October is National Liver Awareness Month

The American Liver Foundation says that
25 million Americans - one in every 10 -
have had a liver or gallbladder disease. About 5,600 liver transplants were performed in 2003; and over 17,700 people are waiting for a liver transplant today.

Preferred Care is committed to helping
you and your family lead a healthier life.
It is important to understand the role that
the liver plays in your body, and about some simple things you can do to protect it from disease.

What does the liver do?

The liver is one of the largest and most important organs in the human body. The liver is behind the lower right part of your ribs which protect it from being injured. The liver:

• Stores vitamins, sugars, fats and other nutrients from the food that you eat.
• Makes chemicals that your body needs to stay healthy.
• Breaks down chemicals that can hurt your body, like alcohol and other toxic (poisonous) chemicals.
• Takes waste products out of your blood.
• Makes sure that your body has the right amount of other chemicals.

How can I protect my liver from disease?

Since the liver is one of the most important organs in your body, you need to keep it healthy. Some of the things you can do to protect your liver include:

• Don't have unsafe sex.
• Don't inject drugs like heroin or cocaine.
• Don't share any personal items that might have blood on them.
• Limit or don't drink alcohol. It can make liver diseases like hepatitis much worse.
• Get vaccinations (shots) against hepatitis A (HAV) and hepatitis A (HBV). A simple series of shots can protect most people from getting infected with the viruses that cause hepatitis A and B. There is currently no vaccine against the virus that causes hepatitis C.
• Make sure that the water you drink and the food you eat are clean. Most cases of infection with HAV result from poor cleanliness, especially in restaurants and cafeterias.
• If you take medications, make sure your doctor knows about them. Also tell your doctor about any over-the-counter medicines, supplements, natural or herbal remedies that you use. Certain medicines taken at the same time can cause damage to your liver, even if you can buy them without a prescription.

For more information:

• Learn more about Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC) in the Preferred Care online Health Encyclopedia
• Learn more about Blood and Body Fluid Precautions in the Preferred Care online Health Encyclopedia
• Explore more Liver-Related Topics in the Preferred Care online Health Encyclopedia
• Log on to the American Liver Foundation Web site at http://www.liverfoundation.org

Posted: September 2005