Liver Disease

You are here: Home / Archives for Articles By Cause / Liver Disease

Eating for your Liver… and your Life!

by 4 Comments
Sep
11
2010
ist2_6148437-i-love-healthy-eating

I have been asked many times about my diet prior to my liver transplant. Having advanced liver disease does limit your food, however, even if you are not in liver failure -- even if you do not have liver disease at all, a liver friendly diet can improve your health. There are a few "tweaks" though, if you are suffering from the symptoms of ESLD (End Stage Liver Disease), such as Ascites/Edema or HE (Hepatic Encephalopathy).  I have been researching this for quite some time now, and have put most of this into play with my diet, and the diets of my family. For more in depth information, visit my... well my former livers blog @ LarrysAntics.blogspot.com :). First thing is first, always talk to your doc or nutritionist about any changes, I do not pretend to be a professional. Automatically if you are suffering from Ascites/Edema, your nutritionist will say NO canned, frozen, or packaged food, I find this a little misleading. I do get some canned fruits and vegetables, but I do NOT get … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease, Nutrition Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What does the liver do and what happens when it is damaged?

by 8 Comments
Aug
17
2010
learn-live-hope

The basics on the liver as a “Filtering System, Chemical Factory, and a Warehouse” The liver is one of the largest organs in the body, consisting of 2 lobes – The smaller, left lobe and larger, right lobe. Many don’t know that there are 8 sections in the liver, each functioning as “little livers” and that the liver can regenerate itself – making it great for sharing! The liver plays an important role in many life processes, including •    Breaking down food into chemicals our bodies need. •    Producing Bile (needed for digestion). •    Storing and controlling sugar levels, vitamins, and minerals. •    Maintaining hormonal balance •    Removing poisons and toxins from the bloodstream. •    And more… This is why when the liver goes awry, so many things in your body are affected. Any chronic liver disease can cause cirrhosis – Notice, I said CAN, not WILL. Cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) can be stopped or slowed if the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Fighting Liver Disease Like A Girl

by 4 Comments
Jul
29
2010
Combat Girl Liver Disease

Right now, I am less than 2 weeks away from a partial liver transplant. I am 29 years old and finding out you have any life-threatening disease is scary (to put it mildly), but finding out you have a disease that carries the stigma of Cirrhosis… well, let’s just say it sometimes makes it tough to handle like a “dignified” gal. I can honestly say, being that I found out I had Hepatitis C when I was 12 years old; I have had a lot of experience with this. However, (in my expert opinion) I also feel that if you are going to have a diseased organ – the liver is the way to go. (As if we had a choice) Why do I say that? Well, not to be biased, but the liver is an amazing organ! Not only because of all of its jobs it usually completes seamlessly, but because it is one of the only organs that can regenerate itself. Why is that important for us? Because that means in most situations, the liver CAN heal! Liver disease is not a death sentence, even if it advances to cirrhosis, there … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Liver Disease Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,