overall well-being of the Liver but also all the other organs. Consuming fruits and vegetables makes sure the body gets all the mandatory vitamins and minerals. Such diets make sure in delivering all the important nutrients to the organs and making sure everything works smoothly.
Furthermore, keeping track of all the medications you consume is important. Unnecessary consumption of medications can result in increased pressure on organs including the Liver.
Lastly, Exercising is the best thing to do in order to keep these diseases at bay.
Conclusion
The Liver being one of the most important organ in your body it is obvious to take proper care of it. So maintain an healthy lifestyle, get yourself vaccinated if advised and keep an track of alcohol consumption. Regular visits to doctor prove helpful to keep health in check. Stay safe and healthy.