Eating liver nourishes the liver? Thin people don’t have fatty liver? Recognize the 6 major liver disease misunderstandings and protect the liver scientifically

The liver is an important organ in the human body responsible for digestion, detoxification, and metabolism. In daily life, many people are afraid of liver diseases such as viral hepatitis and fatty liver. In fact, many people don’t know much about liver diseases, and there are even many misunderstandings.

Today (March 18) is National Liver Health Day. Let us learn about the six common misunderstandings about liver disease and three scientific ways to protect the liver, and pay attention to the signals in the body that indicate abnormal liver function.

Image source: Copyright Library

01

Myth: Eating liver can nourish the liver

Truth: No

There is a saying that goes “you are what you eat”, so many patients with liver disease mistakenly believe that “eating liver nourishes the liver”, but this is actually a wrong understanding.

The liver is an important organ for storing nutrients and detoxifying in animals. Some toxic and harmful substances often remain in the liver, and eating animal livers will lead to the ingestion of these toxins. Patients with liver diseases such as fatty liver and hepatitis B should try to eat less goose liver or other animal livers that are high in cholesterol and have accumulated toxins.

02

Myth: Hepatitis B is hereditary and you cannot get married or have children

The truth: It is not hereditary

"Hepatitis B is hereditary" is a big misunderstanding among many people. In fact, chronic hepatitis B is an infectious disease, not a hereditary disease. Male hepatitis B virus infected people are basically not affected in having children. If timely and effective mother-to-child transmission is blocked, more than 95% of female hepatitis B virus infected people can also give birth to healthy babies.

03

Myth: Eating out frequently can easily lead to hepatitis B infection

Fact: Not contagious

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus. The main ways of transmission of this virus are blood transmission, mother-to-child transmission and sexual contact. The hepatitis B virus cannot enter the cells of the mouth, esophagus and gastrointestinal tract, and the human digestive tract lacks the substances needed for the virus to grow and reproduce. Therefore, sharing tableware and water cups, as well as daily contact such as shaking hands, hugging, coughing, sneezing, and kissing will not cause the hepatitis B virus to be transmitted.

Image source: Copyright Library

04

Myth: Thin people cannot have fatty liver

The truth: There will be

Many people think that thin people are far away from fatty liver, but fatty liver is not "exclusive" to fat people. Obesity is only one of the risk factors for fatty liver.

If thin people have too much visceral fat deposited, they will also develop fatty liver. Especially thin people or those who lose weight quickly in a short period of time are prone to malnutrition, which affects the fat metabolism of the liver and leads to fatty liver. In addition, some chronic diseases, insulin resistance, genetic metabolism and sedentary factors can also cause fatty liver.

05

Myth: Being a vegetarian will not cause fatty liver

The truth: There will be

Vegetarians usually do not consume enough protein and vitamins, which can easily lead to reduced lipoprotein synthesis. Once the lipoprotein transport capacity is impaired, a large amount of free fat will be deposited in the liver, which may cause or aggravate the occurrence of malnutrition-related fatty liver.

06

Myth: If you have fatty liver, all you need to do is control your diet

The truth: Controlling diet and exercising require

Mild fatty liver generally does not require drug treatment, only diet control is needed, but if the fatty liver is more severe, diet control alone cannot be relied upon.

In addition to controlling their diet, patients with fatty liver also need to quit smoking, drinking and sugar. This is because the liver cannot completely break down alcohol after being damaged. Long-term accumulation of alcohol in the liver will cause serious damage to liver cells and aggravate the progression of fatty liver. Fried and greasy foods contain high cholesterol, which can affect the metabolism of fat substances.

Patients with fatty liver should eat more foods rich in vitamins and minerals. In addition, keep exercising, and it is recommended to do aerobic exercise for about 40 minutes a day to help decompose fat.

Image source: Copyright Library

What signals in the body indicate abnormal liver function?

1

Yellowing of the skin and eyes

Decreased liver function can lead to bilirubin metabolism disorders. When too much bilirubin accumulates in the blood, the skin and whites of the eyes will turn yellow. Therefore, if the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible, as this is likely a manifestation of abnormal liver function.

2

Red spots on the palms

The main function of the liver is detoxification and metabolism. If the liver is healthy and the blood circulation is smooth, all parts of the body will be rosy and translucent. However, if the liver is diseased and liver function declines, estrogen detoxification will decrease, causing estrogen to accumulate in the body, and the palms will turn red. Therefore, if there are erythema on the thenar, hypothenar and ventral part of the fingertips, that is, "liver palms", you need to see a doctor as soon as possible, as this is likely a manifestation of abnormal liver function.

3

Decreased appetite

Decreased liver function can cause symptoms such as loss of appetite, aversion to oil, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, and constipation. The liver is one of the digestive organs, and its main function is to produce bile and promote intestinal absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins. In addition, the liver is also responsible for the conversion and synthesis of some nutrients. Digestive symptoms will occur when the liver is damaged.

Spring is the season when everything comes back to life and everything turns from cold to warm. It is also a good time to nourish and protect the liver. How should we nourish and protect the liver scientifically?

1

Eat in moderation

To protect the liver, you can eat foods rich in vitamins and proteins, such as green vegetables, fruits, high-protein lean meat, river fish, soy products, etc. However, you should pay attention to a balanced diet and control the amount of food you eat. Try to eat less salt, less sugar, and less fat. Do not eat or eat less animal fat and sweets (including sugary drinks). If you consume too many calories and cannot consume them, you are more likely to get liver disease.

2

Develop a good lifestyle

Sleep is one of the best ways to nourish the liver. When sleeping, the body's metabolism slows down, and the burden on the liver is reduced. Generally speaking, 11 o'clock in the evening is the time when the liver starts to repair itself. If the body has not entered a resting state at this time, it will cause great damage to the liver.

3

Keep exercising

Avoid sitting for long periods of time, get off the sofa and move around. Exercise every day, such as brisk walking, jogging, yoga, cycling and other aerobic exercises. However, pay attention to the intensity and speed of exercise, and do it within your ability to avoid physical injuries caused by excessive exercise.

Author: Zhong Yanping

Review | Xie Yandi, Peking University Institute of Liver Diseases, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Hepatology, Peking University People's Hospital

The article is produced by "Science Refutes Facts" (ID: Science_Facts). Please indicate the source when reprinting.

The pictures in this article are from the copyright gallery and are not authorized for reproduction.