January is Love your Liver awareness month, a campaign driven by The British Liver Trust.
I am a lead hepatology clinical nurse specialist with over 20 years' experience. I support this campaign as an informative and accessible way to help people on their journey toward better liver health.
What are your first thoughts when you think of the liver?
Alcohol is probably one of the first things that comes to mind, or perhaps that the liver can regenerate and repair itself. Both are true… to a point. The liver is one of the most vital organs in the body and has over 500 functions, including absorbing nutrients, clearing toxins, combating infection and making enzymes and proteins responsible for blood clotting and repair of damaged tissues.
There are many causes of liver disease that affect the functioning of the liver. This could be genetic or auto-immune factors, however over 90% of liver disease is caused by lifestyle factors. The three main causes are:
- obesity
- alcohol
- viral hepatitis.
Notice that I put obesity first? When you think of obesity, you may think of health risks such as stroke, heart disease or diabetes. But obesity is now the leading cause of liver disease and with high rates of childhood obesity in Wales that are only increasing, this is a real public health concern.
Diagnosis can be difficult due to non-specific symptoms such as fatigue. If addressed early, the liver will be able to regenerate itself. However, if left undiagnosed and untreated, the liver can develop liver cirrhosis (scarring). This is not reversible and carries risks of end stage liver disease and even liver cancer.
The rate of liver disease has more than doubled in the last 20 years during my experience caring for patients. I have seen a shift in the leading cause and am worried for our future generation. I have also seen the many complications and complexities that are associated with this condition. Prevention is always better than cure.
What can you do to show your liver some love this month? (and every month!)
- Drink responsibly. Avoid exceeding 14 units of alcohol a week and aim for three consecutive alcohol-free days. If you struggle or are concerned about your alcohol use, there are local support services that can help. There are also national programmes, including Alcoholics Anonymous.
- Get your nutrition right and get moving. Cut downs on your fats, sugars and carbohydrates and add in some exercise. Research has shown 10,000 steps a day are very effective and can even break down fat found in the liver.
- Are you at risk of viral hepatitis? For Hepatitis C: Get tested, get cured! The treatments available today have progressed significantly and can cure hepatitis C. For Hepatitis B, get vaccinated, monitored and treated if required. There are many local drug and alcohol community services that offer clean needle exchange. As a blood borne virus it can be transmitted by sharing all parts of intravenous drug applicators, not just the needle and syringe.
Small changes can make a difference. Taking action now can allow the liver to do the amazing job it is supposed to do.
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