The potential risk of liver diseases and how we can prevent it
By Kath Wong | August 27th, 2021
Every part of our body has its own importance in keeping us well and healthy; however, there are some parts of the body such as the liver that we might have neglected and never paying much attention to them.
Liver is the largest organ in the body, weighing approximately 3 pounds with a dark reddish-brown color and located on the upper right portion of the abdominal cavity. The liver holds about 1 pint (13%) of the whole body’s blood supply; there are 2 distinct sources of blood supply for the liver: oxygenated blood flowing in from the hepatic artery, and nutrient-rich blood flowing in from the hepatic portal vein.
The regulation of most chemical levels in the blood is done in the liver and a product called bile would be excreted, which helps to carry away waste products from the liver. All the blood from stomach and intestines passes through the liver for processing such as breaking down substances, balancing, creating nutrients, as well as metabolizing drugs into the forms that are easier to use for the rest of the body.
The liver has been identified to have more than 500 vital functions, some of the well-known roles include:
· Bile production for carrying away waste and breaking down of fats
· Production of certain proteins for blood plasma
· Formation of cholesterol and special proteins to help carry fats through the body
· Balancing of glucose level by converting excess glucose into glycogen for storage, and back to glucose for energy later on
· Regulating blood levels of amino acids
· Storing of iron and processing for haemoglobin activate the use of its iron content
· Converting poisonous ammonia to urea
· Blood clotting regulation
· Clearing blood from drugs and other poisonous substances
· Resisting infections by creating immune factors and eliminating bacteria from bloodstream
· Clearing of bilirubin
Once the liver has successfully broken down harmful substances, its by-products are excreted into either the bile or blood; the by-products in bile would enter the intestine and leave the body by feces whereas in blood the by-products would be filtered out by the kidneys, which then leave the body by urine.
There are many kinds of liver diseases, the most common ones are diseases caused by viruses (hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C), drugs, poisons, as well as alcohol. Although the liver has a remarkable ability to repair on its own, long-term damage to the liver can eventually accumulate and lead to liver cancer. The symptoms of liver disease can vary depending on the infection, but they often include swelling of the abdomen and legs, bruising easily, changes in color of urine and stool, and jaundice. Jaundice is the visible yellowing of skin and eyes; sometimes there may be no symptoms at all, hence it is important to schedule a regular liver health screening and to keep track of the antigens and antibodies in the body.
Liver does the hard work daily to regulate and maintain our body health; it is recommended to go for an annual liver function test or liver cancer screening. The tests and screenings are done to determine hepatitis virus antigens and antibodies, as well as to observe any abnormality present at the liver.
As mentioned from the main causes of liver infection, we know that frequent drugs or alcohol consumption can damage and affect the normal liver functions, avoiding them would be the best thing you could do. For the virus infection, different types of hepatitis have their own medium of spreading. Hepatitis A can spread commonly by feces and bodily fluids; a person infected is most likely to spread the disease during the 2 weeks before symptoms begin; young children can spread the virus in their stool for up to 3 months after infection. Hepatitis B can spread when blood, semen, or other body fluids from an infected person enters the body; It can cause scarring of the organ, liver failure, and also cancer. Hepatitis C spreads by blood and the liver can become seriously damaged due to inflammation; people often have mild to no symptoms during the initial infection, occasionally fever, dark urine, abdominal pain, and yellow tinged skin.
While there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, fortunately, hepatitis A and B can be prevented by vaccinations. If you are at or traveling to Bangkok (Thailand), check this Liver Health Screening Package out https://trambellir.com/treatment/liver-health-screening-sikarin-hospital-bangkok . There are packages available for liver cancer screening, hepatitis virus screening, as well as the hepatitis A and B vaccinations.
For the ones in Phuket (Thailand), Premium Liver Detox Therapy is offered at our affiliated wellness centre to help with liver detoxifiation and promote a healthier lifestyle. There are 2 phases to follow through. Phase 1 consists of a formula that supports the removal of toxins from the body's storage areas, while phase 2 is a metabolization process to evict the toxins. You will be given oral supplements to kick-start the cleansing, followed by vitamin IV treatments and a detox shot.
Try it at your nearest centre now!
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