Hows Your Liver?

8 Ways To Mend Your

Liver After Quitting Alcohol
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Congrat+lation on ,+itting drin*ing- .o+/ve ta*en a tremendo+s step in improving yo+r
overall health "oth physically and mentally0
No( that last call has come and gone it/s time to ta*e a close loo* at the damage that/s
"een done 1 especially scary liver damage0
So heres what you do
!" #ead this article for a $rief overview of the three stages of liver disease2 the
symptoms of liver disease and ho( a doctor (ill test for liver disease
%" &o see a doctor to ma*e s+re yo+3re 450
&" 6f yo+ have any disease2 ta*e it serio+sly and comply (ith medical advice (since liver
disease is asymptomatic +ntil severe2 yo+ may have some degree of disease and not *no(
a"o+t it)0
'" 6f yo+ don3t have any disease2 cele"rate yo+r good fort+ne2 and then commit to ma*ing
+p for the past (ith lifestyle choices that red+ce yo+r ris* of f+t+re liver pro"lems 1 yo+3ll
find 7 great (ays to love yo+r liver at the end of this article0
By the way, if you still drink and you worry about liver damage, you probably have cause
for concern. People who drink in real moderation don't tend to have these worries.
The Three Stages of Alcoholic Liver (isease
There are 8 stages to alcoholic liver disease0 These stages are +s+ally progressive0
Stage ! ) Alcoholic *atty Liver
%xcess fat deposits in the liver "+ild1+p after prolonged excessive alcohol
cons+mption (or in some cases2 after a single "inge session)
)atty liver rarely ca+ses noticea"le symptoms2 except in ,+ite severe cases
)or most people2 9 (ee*s of a"stinence reverses the condition
Stage % ) Alcoholic He+atitis
This second stage is far more serio+s2 in fact2 it can "e lethal0
:hen yo+ drin* heavily over a period of many years2 or in some more rare cases2
(hen yo+ have a really excessive "inge2 yo+ can damage yo+r liver to a point
(here it gets inflamed
)or reasons that remain poorly +nderstood2 some people can drin* very heavily
for decades (itho+t developing alcoholic hepatitis2 (hile others (ho drin* far
more moderately2 may develop the condition more ,+ic*ly0
The condition is potentially reversi"le2 "+t it (on3t go a(ay +nless a person ,+its
drin*ing completely for a period of many months or years0
Alcoholic hepatitis (on3t go a(ay +nless yo+ commit to complete a"stinence2 and since ;
in 8 drin*ers presenting (ith symptomatic alcoholic hepatitis die (ithin < months2
,uitting is your only good o+tion"
!
Stage & ) -irrhosis
6n this third stage2 scar tiss+e "+ild1+p from prolonged liver inflammation
compromises liver f+nction
Cirrhosis is not reversi"le2 tho+gh it can "e managed or the progression slo(ed
thro+gh treatment and complete a"stinence from alcohol
./)Heavy (rin0er? You Have1Had *atty Liver
Nearly all heavy drin*ers2 defined as people (ho reg+larly=chronically exceed
recommended drin*ing g+idelines2 have fatty liver (9>? to ;>>?2 according to the
National @ealth Service in the A50)
)righteningly:
Ro+ghly 9B? of people (ith alcoholic fatty liver (ill progress to alcoholic
hepatitis
Ro+ghly 9>? of people (ith alcoholic fatty liver (ill progress to cirrhosis
My Liver *eels *ine ) (oes That Mean 23 45?
Cay"eDor may"e not0
6f yo+3ve "een drin*ing eno+gh to "e (orried a"o+t yo+r liver yo+ sho+ld pro"a"ly get
chec*ed o+t2 especially considering:
.o+r liver can (ithstand considera"le assa+lt "efore its f+nctioning "ecomes so
compromised that yo+3d *no( there (as something (rong0
The liver has fe( nerve endings2 so even a Eh+rting3 liver (on3t create pain2 as
most of the rest of yo+r "ody (ill
Some people (ith irreversi"le cirrhosis may feel no symptoms of their condition
So here3s the deal:
;0 6f yo+3ve stopped drin*ing after a long period of heavy +se2 yo+ sho+ld pro"a"ly
get yo+r liver f+nctioning chec*ed o+t
90 %ven if yo+ feel 452 yo+ almost certainly have or had fatty liver2 and yo+ may
even have hepatitis or cirrhosis
80 6f yo+ have hepatitis or cirrhosis2 it3s important that yo+ *no( 1 so yo+3ll *no(
that yo+ can3t relapse 1 and so yo+ can get started on a treatment program to slo(
disease progression0
Seeing a (octor ) Testing Your Liver
6f yo+r doctor s+spects liver damage2 she (ill li*ely recommend one or more of the
follo(ing tests:
6lood tests 1 $iver f+nction tests chec* for mar*ers in the "lood that indicate liver
malf+nction0
Liver scans 1 Ta*ing a vis+al loo* at yo+r liver +sing +ltraso+nd2 a CAT scan
machine or an CR6 machine0
A liver $io+sy 1 .o+3ll +s+ally get some local anesthesia for this proced+re in
(hich a doctor p+shes a long hollo( needle into the organ to extract a small
sample for examination +nder a microscope0
9
An endosco+y 1 6n this proced+re2 doctors thread a small camera into yo+r
stomach to loo* for varisces (s(ollen veins) that (o+ld indicate cirrhosis0
So see a doctor and get yo+r liver chec*ed 1 hopef+lly yo+/ll find nothing (rong and earn
peace of mind for yo+r efforts
!+t if test res+lts indicate a treata"le pro"lem (one that might have (orsened (itho+t
treatment) yo+3ll never regret having invested a fe( ho+rs on chec*ing yo+rself o+t0
Alcoholic Liver (isease Sy3+to3s
So don3t (ait for symptoms "efore ,+itting drin*ing or seeing a doctor2 "+t definitely see
a doctor 1 (ith +rgency 1 sho+ld yo+ notice any of the follo(ing liver disease symptoms:
2nitial sy3+to3s
)atig+e and feelings of general "ad health
Na+sea and diarrhea2 especially in the morning
$oss of appetite
Fag+e pain in the liver area (the area "elo( yo+r ri"s on yo+r right side)
More serious sy3+to3s
Fomiting "lood
Gar* tarry stools
.ello(ing eyes or s*in
Conf+sion and memory pro"lems
Gramatic (eight loss
6tching
!r+ising very easily
S(elling of the legs2 an*les or a"domen
The development of male "reasts
C+scle (ea*ness and (asting
8
Lifestyle -hoices That Mini3i7e (isease #is0
So if yo+r doctor diagnoses serio+s disease 1 then get expert medical advice2 follo(
instr+ctions and do everything yo+ can to stop drin*ing and get healthy0 6t/s not al(ays
easy2 "+t it3s not complicated either0
!+t hopef+lly yo+r doctor finds nothing serio+sly (rong0
6f so2 that3s fantastic ne(s- .o+ dodged a "+llet and yo+3ve got a great opport+nity to live
a long2 f+ll and healthy life 1 and tho+gh yo+3ve "een hard on yo+r liver +ntil no(2 there3s
a lot yo+ can do2 starting from today2 to maintain liver health and ma*e +p for all that
past tra+ma0
8 Ways to Mend Your Liver after You Sto+ (rin0ing
!" Sto+ (rin0ing 8(ont -ut (own9
This one "ears repeatingD
.o+ may feel that yo+ achieve a lot "y c+tting1do(n2 "+t if yo+3ve got alcoholic liver
disease2 it3s not eno+gh0 6f yo+ have alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis2 c+tting do(n (ill
only slo( the rate of damage 1 "+t yo+r liver f+nction (ill contin+e to slo(ly (orsen0
%" Sto+ S3o0ing
Cigarettes contain toxic additives0 :hen yo+ inhale these additives yo+ send them for
processing in the liver0 St+dies sho( that for people (ith alcoholic liver disease2 smo*ing
accelerates liver scarring0
H
&" 2f 4$ese ) Lose Weight
%xcess alcohol cons+mption and o"esity are the t(o leading ca+ses of liver disease2 and
research sho(s that the com"ination of o"esity and alcohol a"+se is +ni,+ely harmf+l 1
being overweight and abusing alcohol isnt twice as bad...its four times as harmful.
Researchers in the A5 fo+nd that:
;0 4ver(eight (omen are t(ice as li*ely as healthy1(eight non alcohol a"+sers to
develop serio+s liver disease
90 @ealthy1(eight alcohol1a"+sing (omen are t(ice as li*ely to develop serio+s
liver disease as healthy1(eight non alcohol1a"+sing (omen
80 4ver(eight alcohol1a"+sing (omen are H times more li*ely than healthy1(eight
non alcohol1a"+sing (omen to develop serio+s liver disease0
B
'" .at Well 8:eggies; *i$er and Antio/idants9
A healthy diet promotes liver health0
;0 Cinimie yo+r inta*e of processed foods2 s+gars and sat+rated fats
90 Caximie yo+r inta*e of fr+its and vegeta"les and high1fi"er foods
.o+r liver prod+ces free radicals (hen meta"oliing alcohol0 )ree radical ca+sed
oxidiation is a maIor so+rce of the damage that leads to liver diseases0 There is some
evidence to s+pport an increased inta*e of antioxidants as (ay to protect yo+r liver from
alcohol related damage 1 and plant foods high in antioxidants are I+st good for yo+
period2 so there is little ris* and lots of li*ely "enefit to incorporating s+ch foods into
yo+r daily diet0
<" Avoid ./+osing Yourself to To/ins
:hether yo+ "reathe them2 or they come in thro+gh yo+r s*in2 toxins event+ally pass
thro+gh the liver0
Avoid over1expos+re to aerosol sprays2 spray paints2 spray insecticides2 spray
f+ngicides and the other sprayed chemicals0 6f spraying inside2 (ear a mas* and
try for as m+ch ventilation as yo+ can0
$i*e(ise2 avoid over1expos+re to chemicals on yo+r s*in2 s+ch as insecticides0
:ear gloves or cover +p0
<
=" ./ercise
&etting reg+lar exercise helps yo+r liver in a n+m"er of (ays0 S+ch as "y:
Red+cing yo+r ris* of liver cancer 1 Research s+ggests that people at high ris* of
liver cancer (s+ch as people (ith a history of heavy drin*ing) can red+ce their ris*
thro+gh reg+lar exercise
J
!oosting imm+ne f+nction
@elping yo+ to maintain a healthy (eight (o"esity is hard on the liver)
>" Avoid He+atitis 6 and -
.o+ really don3t need hepatitis !2 or C2 especially (ith a history of heavy drin*ing0
@epatitis ! and C are transmitted thro+gh infection via "lood or sex+al fl+ids0 To protect
yo+rself from these diseases:
&et vaccinated
Ase condoms
Avoid "ea+ty treatments s+ch as manic+res or pedic+res +nless yo+ *no( all
instr+ments are sterile
$i*e(ise avoid tattoos and piercings +nless yo+ feel confident of sanitation
practices
7
8" Watch Your Medications
4verdosing on certain over the co+nter medications can do yo+r liver a lot of harm0 Tal*
to yo+r doctor a"o+t all the medications yo+ ta*e to avoid interaction effects (don3t forget
to mention her"al s+pplements2 (hich can also affect liver f+nctioning)0
!e especially caref+l (ith acetaminophen0 :hen feeling sic* yo+ co+ld easily conceive
of ta*ing a co+ple of Tylenol2 an all1p+rpose co+gh and cold medication and some
Ny,+il2 all (ithin a co+ple of ho+rs 1 and since all of these meds contain acetaminophen2
yo+ co+ld easily clim" into the toxic range0
*actors That 2ncrease the #is0 of Liver (iseases
:hy can some people drin* hard for a lifetime (itho+t s+cc+m"ing to liver disease2 and
for others2 a decade or t(o is all it ta*es0 Why the difference?
Not s+rprisingly2 the greatest ris* factor for alcoholic liver disease is alcohol 1 lots of it0
Cen (ho have more than 8B drin*s per (ee* for more than ;> years and (omen
(ho have more than 97 drin*s per (ee* for more than ;> years have a
s+"stantially increased li*elihood of developing alcoholic liver diseases0
?
And in
general; greater ,uantities over longer +eriods e,uate to higher li0elihoods"
!+t even among alcoholics (ho cons+me large ,+antities over long periods2 only a"o+t
half of those in this highest ris* category (ill develop serio+s liver disease2 so it3s not
only the alcohol that3s at (or* here2 other factors also clearly infl+ence yo+r odds of
getting these diseases0
4ther ris* factors *no(n to increase a person3s li*elihood of alcohol liver diseases
incl+de:
!eing a (oman 1 6f ;>> (omen and ;>> men cons+me the same amo+nt of
alcohol ("ased on "ody (eight) for the same period of time2 more (omen than
men (ill develop liver diseases0 And the "ad ne(s doesn3t stop there 1 compared
to men (ho contract liver diseases2 (omen (ho contract these same conditions
(ill experience a faster disease progression0
@epatitis 1 Grin*ing (hile infected (ith hepatitis ! or C (ill res+lt in greater liver
aggravation0
&enetic factors 1 Scientists *no( some people seem to have a genetic
predisposition to liver diseases2 tho+gh they haven3t yet mapped o+t exactly ho(
this is passed on0
4"esity 1 !eing o"ese p+ts extra strain on the liver0
%ating a diet that is very high in dietary fat0
References
;0 National @ealth Service: A$G
90 Cayo Clinic: Alcoholic @epatitis
80 !ritish $iver Tr+st
H0 National 6nstit+te of @ealth: Alcohol Alert
B0 Ced Kage Today: Alcohol ' 4"esity
<0 Cayo Clinic: Kreventing $iver Kro"lems
J0 %xercise Red+ces Ris* of $iver Cancer
70 Canadian $iver )o+ndation: $iver @ealth
90 Grin*a(are Alcohol and $iver Gisease
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Read more: @o(3s .o+r $iverL 7 :ays To Cend .o+r $iver After M+itting Alcohol
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