This symptom in your day-to-day life can be an indicator of a liver problem

Excessive alcohol consumption poses great risk to the liver

Several factors pose risk to the liver health of which excessive alcohol consumption is a prominent one. Alcohol related liver disease, commonly known as ARLD, is the damage caused to the liver due to years and years of continuous and heavy alcohol consumption. This damage leads to a severe condition called Cirrhosis.

​What causes liver disease?

Lifestyle habits like alcohol use, obesity impair the liver's functioning ability. Infections due to viral attacks are also responsible for abnormal functioning of the liver.

Years of alcohol overconsumption can cause inflammation and swelling in the liver leading to a condition called cirrhosis.

In case of an infection or a disease, the liver's basic function like removing toxins from blood, maintaining blood sugar level, production of bile, production of proteins for blood plasma and all other important bodily functions is impaired.

What is that common symptom that can signal a ARLD problem?

Just like every other disease associated with major body organs like heart and brain, liver diseases are not easy to spot initially. They do not show distinct symptoms.

However there are certain effects of these diseases on the day to day activity of the human being once it starts developing in the body. But the effect of these symptoms are so mild and common that it goes unnoticed.

Hard to believe, but brain fog or confusion is associated with ARLD. Periods of confusion, inability to focus on common things, frequent mood changes, poor judgment ability are some of the indications towards a liver issue.

If you are experiencing mood swings and are unable to concentrate on even daily activities, considering your lifestyle habits, it is important to consult a doctor.

What are the other symptoms of liver disease?

The other symptoms that are distinct to liver disease are:

• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
• Swelling in ankles
• Abdominal swelling
• Loss of appetite
• Yellowish eyes and skin
• Drowsiness
• Vomiting blood
• Passing blood in stools; dark bowel movement
• Increased thirst

​What are the critical complications of ARLD?

Several complications can arise if you have ARLD:

Portal hypertension and varices: Otherwise known as alcoholic hepatitis, this happens when the liver is scarred to a higher extent. At this stage the blood is unable to pass through the liver. As a result of which the blood uses smaller blood vessels to reach the heart; thus weakening the smaller blood vessels which eventually rupture causing bleeding. These blood then come out as vomit or are passed through stools.

Ascites: This is when fluid builds up around the abdomen. While this can be treated, a major problem associated with this is the infection of the fluid which can impair the kidney and can also be fatal.

Hepatic encephalopathy: This happens when the liver is unable to remove toxins from the blood. In this the blood contains a higher amount of toxins as the liver is unable to filter. This requires hospital admission.

What are the risk factors of liver disease?

There are several factors which pose a threat to the normal functioning of the liver. Ranging from genetics to pathogenic attacks, these factors are potentially enough to bring down one of the biggest functioning organs of the body.

The risk factors are:

• Viral attack
• Obesity
• Genetic
• Autoimmune disease
• Fatty accumulation in liver
• Certain medications
• Type 2 diabetes

Regular medical checkups are a must

While it is always said that one should visit doctors and do regular health checkups after a certain age, it is advisable to check every symptom with a doctor.

Do not allow a symptom to go on its own; in that way you are allowing ample time for the disease to grow. Timely medical intervention can save you from the severity of the disease. 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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The Low-FODMAP Diet for People with GI Problems

Not every diet is meant for weight loss, with some being designed to help people avoid foods that cause them unnecessary suffering, such as a diet for those who are sensitive to lactose or a diet for those who are sensitive to gluten.
 
One such type of diet is the FODMAP diet, which is named after the existing carbohydrate group in foods that are specifically prohibited for consumption. The goal of this diet is to relieve those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome and a regular feeling of swelling in the abdomen. If you suffer from such problems, it is highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the FODMAP diet and its course, including what foods are allowed and which should be avoided.

Why do FODMAP foods cause such stomach discomfort?

FODMAP carbohydrates, such as fructose, lactose, and sorbitol are "suspect" because they are difficult for the intestines to absorb and cause many fluids to accumulate in them. In addition, these carbohydrates stay in the intestines longer, and our good bacteria break them down in a process which causes them to ferment, resulting in bloating, gas and even diarrhea.

How does the low-FODMAP diet work?

During the FODMAP diet, foods that contain FODMAP carbohydrate are removed from the diet for 4-8 weeks, followed by moderate and gradual consumption, and trying to determine which of them are causing the problematic symptoms and which are not. It is a slow process that includes adding one of the foods that are forbidden to the diet for a few days, examining how the body responds and deciding whether to continue or stop consuming it. When you find out what foods make you suffer from a feeling of discomfort, you can avoid them completely, and thus get rid of the unpleasantness once and for all.

Is this diet right for me?

Usually, the FODMAP diet is for people with severe gastrointestinal problems, the most common problem being irritable bowel syndrome, but also Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. This diet can also be effective for people suffering from celiac disease who haven’t experienced relief even after omitting gluten from their diets.
So what about people who occasionally suffer from bloating? There is nothing to prevent you from trying this diet to avoid the sensation and to find out what foods are causing it, but you should consult a dietitian so you can know exactly which foods to remove because not all of the foods listed below are forbidden for you. However, this diet can only help, and if you believe you’ll be able to benefit from it, you should try it too.

What foods should be avoided while on a low-FODMAP diet?
The following foods are recommended to be removed from your diet for 4-8 weeks, and then reintroduced one by one to find out which cause you to experience abdominal discomfort and which don’t:

• Gluten-rich cereals and pastries: Wheat, barley, rye, noodles, pasta, and couscous.
• Legumes: Dried beans, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans and seitan.
• Dairy products rich in lactose: Yogurt, milk, sour cream, ice-cream, powdered milk, concentrated soft cheeses and soy milk.
• Vegetables: Asparagus, artichoke, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, eggplant, garlic, leek, green onion, onion, fennel, green pepper, mushrooms.
• Fruit: Apple, peach, pear, watermelon, guava, apricot, lychee, cherries, dried dates, dried figs, dried apricots.
• Fats: Avocado, cashew, and pistachios.
• Sweeteners: Honey, agave, date honey, sorbitol, mannitol, isomalt, maltitol, xylitol.
• Sweets: Milk chocolate, jams based on fruit concentrate, snacks with corn syrup, Fruit juices.
• Miscellaneous: Coffee substitutes based on chicory and barley, inulin, miso, tomato concentrate.

Note that even processed foods may contain FODMAP carbohydrates, so it is important to check their labels. You may want to consult a dietitian to find out which foods are friendlier and less friendly for the FODMAP diet if you plan on keeping it.

Which foods are allowed during a low-FODMAP diet?

The list of foods that contain FODMAP carbohydrates may seem endless, but don’t worry, there are plenty of other foods you can consume during these 4-8 weeks:

• Pastries and cereals (if a very small amount): Gluten-free breads and pita bread from spelt and rice flour (including crisps, crackers, and noodles), corn, quinoa, tapioca, millet, sorghum, potato, sweet potato, and oats.
• Proteins: Meat, fish, eggs, tofu, tempeh, cottage cheese, salty cheese, yellow cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella, butter, low-lactose milk, rice milk, almond milk and oat milk.
• Vegetables: Alfalfa sprouts, carrots, ginger, celery, endive, green beans, chard, lettuce, red pepper, pumpkin, tomato, spinach, zucchini, cucumber, coriander, basil, marjoram, mint, lime, oregano, and seaweed.
• Fruits: Cranberries, bananas, grapes, grapefruit, kiwi, melon, lemon, mandarin, orange, papaya, passion fruit and strawberries.
• Fats: Olive oil, canola oil, olives, macadamia nuts, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, pine nuts, nut butter (specified ones), flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, tahini seeds pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, mayonnaise, and mustard.
• Sweeteners: Sugar, sucralose, and maple.
• Sweets: Gluten-free waffles and cookies without sugar substitutes, dark chocolate, popcorn, cornflakes and gluten-free peanut snacks, sugar-based fruit jam.
• Miscellaneous: Soy sauce and vinegar. 

  How to start the FODMAP diet

  If you think that the FODMAP diet, as we have described it here, may help you find out what foods are harmful to you, consult your doctor first. Your doctor will be able to check your symptoms and see if the FODMAP is the most effective solution for you. Your doctor may also refer you to a dietician who specializes in this diet, which is important because you will cut off many healthy foods from your diet, and you need to know how to provide your body with the substances it will no longer receive from these sources.
  “Calcium and fiber are two that sometimes need special attention on low FODMAP diets,” says a nutrition therapist and expert on this method. In addition, she recommends returning to a normal eating routine with a dietician. Identifying harmful foods for the body after dieting is a long process, and a professional can help you do the right thing for your body while helping you identify the harmful foods better.

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Fatty Liver Disease

Symptoms of a Fatty Liver -:

Fatty liver is a common complaint with the usual age group being in the 40-60 year range. It affects around 20% of Americans and the good news is that it’s a reversible condition.
You may be experiencing fatigue, brain fog or rapid weight loss with no real explanation. Sometimes symptoms are not apparent. If your alcohol consumption is high and you eat a lot of processed and fatty foods, chances are your liver needs an overhaul.
The exhaustion you are feeling is your liver flagging. When it is clean, your body runs like a dream. It is an organ that can have enormous positive effect on so many aspects of our life and body, it is worth the effort to keep it in tip-top condition.

As the name implies, the main characteristic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is too much fat stored in liver cells.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a potentially serious form of the disease, is marked by liver inflammation, which may progress to scarring and irreversible damage. This damage is similar to the damage caused by heavy alcohol use. At its most severe, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is increasingly common around the world, especially in Western nations. In the United States, it is the most common form of chronic liver disease, affecting an estimated 80 to 100 million people.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease occurs in every age group but especially in people in their 40s and 50s who are at high risk of heart disease because of such risk factors as obesity and type 2 diabetes. The condition is also closely linked to metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of abnormalities including increased abdominal fat, poor ability to use the hormone insulin, high blood pressure and high blood levels of triglycerides, a type of fat.

Symptoms

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease usually causes no signs and symptoms. When it does, they may include:

• Enlarged liver
• Fatigue
• Pain in the upper right abdomen

Possible signs and symptoms of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and cirrhosis (advanced scarring) include:

• Abdominal swelling (ascites)
• Enlarged blood vessels just beneath the skin's surface
• Enlarged breasts in men
• Enlarged spleen
• Red palms
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have persistent signs and symptoms that cause you concern.

Causes
Experts don't know exactly why some people accumulate fat in the liver while others do not. Similarly, there is limited understanding of why some fatty livers develop inflammation that progresses to cirrhosis. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are both linked to the following:

• Overweight or obesity
• Insulin resistance, in which your cells don't take up sugar in response to the hormone insulin
• High blood sugar (hyperglycemia), indicating prediabetes or actual type 2 diabetes
• High levels of fats, particularly triglycerides, in the blood

These combined health problems appear to promote the deposit of fat in the liver. For some people, this excess fat acts as a toxin to liver cells, causing liver inflammation and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which may lead to a buildup of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the liver.

Risk factors

A wide range of diseases and conditions can increase your risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, including:

• High cholesterol
• High levels of triglycerides in the blood
• Metabolic syndrome
• Obesity, particularly when fat is concentrated in the abdomen
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Sleep apnea
• Type 2 diabetes
• Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
• Underactive pituitary gland (hypopituitarism)

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is more likely in these groups:

• Older people
• People with diabetes
• People with body fat concentrated in the abdomen

It is difficult to distinguish nonalcoholic fatty liver disease from nonalcoholic steatohepatitis without further testing.

Complications

The main complication of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is cirrhosis, which is late-stage scarring (fibrosis) in the liver. Cirrhosis occurs in response to liver injury, such as the inflammation in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.  As the liver tries to halt inflammation, it produces areas of scarring (fibrosis). With continued inflammation, fibrosis spreads to take up more and more liver tissue.
If the process isn't interrupted, cirrhosis can lead to:

• Fluid buildup in the abdomen (ascites)
• Swelling of veins in your esophagus (esophageal varices), which can rupture and bleed
• Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy)
• Liver cancer
• End-stage liver failure, which means the liver has stopped functioning

About 20 percent of people with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis will progress to cirrhosis.

Prevention

To reduce your risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease:

• Choose a healthy diet. Choose a healthy plant-based diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats.
• Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight or obese, reduce the number of calories you eat each day and get more exercise. If you have a healthy weight, work to maintain it by choosing a healthy diet and exercising.
• Exercise. Exercise most days of the week. Get an OK from your doctor first if you haven't been exercising regularly.         
  

  THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/   
  

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  FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com