Signs of liver problems
I am not just talking about being very tired; it is more like feeling weak and being constantly lethargic. PHOTO| FILE
What you need to know:
- One of the things she was keen to know is whether she had missed any vital signs that would have alerted her to her condition earlier.
- That is what I want to share with you today.
- As I told Zainab, the good news is that the liver has a remarkable ability to repair itself, so if problems are spotted early enough, it can make a full recovery.
Zainab was visibly upset when she came to see me with a fatty liver. She could not understand how she had ended up with liver issues, especially since she was a non-drinker and just 35.
One of the things she was keen to know is whether she had missed any vital signs that would have alerted her to her condition earlier.
That is what I want to share with you today.
As I told Zainab, the good news is that the liver has a remarkable ability to repair itself, so if problems are spotted early enough, it can make a full recovery.
1. Fatigue: I am not just talking about being very tired; it is more like feeling weak and being constantly lethargic.
You see, if your liver feels as if it is being overworked, the knock-on effects will take a toll on your entire body. This is because some of the toxins that your liver normally filters out are still floating around in your body.
2. Sudden loss of appetite: You know how you do not feel like eating when you have malaria? Well, that is because the liver is involved.
3. Super-sensitive skin: When you find yourself scratching a lot or if your skin is just irritating to touch, no amount of cream will help when there is an underlying problem.
4. Strange-looking stool: While colour changes to your stool can be an indicator of many problems within the body, it is often a key sign with liver problems.
Pale, bloody, or even black stool can be a sign of liver problems, so know your body and look out for any changes.
5. Jaundice: This well-known yellowing of the skin can affect the fingernails and even the whites of the eyes.
This is caused by the build-up of bilirubin, a pigment in bile, an essential substance in the digestion process.
If your liver is having problems filtering the toxins that you ingest (whether it is through the digestive tract, the skin, or the respiratory system), bilirubin will start to collect in the bloodstream ,thus giving you a yellowish hue.
To give your liver a break, drink a lot of water and eat lots of veggies and cut out toxins like wheat, dairy, caffeine, alcohol and fried foods.
