You probably know how to keep your heart healthy and are aware of the symptoms of various forms of cancer - but do you know anything about your liver?
“Usually the only symptom at the early stages is chronic fatigue,” says Professor Suzanne Norris, a consultant hepatologist and gastroenterologist at St James’s Hospital in Dublin. “We are living in a more obesogenic society, it is easier to eat mindlessly. This has only increased because of the pandemic,” says Prof Norris. While there are drug treatments for NAFLD, lifestyle changes can be the most effective.
The importance of early screening Prof Norris believes we need to start screening for liver disease much earlier. “There are drugs which can improve cirrhosis scar tissue, but if we screen people before they get to this stage, the liver can regenerate itself.” The good news is that the liver is extraordinarily resilient, and with the right help, damage can be reversed, says Prof Norris.Prof Norris says a GP colleague of hers once said: “sitting is the new smoking.” She recommends getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, which can be fast walking, going to the gym or swimming. She also advises three sessions of weight training per week, which can be gentle. “These may only be 15 minutes, but it will build up muscle tone.