Getting To Know & Taking Care Of Your Liver.

Many of us are unaware of this but, liver health is as important as anything, as it is considered to be a powerhouse on an organ. The people in Malaysia are often made aware about liver health, but not many of us take the initiative to properly learn what this is all about. Many people in Malaysia also tend to overlook what functions does this particular organ carry out for us. And in this article, we will be going over the basics of what the liver is, and how you can ensure that your liver is functioning in its optimal condition.

WHAT IS THE LIVER?
Your liver is the largest solid organ found in your body. On average, it can weight around 3 pounds in adulthood and is roughly about the size of a football. This particular organ is vital for your body’s metabolic functions and as well as the immune system. Without a properly functioning liver, a person will not be able to survive. The liver’s position is commonly in the right upper portion of your stomach, which is just below the diaphragm. A portion of the liver tends to go into the left upper abdomen as well.

WHAT IS THE STRUCTURE OF THE LIVER?
The liver is a half moon shaped organ that is fairly straight on the bottom. It is tilted slightly in your body’s cavity, with the left portion being above the stomach and the right portion being above the first part of your small intestine. The liver has two primary portions, or also called lobes. Each lobe is then further divided into another eight segments. Each segment is said to have an estimated 1,000 lobules, or small lobes. Each of these lobules has a small tube or duct that will flow toward the common hepatic duct. In comparison to the rest of your body, your liver tends to have a significant amount of blood flowing through it, which is an estimated 13 percent of your body’s blood which is present in the liver at any given time.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LIVER?
The liver’s primary functions are in the metabolic processes of the body itself. These tend to include the breaking down or converting substances, extracting the energy and making certain toxins less harmful to your body and removing them altogether from your bloodstream. The liver tends to do this by receiving the blood with nutrients from the digestive organs via a vein which is known as the portal vein. The many cells of the liver, which is known as hepatocytes, will tend to accept and filter this blood. They often act as little sorting centers, which will often determine which nutrients should be processed, what should be stored in your body, what should be removed via the stool and also what should go back to your blood. The liver often stores vitamins as well as minerals such as copper and also iron, releasing them if and when your body needs them. The liver will also help in breaking down fats in a person’s diet. It will either store fats or even releases them as energy.

It also tends to manufacture an estimated 800 to 1,000 milliliters of bile on a daily basis. This bile is then transported via a bile duct to your small intestine. Your small intestine will then use the bile to further break down the fats. Any extra bile left is then stored in the gallbladder. The liver will often break down proteins as well. The by product of this process is known as ammonia, which is known for being toxic to the body in large quantities. The liver will then turn the toxic ammonia into a substance which is called urea. Your liver then releases this into your blood where the kidneys will excrete it via the urine. The liver will also break down alcohol in your blood as well as many of the medications that you take. As if these functions were not sufficient, the liver will also play major roles in the following things such as creating the immune system factors that will fight against infection, creating proteins which are responsible for blood clotting, breaking down the older and damaged red blood cells and then storing extra blood sugar which is known as glycogen. When you take these factors into consideration, it is relatively easy to see how crucial the liver is to a person’s health.

HOW DOES THE LIVER REGENERATE?
The liver is very much an amazing organ in that it has the ability to regenerate. This means that after going through an injury or surgery to remove tissue, the liver tissue will then grow back to a certain extent. The liver will start growing back by having the existing cells enlarge to a certain extent. Then, the new liver cells will start to multiply. Just within a week after removing two thirds of the liver, the liver will be able to return to the same weight it was before any surgery. The liver has been well known for regenerating completely after as many as 12 partial liver removal surgeries.

WHAT DISEASES CAN DEVELOP IN THE LIVER?
There are actually so many types of diseases that can affect the liver and all of its functions. Some of these will have successful treatments while the others do not. Examples of common conditions that tend to affect the liver includes the following.

Autoimmune Hepatitis
This condition will cause your body’s immune system to attack itself and destroy all healthy liver tissue. Autoimmune hepatitis can potentially lead to cirrhosis and also other liver damage.

Biliary Atresia
Biliary atresia is a condition that adversely affects a person’s bile ducts and also the bile flow when they are an infant. If this is left untreated, the condition can potentially cause liver scarring and affect liver tissue. Fortunately, there are treatments that are available for the condition.

Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is known as a condition where scar tissue tend to replace healthy liver tissue. There are a number of conditions which can cause cirrhosis. These include the long term excessive use of alcohol, chronic hepatitis, or even rare genetic disorders, such as the Wilson’s disease.

Hemochromatosis
This condition tends to cause an excess of iron to build up in your body. Too much iron will damage your liver.

Hepatitis A
Viral hepatitis tends to refer to a viral infection that will cause liver inflammation. The hepatitis types have different letters, which include A, B, C, D, and also E. Each of them have different causes and severity. Hepatitis A is more commonly found in developing countries that tend to lack clean drinking water and also have poor sanitation systems. Most people can potentially recover from hepatitis A without having any liver failure or long term complications.

Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B may possibly cause any short term or long term infection. Among many adults, this disease is most commonly spread through having sexual contact. However, a person can also develop this through sharing needles or by even accidentally injecting themselves with a contaminated needle. The condition will cause serious complications, which include liver failure and even cancer. There is a vaccination against the disease to prevent it altogether.

Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is known for being an acute and chronic infection. It is most commonly spread by coming into contact with blood containing the hepatitis C virus, which can be through sharing unclean needles to inject drugs or even from apply tattoos. Less commonly, having unprotected sexual contact with an infected person can also transmit the infection. This condition will cause inflammation that may also lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and as well as liver cancer.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease & NASH
These are the conditions where fat tends to build up in your liver. An excess of fat can truly damage your liver, which causes inflammation. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH is a form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease that will often cause scarring or even fibrosis. People who are obese and have conditions which are related to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, are more prone to have this disease.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR LIVER HEALTHY?
These lifestyle changes can help you in keeping your liver healthy. Keep in mind to get vaccinated for both hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Start practicing safe sex with the use of a condom with your partner. Do not under any circumstances share needles or even personal care items such as razors, toothbrushes, and so on. Make it a habit to exercise regularly. Speak to your doctor regarding any medications you are taking as they may affect your liver. Limit the amount of alcohol that you consume since it takes a lot for your liver in order to breakdown the toxins from alcohol. And finally, maintain a healthy diet with fiber and fatty fishes.