National Liver Health Day丨Stay away from liver troubles, experts teach you how to protect your "little liver"!

Did you know? The liver is the largest internal organ in the human body. It is not only responsible for removing toxins from the body, but also participates in a variety of physiological functions. A healthy liver can effectively maintain the body's internal environment balance and ensure the normal functioning of other organs. March 18th of each year is "National Liver Care Day". This special day reminds us to give more attention and care to the liver.

"The liver is the largest digestive gland in the human body. An adult's liver weighs about 1200-1500 grams. More than 500 chemical reactions take place in the liver, with functions such as synthesis, biotransformation, metabolism, coagulation, detoxification, and immunity." Li Qian, deputy director and associate chief physician of the Second Department of Internal Medicine at Hunan Chest Hospital , said that if the liver loses its function, even if all the necessary nutrients are provided, life will be difficult to sustain for more than a few days, which is enough to prove the importance of the liver to life and health.

Survey data show that the number of patients with chronic liver diseases, including hepatitis, fatty liver and cirrhosis, exceeds 400 million in my country. Liver cancer has become the second leading cause of cancer-related death in China. What is more serious is that the incidence of liver cancer is getting younger and younger, which should be taken seriously.

Although the liver is strong, it is also fragile. With the accelerated pace of modern life, factors such as bad living habits, environmental pollution and work pressure are slowly eating away at the health of the liver, causing the incidence of liver diseases to increase year by year.

What are some daily behaviors that damage the liver?

1. Excessive drinking

Acetaldehyde, a metabolite of alcohol, can directly damage liver cells. Long-term and heavy drinking may lead to alcoholic fatty liver, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer.

2. Overeating, high-fat and high-sugar diet

Friends who have been overeating for a long time, or often eat fried foods and sweets should be careful. The excessive fat you eat will accumulate in the liver and cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

3. Excessive dieting

Overeating is bad for the liver, so can I protect my liver by eating less or not eating? Excessive dieting can lead to protein deficiency and abnormal fat metabolism in the body, which will affect the metabolism of liver cells and damage liver function.

4. Eating moldy food

Aflatoxin is a strong carcinogen. The aflatoxin content in moldy peanuts and corn is alarmingly high. When we eat these moldy foods, aflatoxin will directly damage liver cells and even induce liver cancer.

5. Staying up late

10 pm to 2 am is the golden time for liver repair. Staying up late for a long time will affect the liver's detoxification and metabolic functions.

6. Abuse of drugs or health products

Some drugs, such as the painkiller acetaminophen, anti-tuberculosis drugs, and certain antibiotics may cause drug-induced liver damage; in order to protect our liver, we must follow the doctor's advice and use drugs reasonably. Some health products, if taken for a long time or in excess, can also damage our liver cells.

7. Smoking

Everyone knows that smoking is bad for the lungs, but few people tell you that smoking can also damage the liver. Nicotine, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and nitrosamine compounds produced during tobacco combustion can all lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

8. Chronic emotional depression or anger

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine mentions that "anger hurts the liver" and that emotional stress can affect the liver's function of dispersing qi. Long-term anger can cause liver qi stagnation, which can easily lead to symptoms such as chest tightness and menstrual disorders.

How to protect our little heart?

Facing the threat of liver disease, we are not helpless. We can effectively protect liver health by adjusting lifestyle habits, improving diet structure, increasing exercise and regular physical examinations.

1. Limit your alcohol intake

Alcohol is the liver's "number one enemy", and long-term excessive drinking can lead to alcoholic liver disease. It is recommended that men drink no more than two standard units of alcohol per day, and women no more than one.

2. Eat a balanced diet

Maintaining a diverse diet, increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and reducing the intake of high-fat, high-sugar foods can help reduce the burden on the liver.

3. Exercise moderately

Regular aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, cycling, etc., can promote blood circulation and improve liver metabolism. In addition, obesity is one of the important factors causing liver disease. Maintaining a normal weight and avoiding excessive obesity can effectively prevent liver disease.

4. Rational use of drugs

Avoid using over-the-counter drugs and health supplements at will. Many drugs and chemicals can cause damage to the liver. Before taking any medication, be sure to consult a doctor or pharmacist.

5. Regular physical examination

Regular liver function tests and liver B-ultrasound examinations can detect and deal with potential problems in a timely manner. People with a history of hepatitis, a family history of genetic diseases, or long-term exposure to harmful substances should be more vigilant.

6. Maintain a positive attitude

Long-term mental stress and negative emotions can also affect liver health. Learning to release stress and maintaining an optimistic attitude are equally important for maintaining liver health.

7. Prevent viral infection

Viral hepatitis is one of the main types of liver disease. Preventing viral infections, especially viral hepatitis such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C, is an important measure to prevent liver disease. In addition to avoiding high-risk behaviors, you can also prevent hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis E infections through vaccination.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Chen Siyu and Yang Jiamin, Hunan Chest Hospital

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(Edited by YT)