What is in your liver?

Many if not all of us know that our Liver is extremely important. A significant number of us are also aware that abusing medication, alcohol and herbal preparations can wreck the liver. Hepatitis B has also been vilified and rightly so, but few of us may know that being overweight or living an unhealthy lifestyle may also spell doom for our liver. Unfortunately for a “chosen” few who may be doing the right things, their liver may still decide to act up. This is one of the many reasons why I believe so much in having regular medical check-ups. Do not follow the group that claims “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” it certainly does not occur in this scenario.
You may have heard of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver of people who drink little or no alcohol. In NAFLD, fat builds up in the liver and this may eventually lead to scarring of the liver tissue. Many people with this fatty liver experience no symptoms and the condition may only be discovered “accidentally” during medical check-up. In the lucky few who may show symptoms, they are often non-specific and you may find yourself being dosed with ant malarial medication or worse still being treated for typhoid. We will rather be putting more stress on an ailing liver.
A more serious form of NAFLD called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can cause severe liver damage and eventually lead to liver failure or liver cancer in a small number of people. The scarring of the liver caused by the excess fat can on rare occasion also cause hardening and loss of liver function; a condition referred to as cirrhosis. Take heart; not all people with NASH have their conditions worsening but you will need to take adequate precautions.
Many questions still remain; why do some people develop NASH when fat accumulates in their liver but many others do not? Does NASH run in families?
WHO IS AT RISK FOR DEVELOPING NASH?
• Obese people
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Cholesterol challenges
• Those who may have a combination of high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity
• Malnutrition
• Rapid weight loss
• Certain medication such as steroids
ANY WARNING SIGNS?
Most people feel perfectly well and some may develop symptoms after several years. These symptoms could mimic many other conditions and include:
• Weight loss for no obvious reason
• Always feeling tired
• General weakness
• An ache in the upper right part of your belly
I do not plan to make you doctors in the few minutes that you will take to read this article lest I am tried in the “open court”. Once upon a time I thought in Ghana one was innocent until proven guilty. These days we hear only one side of the story and dish out judgement. Let us take a holistic look at bringing sanity into our country including healthcare of course but we should avoid making scape goats out of a few, screaming our throats hoarse only to “drop” the case after damaging an individual while we leave a thousand others gleefully maiming and killing people through various actions or inactions. We should also learn to investigate cases properly instead of rushing out to make a name.
CAN NASH BE TREATED?
Managing NASH mirrors that of any lifestyle disease and over the past few years we have been stressing on these changes that are within our reach.
• Reduce cholesterol
• Control diabetes and high blood pressure
• Stop or reduce alcohol consumption. It may be smarter to stop if you have the condition already.
• Get to your ideal weight. If you need to lose weight, do it gradually since sudden weight loss may complicate your condition
• Exercise regularly – we need to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week or even double this for better results. If you are fit you may work with your fitness instructor or doctor to increase the intensity of your exercises.
• Beware of herbal preparations and even medications that may appear harmless such acetaminophen (paracetamol) where taking more than the daily requirements can spell doom
• Increase fruits, vegetables and whole grains and limit the intake of foods rich in cholesterol and saturated fats. Beware of many fast foods.
Like my nine-year old daughter Ekua puts it “The Golden Rule to Success is to BELIEVE.” Believe you can fight NASH and NAFLD and adopt the above guidelines. Work with your healthcare professional and you will be successful.


AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)

Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Moms’ Health Club
(dressel@healthclubsgh.com)

*Dr Essel is a medical doctor and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy and fitness nutrition.
Thought for the week – Send me an email if you are interested in taking part in our Corporate Health Walk (FIT TO WALK CHALLENGE) scheduled for Saturday July 20th 2013.
Reference:
1. Vijay Shah, MD. Mayo Clinic –
2. An Overview of NASH – www.webmd.com