Once upon a time in India, diseases of the biggest body organ seemed to be as rare as a large water body is in the desert. Liver is considered to be the biggest organ in a human body. And, at the same time it is also the only organ that has the capacity to repair and regrow itself if damaged. However, it is surprising to see an alarming spike in liver diseases among Indians in the recent few years.
If we were to talk in numbers, it has been reported that more than 70 million adults in India suffer from liver diseases. The most common kind of liver disease that a majority of them suffer from is, fatty liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as it is scientifically called occurs four times more often in Indians as compared to Americans. This is directly connected to the food and water we consume on a daily basis.
When a person suffers from this disease, their liver gets swollen due to the deposition of excess fat around the liver. Did you know that people who test positive for diabetes are more at a risk of suffering from a fatty liver? This makes it important for all of us to be aware of what this illness to help us take better precautions and protect our health.
Here are 5 things, you must know about fatty liver disease
It Is All In The Diet
They say, you are what you eat. Similarly, if an individual is habitual to a diet that is rich in simple carbohydrates, trans fats and saturated fats from a young age, chances of them bring overweight are high. This overweight physique leads to less muscle mass and more fat accumulation in the body. It further reduces the body’s ability use energy properly and makes an individual prone to a fatty liver.
Sugar Is A Major Contributing Factor
India sees an enormous percentage of people suffering from type-2 diabetes. Many of the vital organs of their body are unable to use the insulin produced within and hence must take insulin externally. This also results into the body’s immunity going down drastically and one of the first organs to be affected is liver.
It May Just Happen Overnight
Many of the medical professionals call Fatty Liver Disease a silent killer. The reason for this is sometimes the patient suffering from this illness may be unaware about it. Only when the damage caused to the liver is beyond repair, does the individual realise that they are diagnosed with it. Regular check-ups and a healthy lifestyle thus become extremely important in such cases.
There Is No Set Treatment
While the doctors will prescribe a few medications to patients, there does not happen to be a cure for fatty liver. The only and best line of treatment is adopting a healthier lifestyle, consuming good quality of food and water, avoiding areas of water contamination and going for regular check-ups.
It Can Be Cured Quite Easily
Yes, you read that correctly. It is quite possible to cure a fatty liver, if the patient follows a strict weight loss regime. Even if a person is diagnosed with this disease, if they follow healthier alternatives when it comes to eating and travelling in general, their liver might improve drastically.
Thanks for this inspirational and very well written article.