Liver your Life – Liver Awareness Month Oct 2021
Liver disease is a silent killer and kills more people than Malaria and AIDS combined each year. Chennai Liver Foundation has been very active in spreading awareness about this for over 40 years now and has conducted many awareness and screening camps across the state.
Despite the good efforts, public awareness about liver health has not been taken seriously. This October, Chennai Liver Foundation along with our partners has decided to up the efforts by increasing the visibility and organizing more screening camps. CLF along with partner MedAll will be providing FREE Liver Function Test and FREE Liver Consultation this month to more people to diagnose any underlying liver conditions.
To get a FREE Liver Function Test, signup in the form above. Contact the best liver transplant surgeon in Chennai, Dr. Vivekanandan, for a FREE liver consultation Please share your contact information with us.
Why Liver Awareness?
Your liver is the most important organ in your body and does hundreds of essential jobs. Apart from filtering the blood coming from the digestive tract, the liver also detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs. The liver also makes proteins that are important for blood clotting and other functions.
The liver works very hard and can take a lot of abuse, but like an elastic band – it gets damaged when it reaches the peak of its elasticity. Remember, you have only one Liver. It’s important to know how to look after it. With an early diagnosis of an underlying liver condition, the liver can repair itself with proper Liver treatment, reversing the damage. Reversal is less likely in the advanced stages.
National Liver Awareness Month in October encourages you to act early and be safe in preventing liver disease. Chennai Liver Foundation has events planned all through October month to keep you informed about that heavy lifter in your body, the liver.
Live(r) Your Life – Daily Actions Library
Day 1: Join the Liver(r) Your Life Campaign
This October, help us spread awareness and increase prevention and early detection of liver disease and cancer. Together, we will discover the action steps you can take to improve your liver knowledge and your health.
Day 2: Locate Your Liver
At three pounds and the size of a football, the largest organ in your body is your liver. It’s located near the upper right part of your abdomen, under your ribs.
Day 3: Learn the Liver’s Function
Your liver is vital to your metabolic, detoxification, and immune systems. It takes care of all your body’s functions. Your liver eliminates toxins, stores 10 percent of your blood, and cleans 3 pints of blood every minute.
Day 4: Discover the Liver’s Superpower
The liver is the only organ in the body that can regenerate itself. The liver can develop new cells when it’s in a healthy state. However, there are ways you can damage your liver so badly, its superpowers end.
Day 5: Learn About Liver Cirrhosis Treatement
Cirrhosis is a late stage of scarring of the liver caused by many forms of liver diseases and conditions. Each time your liver is injured, it tries to repair itself. In the process, scar tissue forms. Advanced cirrhosis is life-threatening, but there are steps you can take to keep your liver healthy and avoid this disease.
Day 6: Learn about Liver Diseases
Liver diseases fall into four categories: viruses, lifestyle choices, environment, and rare genetic disorders.
Day 7: Learn Liver Disease-Related Symptoms
Your liver doesn’t have pain receptors. That is why liver cancer is often diagnosed in later stages. Although many cases of liver cancer are preventable, most symptoms go undetected and are overlooked. Symptoms of liver disease can vary. It’s important to know what to look out for and when a symptom may be a sign of something more serious.
Day 8: Understand HCC
Primary liver cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma is also called HCC for short. HCC is cancer that starts in your liver. It’s different from secondary liver cancers, which have spread to the liver from other organs. HCC often is a fatal disease and the more you know, the more you can do to prevent it.
Day 9: Learn How HCC May Be Diagnosed
Your doctor may do a physical exam to see if your liver is enlarged or tender. Your doctor may order blood tests to measure your liver function. Your doctor may schedule imaging tests such as a CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound.
Depending on the results, your doctor may order a biopsy of your liver.
Depending on the results, your doctor may order a biopsy of your liver.
Day 10: Learn About Liver Transplant Surgery
During a liver transplant, the liver transplant surgeon replaces a diseased liver with a healthy liver. The donor is usually deceased. For end-stage liver disease and primary liver cancer, a liver transplant is usually the best option.
Day 11: Discover the 2 Types of Liver Transplants
You can’t live without a functioning liver. For many chronic liver diseases, a liver transplant surgery is needed. A liver transplant is the surgical removal and replacement of all or part of the damaged liver. There are two types of liver transplants one is liver replacement may come from a healthy living donor or a deceased donor.
Day 12: Identify the 2 Types of Fatty Liver Disease
Fatty liver disease is a condition in which fat builds up in your liver. There are two main types: 1.Alcoholic fatty liver disease also called alcoholic steatohepatitis and 2. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) — which is not related to heavy alcohol use.
Day 13: Understand Alcohol’s Effect on Cirrhosis
Alcohol damages and destroys the cells of your liver. It is one of the main causes of Liver cirrhosis.
Day 14: Discover Healthy Ways to Love Your Liver
Anytime is a great time to love your liver! Fresh air, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables can reduce liver inflammation – and they’re also delicious. Or walk with your best friend. Your liver loves it when you exercise. And your dog loves being with you!
Day 15: Learn Why Maintaining a Healthy Weight Is So Important
Losing weight and keeping it off is good for your liver and general health…. but it is HARD even if you’re the leader of the free world. Eating can be an addiction. Slipping from slightly overweight into health-threatening obesity can happen to anyone. There are no quick fixes. If you want to love your liver, your heart, and the rest of your body, you need to maintain a healthy weight.
Day 16: Learn the risk factors for Hepatitis B
The risk factors for Hepatitis B are:
Having unprotected sex with multiple sex partners or with someone who’s infected with HBV.
Sharing needles during IV drug use.
Working in a job that exposes you to bodily fluids including blood.
Being born to an infected mother.
Having unprotected sex with multiple sex partners or with someone who’s infected with HBV.
Sharing needles during IV drug use.
Working in a job that exposes you to bodily fluids including blood.
Being born to an infected mother.
Day 17: Learn the risk factors for Hepatitis C
The hepatitis C virus is spread through the blood. Some examples of blood-to-blood contact that may lead to hepatitis C transmission include:
Sharing drug paraphernalia.
Being stuck by a used blood needle.
Working in a job that exposes you to blood.
Receiving blood transfusions prior to 1992.
Being incarcerated.
Being in combat in the military
Sharing drug paraphernalia.
Being stuck by a used blood needle.
Working in a job that exposes you to blood.
Receiving blood transfusions prior to 1992.
Being incarcerated.
Being in combat in the military
Day 18: Learn About Liver Related Genetic Disorders
There are some rare genetic disorders like Wilson’s disease and Hereditary Hemochromatosis that may cause HCC. Wilson’s disease is caused by the inability to eliminate copper in the bloodstream. Hereditary Hemochromatosis is caused by a faulty gene that causes the body to absorb too much iron from food and can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Day 19: Learn About Comorbidities
Comorbidity means more than one disease or condition is present in the same person at the same time. Having a comorbidity may put you at higher risk for liver disease and liver cancer.
Day 20: Learn About Liver Function Tests
Liver function tests determine your liver’s health by measuring the levels of proteins and liver enzymes in your blood. Depending on the test, either higher or lower than normal levels of these enzymes or proteins can indicate a problem with your liver. A liver function test may be recommended if you’re experiencing symptoms of liver disease, liver cancer, or if you have certain medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or anemia.
Day 21: Get the Hepatitis B Vaccine
The hepatitis B vaccine is usually given as 2, 3, or 4 shots and it can prevent hepatitis B. Infants should get their first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth and will usually complete the series at six months of age. Adolescents younger than 19 years of age who have not yet gotten the vaccine and unvaccinated adults should also be vaccinated.
Day 22: Get the Hepatitis C Screening
Hepatitis C is an infection caused by a virus that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation. While there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, There is a treatment that can achieve up to a 95% cure rate. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that ALL adults over 18 have a one-time screening for hepatitis C.
Day 23: Drink Coffee!
Coffee! The magic bean is a terrific way to love your liver! Not only may it help reduce the risk of liver disease by as much as 70 percent, it may also help protect against alcohol-related cirrhosis, non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease, and hepatitis C.
Day 24: Stop Drinking Alcohol
Alcohol is a toxin, and your liver’s job is to flush out toxins to protect your body. In fact, your liver processes 90 percent of the alcohol you consume. Your liver can only process a certain amount of alcohol at a time. When you drink too much, the alcohol left unprocessed by your liver circulates through your bloodstream. The alcohol in the blood starts affecting the heart and brain, which is how you become intoxicated.
Day 25: Lose 10% of Your Body Weight
You can take control of your health just by losing 10% of your weight. Try the “ten percent solution” to prevent liver disease, and to help heal your liver. Before making drastic changes to your lifestyle, ask your doctor if losing 10% of your body weight will be good for you.
Day 26: Register to Become a Liver Transplant Donor
On average, three people pass away every day waiting for a liver transplant surgery. The number of people who need liver transplants exceeds the number of livers available. The good news is, there are ways you can help! You can register to become a liver donor. You can be a live donor and donate a portion of your healthy liver. Another option is to register to donate your liver when you pass.
Day 27: Review Action Steps
The primary liver disease prevention tips we’ve shared during the Live(r) Your Life Campaign are:
Drink coffee.
Stop drinking alcohol.
Lose 10% of your body weight.
Become a liver donor.
Drink coffee.
Stop drinking alcohol.
Lose 10% of your body weight.
Become a liver donor.
Day 28: Take Action
Now that you know about Liver and its importance:
Get a free Liver Function Test.
Get a free liver consultation through Chennai Liver Foundation.
Get a Hepatitis B vaccination.
Get a one-time Hepatitis C screening.
Get a free Liver Function Test.
Get a free liver consultation through Chennai Liver Foundation.
Get a Hepatitis B vaccination.
Get a one-time Hepatitis C screening.
Day 29: Share the Word
One in 5 people you meet may be infected by a Liver Disease. Tell them about the Live(r) your Life campaign
Follow up on Facebook.
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel.
Let them know about our camps.
Follow up on Facebook.
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel.
Let them know about our camps.
Day 30: Live your Life Longer
Not only October, we want you to remember this for the rest of your life, so you can live longer.
Day 31: Thank you Liver
Thank your liver for following what you learned these 30 days! Thank us later!