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If you want to lose weight, you might be tempted to try out trendy new diets like the keto diet or intermittent fasting. However, you may be unknowingly aggravating a condition you aren’t even aware of: a fatty liver.

Doctors are concerned about a condition known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It is a condition wherein excess fat accumulates in the liver. It can bring severe complications, including cirrhosis and liver cancer, much like consuming excessive alcohol can cause liver issues.

According to Dr. Gaurav Gupta, a liver transplant surgeon in Mumbai, there has been a substantial rise in patients with fatty liver disease. He says, “Before, the majority of patients I saw were suffering from hepatitis C, but now most of the patients who come for consultation have fatty liver disease. It’s a matter of grave concern. It is an issue that coincides closely with the global spread of diabetes and obesity.”

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affects almost one-fourth of the world’s population, and the number could be substantially higher. It is vital to be aware that patients with NAFLD have twice the risk of dying from a stroke or heart attack.

Researchers believe the condition is connected to an elevated risk of liver cancer even when there is a lack of clear-cut cirrhosis. According to early findings from a Mayo Clinic study, NAFLD can also make you more vulnerable to other types of cancer.

 

How do fad diets affect the liver?

Fad diet-related liver conditions frequently go undiagnosed until it is too late. Since many people are unaware that they have a fatty liver, it has earned the moniker “silent killer.” There is usually no pain or other symptoms associated with it.

Patients and clinicians are generally unaware of the problem until the disease has progressed to a more critical stage, such as cirrhosis or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

The liver becomes inflamed and impaired in NASH, resulting in scarring and an increased risk of liver failure or cancer. Patients concerned about non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or NASH should undergo imaging tests such as an ultrasound or MRI and liver blood testing. If the results are concerning, you can consult Dr. Gaurav Gupta, a leading specialist for liver transplant in Mumbai.

Some people have benefited from vitamin E and diabetic medicine, but the outcomes are not consistent. Losing weight is the most effective way to tackle the condition since it reduces inflammation and fat in the liver.

That’s why doctors think unhealthy eating habits and fad diets that increase fat intake are particularly risky. According to the study, the keto diet, which stresses consuming more fats and limiting carbohydrates, may lead to NAFLD.

Many people like Keto because you can eat tasty food, such as butter, red meat, cheese. However, fats account for 80% of your caloric consumption.

 

What’s the way out

It is best to eat a well-balanced diet and avoid overeating too much fat, mainly processed food. Even fructose and other sugars are harmful to the body. They can raise cholesterol levels and lead to inflammation in the liver.

Fasting is another method that can help you lose weight quickly but is difficult to sustain. One issue with fad diets is that they can be tough to stick to, especially eliminating all delectable foods. Also, rapid weight loss is not advised because it is rarely long-term.

Moderate exercise should be considered for patients with NAFLD or NASH as it helps avoid sarcopenia or decreased muscle mass and strength. Sarcopenia, when paired with obesity, can raise the risk of liver inflammation even more.

Another issue to consider is drinking. Although NAFLD is not linked to alcohol consumption, those with poor liver health should limit their alcohol consumption.

If a patient has NAFLD and drinks even a modest amount of alcohol, their chances of getting fibrosis over time are substantially increased.

Patients who are obese or overweight should have their liver fat levels measured using screening ultrasonography or other procedures. You can contact Dr. Gaurav Gupta, Head of Liver Transplant & HPB Surgery, Fortis Hospital, for more information and one of the best liver transplant in Mumbai.

The liver works relentlessly. It purifies our blood, turns toxins into waste products, metabolizes medications and nutrients, and creates proteins as our body’s major filtration system. 

While a healthy liver naturally cleanses itself, it may not be performing at its best if it is continually exposed to toxins from the environment and food.

Our bodies are under more stress than ever before, from pollution to chemicals to preservatives. These can deplete nutrient supplies, lead to a build-up of harmful substances in the body, and trigger chronic inflammation, all of which can make us sluggish and ill and put a lot more strain on our livers.

According to Dr. Gaurav Gupta, a liver transplant surgeon in Mumbai, the process of detoxification functions efficiently in a healthy body. However, when you are unhealthy or suffering from disease, your liver’s detoxification function slows down, and some toxins might stay active for longer than we desire or our bodies can take. It makes us ill and slows down our metabolism. It also causes bloating, puffiness, and fluid retention.

If you experience any such symptoms, contact Dr. Gaurav Gupta for consultation. He provides one of the best liver transplant in Mumbai.

 

From time to time, our body gives out signs and signals to tell us that our liver needs to detox and cleanse itself.

While we may not restrict our exposure to all toxins and chemicals, we can make intelligent dietary and lifestyle changes that help the liver detoxify and reduce our overall toxic load.

Keep a watch out for the following signs:

• You are overweight
• Have joint pain
• Experience bloating and gas
• Sensitive to medications, smells, or chemicals
• Feel fatigued
• Skin is not clear
• Stress
• Prone to seasonal allergies
• Crave sugar
• Bad breath and body odour

What could be interfering with your liver’s ability to function correctly?

While most people connect disorders like hepatitis with a damaged liver, many other causes can place an undue load on our body’s primary detoxifying organ, all of which you should address right away:

• Excessive alcohol
• Exposure to chemicals
• Taking incorrect doses of medicine or self-medication
• Poor gut health
• Excessive consumption of sugar
• Being overweight

 

Ways to naturally cleanse your liver

Learn how to cleanse or detox your liver without harming your health. The strategies given below will assist your liver in performing at its best.

1. Eat a diet that is good for your liver and guts

No need for sophisticated detox. A well-balanced, healthy diet that encourages weight loss or maintenance and includes nutrients that help your liver and gut is the best.

According to research, decreasing your body weight by 5 to 10% can lower liver fat levels by 35 to 40%. It eases a substantial burden on the liver.

You can start by eliminating processed foods and increasing water consumption. Eat whole grains, seeds, vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, eggs, fish, and minimally processed oils like olive or coconut oil instead of caffeine, processed foods, and alcohol.

Avoiding common allergens and food sensitivities can help heal gastrointestinal damage, reduce the number of toxins in your system, and relieve liver stress.

Food beneficial for the liver

Include foods in your diet that are good for your liver. You may begin to incorporate foods that support healthy liver function, such as those that increase glutathione production, encourage bile flow, and bind toxins and heavy metals.

These are:

Beetroot Berries Citrus fruits Broccoli Almonds

Fermented foods Leafy vegetables Green tea Salmon Lentils

2. Experiment with intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting can help your liver detox. According to studies, fasting causes liver cells to create added protein linked to improved sugar metabolism and lower liver fat levels.

When the body and liver do not focus on our digestive system, it can heal and clean itself. When we let this process run its course, our body’s healthy cells eat up harmful cells, resulting in a complete cellular detox.

3. Make sensible use of liver-supporting supplements

Specific items marketed as liver detoxes or liver cleanses have not been tested for safety or efficacy. On the other hand, some nutrients have the potential to enhance liver function. Although supplements like turmeric, activated charcoal, chlorella, and milk thistle are generally safe, you should consult your physician before taking any of them to check that they don’t react with your current medications.

4. Exercise regularly

Regular exercise helps your liver in detoxification. It is dependent on two relevant factors, limiting further exposure to toxins and eliminating toxins already existing in the body. Thirty minutes of walking or aerobic activity per day is beneficial.

5. Make time for self-care

Too much stress in your life can harm your liver as it amplifies liver disease. Stress that goes unchecked can harm your health in various ways, leading to digestive problems and other lifestyle disorders. As a result, adopting healthy lifestyles that induce calm in your life is in your best interests.

Liver detox is a lifestyle change, and the above tips do help. If you experience any liver-related issues, visit an experienced surgeon who excels in liver transplant in Mumbai.

Our healthcare system is facing significant issues as a result of Covid-19’s rapid spread. The majority of deaths occur as a result of respiratory failure caused by substantial lung injury. 

We also learned that the virus could harm the food pipe, liver, stomach, pancreas, intestine, and other digestive system areas. A renowned liver specialist in Mumbai provides facts about the liver and how a Covid-19 infection might affect it.

How does the Covid-19 virus affect the liver?

By attaching to the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE-2) receptor, the virus infects human cells. These receptors are also found in the colon, bile duct, and liver cells, making these organs vulnerable to virus harm.

In Covid-19, what are the liver and gastrointestinal symptoms?

Diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain have been observed in up to 15% of Covid-19 infection patients, in addition to respiratory problems. According to a leading liver transplant surgeon in Mumbai, patients who report gastrointestinal symptoms have been observed to have a more extended hospital stay and a more severe course of illness than those who do not.

As per current data, 19% of Covid-19 patients have elevated levels of liver enzymes during the course of the disease. However, liver damage is usually minor and transitory in most people, but significant liver damage has been seen.

What is the treatment for Covid-19 infection in patients with pre-existing liver disease?

Hepatitis B & C, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcohol misuse, and autoimmunity are prominent causes of chronic liver disease. These patients’ immune systems are weakened, so they must be extremely cautious because the virus poses a greater danger of severe illness.

In patients with pre-existing chronic liver disease, the virus can cause liver injury, which can lead to acute or chronic liver failure: the more serious the Covid infection, the more severe the liver damage. Most drugs used to treat Covid-19 have a tendency to harm the liver, necessitating regular monitoring and dosage adjustments as needed.

In case of liver failure, contact a liver specialist who provides one of the best liver transplant in Mumbai.

What effects does Covid-19 have on patients who have had a liver transplant? Is it safe to perform a liver transplant at this time?

There have been doubts that organ transplant recipients on drugs that lower body immunity may be more susceptible to Covid-19 infection or have a more severe condition. Most of these drugs have now been proven to be safe and may help prevent severe Covid symptoms by preventing the cytokine storm.

In organ transplant recipients, the outcome of Covid-19 infection is the same as in the general population. It is no surprise that, despite early reservations, transplant activity has restarted in Mumbai for those who need it most.  It is excellent for patients undergoing liver cancer treatment in Mumbai.

Should patients with chronic liver disease and those who have had a liver transplant get the Covid-19 virus vaccine?

The vaccination’s safety in this group has now been confirmed. All of these people who are eligible must get the immunization as soon as possible. They should not pick and choose their vaccines or wait for the right one. The vaccine’s efficacy in immunosuppression patients is thought to be slightly lower than in the general population, but there are no additional complications.

What precautions should individuals with liver conditions take to avoid infection with Covid-19 and bad outcomes?

Patients with underlying liver disorders fare badly with Covid-19 as compared to healthy people. As a result, every effort must be taken to maintain the liver’s health. The fatty liver disease presents an unfavourable environment for the virus to thrive.

For the benefit of the liver, avoid eating sweets, fatty foods, and fast food. Also, exercise regularly for 30 minutes five days a week. It would be best if you avoid excessive alcohol consumption at all costs. Patients with chronic hepatitis or autoimmunity must take their medications on a regular basis.

The availability of vaccines has given hope that we can bring the pandemic under control soon. However, social distancing and following covid protocol will continue to be necessary.

For any liver-related issues, you can contact Dr. Gaurav Gupta, a renowned liver transplant surgeon in Mumbai.

According to research, 6 to 7% of the world’s population has liver fibrosis and is unaware of it because there are no symptoms. That’s why many people develop serious liver complications.

 

What is liver fibrosis?

Liver fibrosis develops when scar tissue builds up in the organ due to repeated or long-term damage or inflammation. Fibrosis can develop as a result of almost any chronic liver disease.

Unlike healthy liver cells, scar tissue cells are unable to self-repair or work in any other way. Fibrosis can lower overall liver function and limit the organ’s regenerative capacity.

Scar tissue caused by fibrosis can also obstruct or restrict blood flow within the liver. It can starve and eventually kill healthy liver cells, resulting in additional scar tissue.

Treating infections, changing one’s lifestyle, and taking medications are all common treatments. Mild to moderate liver fibrosis can often be reversed with treatment.

If the inflammation persists, potentially due to a lack of treatment, liver fibrosis can progress to more severe liver diseases. Timely treatment from a liver specialist in Mumbai can help you overcome fibrosis.

 

Symptoms of liver fibrosis

In the mild to moderate phases of liver fibrosis, doctors rarely diagnose it. It is because signs of liver fibrosis normally don’t appear until more of the liver has been damaged.

When a person’s liver condition progresses, they may experience the following symptoms:

• Loss of appetite
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Jaundice
• Unexplained weight loss
• Having trouble thinking clearly
• An accumulation of fluid in the legs or stomach

Tests used to diagnose fibrosis

Liver biopsy

If your doctor suspects liver fibrosis, they will ask you to undergo a biopsy. The doctor will use a big needle to safely extract a tiny tissue sample from the liver during the biopsy.

The sample will then be examined under a microscope by a pathologist, a doctor specializing in determining the ailment source. It helps determine the type and extent of the damage.

Since the pathologists only have a limited sample to work with, determining the degree of fibrosis is difficult. The same sample can be evaluated in a variety of ways by different doctors.

To classify the stages of fibrosis, healthcare providers might employ a variety of scales. The Ishak, Metavir, and Batts–Ludwig scales are among these.

These and other scoring systems consider the impact of fibrosis on the portal vein that transports blood from the intestines to the liver. Some scales also count the fibrous bands of tissue (septa) in the biopsy sample and the extent of fibrosis.

 

Liver Elastography

Another alternative is to do a transient elastography imaging test called fibroscan. It determines the stiffness of the liver. The damaged cells in a person’s liver stiffen it when they have liver fibrosis.

Low-frequency sound waves are used in this examination to assess the degree of fibrosis or scarring that may be present in your liver as a result of a variety of diseases.

Your gastroenterologist will then utilize this information to personalize and optimize your treatment approach. Fibroscan can be used instead of a liver biopsy in some cases.

 

Liver elastography is recommended if you have any of these liver conditions:

• Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Alcoholic liver disease
• Cirrhosis
• Genetic diseases like Wilson’s disease

Nonsurgical tests

Doctors do use non-invasive tests to determine the likelihood of a person having liver fibrosis. These blood tests are usually recommended to people with chronic hepatitis C infections who are at a higher risk of developing liver fibrosis due to their illness.

Some of these blood tests are:

• Tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1)
• Matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP)
• Serum hyaluronate

Further, the doctor may also use calculations-intensive tests that examine six different liver function markers and put them into an algorithm before providing a score.

Outlook

Cirrhosis of the liver is one of the main causes of death worldwide. As a result, a person with liver fibrosis must be detected and treated as soon as possible before it advances to liver cirrhosis.

However, if a person’s liver fibrosis progresses to the point where it is extremely scarred and no longer functions, the only option is to have a liver transplant.

In such a circumstance, you should immediately contact an experienced liver transplant surgeon in Mumbai like Dr. Gaurav Gupta, who provides one of the best liver transplant in Mumbai.

Do you lately have issues with your health, skin, hair, or behavior alterations such as mood disorders, sleep disturbances, depression, so on? Does this change baffle you?

If this is the case, we recommend contacting a liver doctor in Mumbai as soon as possible. People usually stress over pimples and hair loss but tend to overlook issues such as fatigue, loss of appetite, and indigestion.

We should avoid turning a blind eye to the above symptoms related to our liver’s health. We don’t realize how important this organ is!

The liver is one of the most vital organs in your body. Treat it like your body’s fuel pump because whatever you eat to keep yourself fueled must be metabolized by your liver for proper functioning.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if one of your body’s most important organs failed? Well, the entire system of our body will collapse.

This usually occurs at an older age, but the issues begin in your late twenties or early thirties. Your lifestyle and eating habits are critical in determining whether or not you have a healthy liver. However, in some circumstances, liver problems are the result of other ailments.

The main question here is, how do we know that our liver health is getting compromised. According to Dr. Gaurav Gupta, one of the best liver transplant surgeon in Mumbai, you must pay attention to your body in order to understand it.

Do you know what happens in case our liver does not function properly?

If a person’s liver is not working as it is supposed to, there can be infections, scarring, or liver cancer. Moreover, these issues can affect a person’s morbidity and mortality rates.

Continue reading to learn more about this, and don’t neglect your liver problems. Treatment for liver disorders should begin as soon as possible to improve your quality of life.

 

What work does our liver do?

To understand the importance of the liver, let us get to know what function it performs:

• It produces bile which aids in the breakdown and absorption of fat in the small intestine.
• Synthesizes proteins like albumin and blood clotting factors
• Balances amino acids in your blood
• Regulates glucose levels
• Develops immune factors to fight infection
• Clears the toxic substances and bacteria from the bloodstream

Genetics and other issues such as viruses, obesity, and alcohol can hinder the performance of the liver, stop it from performing to its full potential. When the liver isn’t working correctly, it might have a negative impact on the rest of your body.

 

How the liver impacts the body when it is not functioning properly?

1 . Liver failure:

This occurs when the liver fails to produce enough bile and cannot clear out the toxins from the body. Nausea, loss of appetite, and blood in the stool are all possible symptoms. If the liver is damaged, you may require a liver transplant.

In case of liver failure, you must immediately consult a liver specialist experienced in providing one of the best liver transplant in Mumbai.

 

2. Liver scarring:

Also known as cirrhosis, this is a late stage of liver fibrosis caused by liver diseases and disorders such as severe alcoholism and hepatitis. It is frequent when the liver is unable to operate effectively due to various causes such as viral hepatitis, liver disease, diabetes, obesity, and alcohol consumption.

 

3. Infections:

Hepatitis is defined as liver inflammation. It occurs when the liver isn’t working correctly, and there is damage to it. Hepatitis A and E are caused by eating or drinking something contaminated with fecal matter.

Hepatitis B happens by unprotected sex or needle sharing. When infected blood enters your bloodstream, Hepatitis C can develop. Hepatitis D is transmitted when blood or other bodily fluids from a virus-infected person enter the body of an uninfected person.

 

4. Liver cancer:

Chronic infection due to Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and excessive alcohol use might impair the liver’s function, resulting in cancer.

Early diagnosis and treatment can help fight off cancer. You can contact Dr. Gaurav Gupta, the Department Head at Fortis, for a liver transplant in Mulund, Mumbai.

Outlook

If you feel you don’t fit into this category because you don’t drink, think again. There are two types of liver disorders: alcoholic and fatty liver. Alcoholic deformities are the most prevalent, but the fatty liver can occur whether or not you drink.

So, for the love of your liver, get out of denial and stay aware!