Fatty liver is the most prevalent illness affecting the liver worldwide

Team L&M

With a view to raise awareness and disseminate knowledge about liver care, to lead a healthier, happier, and prosperous life, apex business body Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), organised a webinar on Caring for Liver- Prevention & Management

The webinar, a part of ASSOCHAM’s Illness to Wellness initiative, underlined the various causes of liver disease and keep this largest organ of the body healthy.

Over 500 fundamental bodily functions are carried out by the liver, including the elimination of waste materials and foreign substances from the bloodstream, control of blood sugar levels, and production of vital nutrients. Taking proactive measures to live a healthy life is the greatest strategy to prevent liver disease, remarked healthcare experts.

Padma Bhushan Prof Shiv Kumar Sarin, Senior Professor, Department of Hepatology & Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi  stated that Fatty Liver (a condition in which fat makes up at least five per cent of the weight of the liver) is the most prevalent illness affecting the liver worldwide. Other prominent causes of liver disease include drinking alcohol and having hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis A and B can be prevented by vaccination.

He focused on the liver transplant as the preferred treatment for individuals who have acute liver failure and do not respond to medical intervention or experience complications from chronic liver disease that are not further controlled by diet and medicine. The liver regulates most chemical levels in the blood and excretes a product called bile. This helps carry away waste products from the liver. All the blood leaving the stomach and intestines passes through the liver.

“Liver receives all the blood supply of the gut,” said Dr Kapil Dev Jamwal, Head, Unit II Gastroenterologist, Artemis Hospitals, Gurugram. “Liver performs various functions, including the metabolism of medications and food, the creation and storage of energy, and the digestion of food and minerals,” he said, adding that the symptoms of liver disease can range from an asymptomatic stage to the onset of jaundice, loss of appetite, abdominal swelling, GI bleeding, and altered sensorium.

Dr Jamwal emphasised that the best ways to maintain liver health is consume a balanced diet, exercise frequently, fast occasionally, avoid alcohol, and consume low-calorie foods. “Olive oil and mustard oil are both beneficial for the liver and can be used in cooking. Regular use of coffee, green tea, and walnuts has been demonstrated to be good for the liver because of its antioxidant characteristics,” he said.