Liver Diseases, Causes, Dietary Management And More

What Is Liver?

A Liver is a dark reddish brown organ located at the abdominal cavity. It is located in the upper right hand side in the abdomen, just below the diaphragm, on the top of the stomach by right kidney and intestine. The liver is the largest organ after the skin and it's also the largest gland in the human body. The liver consist of 2 lobes which are larger and smaller lopes. The liver is protected and prevents from damages by a layer of fibrous tissue (Glisson's capsule) which covers the outer part of the liver. The peritoneum, a membrane forms the lining of the abdominal cavity which covers the liver, there by holding it it firm in a place. There are two major source of blood (the vein and the hepatic artery), the portal vein supply nutrient rich blood from the digestive system while the hepatic artery carries oxygenated blood from the heart. The blood vessels are divided into tiny capillaries that end in lobules which contains millions of cells called hepatocytes.

Can Liver Be Generated?

The liver can regrow rapidly as long as it is properly cared of and kept healthy. All vertebrates can regrow their liver. It can regrow if 25% of the tissues is still remaining in the liver. It can regrow to its normal size and still functioning well. A study have shown that the removal of two - thirds of the liver of a mice and rabbit grows back to its size and restore functions within 7 to 10 days. It takes longer period of time in human, approximately 15 days. Surgical removal of the livers left or right lobes can results in complete growth of the liver after 3 to 5 months, this was suggested by researchers. After few weeks the new liver can not be differentiated from the old one.

What Are The Functions Of The Livers?

The liver carries out so many functions in whole body systems, about 500 functions in the body. It plays a vital roles in every system activities and metabolism of the body. These are some of the main functions:

• Liver helps to metabolised protein (that is breaking down of protein during digestion).

• Production of a albumin: Is a common protein in the blood serum. It prevents the leaking of blood vessels, it transport fatty acids and steroids hormones.

• Filters the blood by removing compound from the body by removing compound from the body which includes some hormones (estrogen and aldosterone) and also alcohol and drugs are removes from outside the body.

• Bile production: The live is the organ that produce bile from the gallbladder that helps in breaking down and absorbs fats, cholesterol, and some vitamins in the small intestine.

• Absorption and metabolizing of bilirubin (formed by the breakdown of red blood cells called hemoglobin).

• Metabolism of fat: The liver help in the metabolizing of fat. The bile breaks down fats and makes it easier to digest for proper absorption.

• Storage of vitamins and minerals: The liver stored vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E, K (fat soluble vitamins) and also vitamin B12. The liver stored copper and also released it. The liver stored iron (Fe) which is in the form of ferittin (ready to make new red blood cells).

• Metabolism of carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are broken down and stored in the liver (glycogen) into glucose. The glucose is released into the blood stream to regulate blood sugar levels and to be used as energy.

• Clotting formation: The liver, most produce enough bile to make clotting factors. Bile is essential for vitamin K absorption, vitamin K is the vitamin that plays a very vital roles in blood clotting.
• All the blood leaving the stomach and intestine (G.I.T) must pass through the liver for processing such as breakdown, balance, creates nutrient, metabolizing. Drugs for easier usage, removal of toxins from the blood. 

What Are The Diseases Of Liver?

The liver plays very vital roles in keeping the body and whole system healthy. Healthy liver plays a very complex role in our lives. But what will be consequence if the same liver begins to develop problem, in real this could be very dangerous and fatal.

The common types of liver diseases are:

• Hepatitis: It is the general infection of the liver by viruses, toxins or caused by an autoimmune response. In many cases of hepatitis, the liver can heals my its self when properly cared. Hepatitis may be:

Hepatitis A: caused by hepatitis viruses.

Hepatitis B: caused by hepatitis viruses.

Hepatitis C: caused by hepatitis viruses. 

They can easily be diagnosed and treated using antibiotics to inactivates and inhibits the growth of the viruses.

• Fatty liver diseases: This types is mostly caused by alcohol intake excessively, obesity is a risk factors, hypervitaminosis A. In a case of fatty liver, fats vacuoles build up and accumulate in the liver cells, which may Leeds to liver malfunctions and failure.

• Liver cirrhosis: The appearance of scar tissues replacing the liver cells, the process started with fibrosis. Alcohol, toxins, fatty liver and hepatitis are the main factors that cause cirrhosis if not treated easier. This can also leads to liver failure, become the functionality of the liver cells is damaged.

• Alcohol liver diseases: Drinking alcohol excessively (too much) over a very long period of time can damaged liver and may cause liver failure.

• Fascioliasis: It is a worm invasion as a parasite on the liver known as liver fluke. The liver fluke can lie on the liver for years. The condition is referred to as fascioliasis (a tropical diseases).

• Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC): Its inflammation of the bile duct which destruct the bile ducts, researchers have revealed that the disease has no cure but can be managed through healthy diet for some period of time. It is very fatal.

• Gilbert's syndrome: Is a harmless liver diseases. It is a genetic disorder, in this case the body body does not breakdown bilirubin fully, which leads to mild jaundice.

• Liver cancer: liver cancer are caused by alcohol and hepatitis. Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer and third most frequent cause of cancer deaths around the globe according to many researchers. The most common type of liver cancer are hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangial carcinomas.

• Hepatic encephalopathy: This damages the brain and loss it's functions because the damaged liver doesn't remove toxins from the blood. It occurs in people with chronic liver diseases. In Nigeria research has shown that over 100,000 cases per year, it is a spectrum neuropsychiatric, abnormalities in patients with liver disease. The toxins that can not be cleared by the liver accumulate in the blood and travels to the brain, damaging the brain and cause decline in the brain functions. The patients finds difficults in concentration, flapping hand motion (asterisks), muscle twitches, common and if  not treated and managed by eating healthy diet eventually death may occur. 

What Are The Dietary Management Of Liver Diseases? 

Diet therapy has been considered to play a very important roles in treating and managing liver diseases. The diet for managing the disease is called civere diet.

What Are Food Restricted?

• Alcohol: Is one of the major cause of fatty liver diseases which may then progress to other liver disease which may then progress to other liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy. 

• Avoid polished, dehulled and process cereals: such as white rice, pasta (spaghetti, macaroni, couscous), white bread. These can lead to raise in sugar level due to the absence of fiber.

• Avoid or restrict added salt: Salt adds more sodium to the body leading to edema and since the liver cant remove toxins from the blood stream then intake of salts may cause accumulation of excess fluids in the body. Limit sodium intake to less than 2300mg per day. It can be limited to as low as 1000 - 400mg per day.

• Fried foods: Are high in fat and there increase in calories as fats used in frying the foods drained it into fat and makes it more fatty, hard to digest due to the liver not able to produce bile for fat emulsification and excess increase of calories beyond recommended intake.

• Avoid or restrict red meat: Red meat are high in saturated and cholesterol, which may add more fats to the liver and complicates the disease leading to more inflammation of the liver.

•  Avoid sugar: Added sugar should be restricted or avoided completely. Foods such as candy, soda, carbonated drink, sugary juice, cookies, cakes etc. are high in sugar and contributes to high calories beyond the recommended intake. High sugar may trigger the glucose level in the blood stream which increases the amount of fat accumulating  and building up in the liver.

• Avoid process can or package foods: They are high in sodium and sugar. They are also high in additives such as preservatives to prevents the foods from spoilage but the preservatives may toxins and the liver can't remove more toxins from the blood stream, which may cause more complication and dangerous stage of liver disease called hepatic encephalopathy. Most of the nutritive additives used for preservatives are cancerous (can cause cancer of the liver or other types of cancer).

• Avoid smoking: Smoking can be dangerous and are not liver friendly as the smokers smoked in more second hand smock, the smock is very harmful, (it contains nicotine cancer causing chemicals). (the smokes components such as carbon monoxide co) nitrogen oxide and hydrogen cyanide, all these components are gases. These are at least 60 chemicals in smokes and are carcinogens which destroys the lungs and liver, causes cancer.

What Are The Foods Allowed In Liver Diseases?

• Coffee: Increase the intake of coffee in liver disease as it help to lower abnormal liver enzymes, a cup of coffee daily will make the magic. A review and research work in 2021 found that regular consumption is associated with lower risk of liver diseases.

• Vegetables: Eating vegetables, green leafy vegetables to a significant amount lowered the risk of non alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD) this is due to phytochemicals such as nitrate and polyphenols found in green leafy vegetables. Also all green leafy vegetables are high in antioxidative agents foods.

• Legumes: Legumes such as beans and soya beans, lentils, peas and lima beans are nutritionally dense foods and contains fiber and resistant starches that improves the gut. Legumes lowers risk of liver diseases, blood glucose and triglycerides in people. Soy beans contains high contents of the protein B- conglycinin which prevents the accumulation of visceral fat building therefore preventing fatty liver. 

• Fish: Go for fish such as sardines, herring, salmon, tuna and mackerel are high in omega 3 fatty acids. It boosts the HDL cholesterol and remove or lowers  triglycerides levels. Some times in a case of emergency, omega 3 supplements is allowed.

• High fiber: Whole grains, fiber rich foods like whole millet, corn, Hungary rice (Acha) finger millet etc. Plays vital roles in reducing triglycerides level, preventing building up of fats in the blood stream, which may cause fatty liver, high blood glucose level, obesity and cardiovascular disorders.

• Herbal tea: Such as turmeric tea, or adding turmeric to diet moderately, reduces the activities or markers of liver damage. (The high dose of curcumin the active ingredient in turmeric) might keep the liver healthy by reducing the markers of liver damage.

• Eating nuts: Such as walnuts which improved liver functions and can prevent liver disease. Nuts bin general, reduces inflammation, insulin resistance and oxidative stress which may lower the risk of liver disease.

• Cut of saturated fat and increase unsaturated fat intake. Saturated fats such as butter, margarine, fatty meat, sausages, are unhealthy in the diet which may complicate the disease condition by worsen it to the next stage (Hepatitis - cirrhosis - hepatic encephalopathy). Unsaturated fats are: avocados, olive oil, sun seed oil, fatty fish (omega 3 fatty acid).

• Garlic: Apart from the flavor garlic adds to diet. Studies also shows that garlic may help to reduce body weight and fat in patients with fatty liver. Go for raw garlic every day.

• Fresh vegetables: Such as cucumber, cabbage, lettuce, garden egg, are also high in flavonoid which prevents fatty liver and other liver diseases.

Other Ways To Keep The Liver Healthy:

Apart from modifying liver diet, lifestyle changes that may improve the health of the liver and other organs in the body.

• Increase level of physical activities by exercise along with healthy diet can help to loss weight and manage liver diseases, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise and walking for 40 - 1 hour per day on every day basis  is recommended to keep the body system healthy.

• Lower fats intake, this will lower blood lipid levels by avoiding saturated fats and sugar intake.

• Keep your blood sugar level in control. Diabetes and fatty liver occurs together in many cases. See your dietitian to plan menu for the management of liver for you. If there is needs for medication see your doctor.

• Detox water, has been proven to help with weight loss, removing toxins from the body, balance and boosting of the immune system.

What are the examples of detox water?

• Cucumber and carrots.
• orange and carrots detox.
• coconut water and lemon.
• cucumber and lemon.
• turmeric, ginger and lemon.
• lemon and mint.

Drink warm water first thing in the morning to flush out toxins from the system.

How to Prevent Hepatitis?

Hepatitis can be prevented from reducing the changes of contacting it.

• Don't share needles with some one in order to take drugs (to prevent getting hepatitis C) .
• Don't share personal items with an infected person, items such as such as spoons, plates, cups, shoes, clothes and bedding.
• Get vaccine for maximum doses to prevent hepatitis A and B.
• Always protect your self during intimate (sex) with an illegitimated partner.