As the winter winds begin, we are always accustomed to wearing tight coats and enjoying the warmth of hot tea. But you know what? In such a season, our liver is also silently under the stress of cold. As a general surgeon, I would like to talk today about this often neglected topic — the health of the liver in winter.
In winter, people tend to have a high appetite, hot pots, barbecues, stews … These delicious foods are a constant. But you know what? These high-heat foods, while giving us warmth, are quietly increasing the burden on the liver. The liver, the “chemical plant” in this man, handles all the food and drugs we take. Imagine how hard it’s gonna be when a lot of grease and toxins pour into the liver! Turning to drugs, diseases such as colds and influenza in winter make people dependent on drugs to alleviate their discomfort. But you know what? Some drugs, while curable, can also become “toxic” to the liver. Antibiotics, antithermal analgesics … These drugs may also cause liver damage while serving a therapeutic function. Therefore, in the use of these drugs, it is important to comply with medical instructions and not to increase the dosage or the length of use at will.
When it comes to liver diseases, it has to be called fat liver. Fatty liver, which does not sound serious, is a invisible killer of liver health. In winter, people ‘ s motion is reduced, and fats tend to accumulate in the body and form fat liver. Fatty liver not only affects the normal functioning of the liver, but can also cause serious diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Therefore, it is important to control the diet and increase the amount of exercise to avoid the occurrence of fat livers in winter. Of course, hepatitis in winter is not limited to diet and exercise. You know what? Emotional stability also has an important impact on liver health. Chinese doctors often say “heavy and anger” meaning that excessive anger and emotional volatility can damage the liver. In winter, people are often prone to depression or depression due to low temperatures and short daylight periods. At this point, we can not only learn to regulate our emotions, but can also relax by listening to music, watching movies, doing yoga, etc. Speaking of yoga, I suddenly thought of an interesting topic: “Yoga Time” in the liver. You know what? In yoga, there are actions that can help with liver detoxification and relaxation. Cats and cattle, for example, can facilitate liver blood circulation and metabolism by stretching and reversing the spine. While these actions seem simple, long-term persistence can be beneficial to liver health. Well, you’re probably a little tired to talk so much about the liver for the winter. But don’t worry, I have an important recommendation for you — regular medical examinations. Periodic medical examinations are an important means of preventing liver diseases. Through video screenings such as B Super, CT, we can detect liver anomalies in time. At the same time, hepatic function checks can be performed to determine whether the liver metabolic and detoxication function is normal. Remember that it is only by understanding one ‘ s health that one can better protect one ‘ s liver.
Speaking of which, I suddenly remembered a little story, and once I received a young patient. He has developed fatty liver as a result of long nights and irregular diets. When he learned of his condition, he had great regret and anxiety. I told him, “Don’t worry, fatty liver is reversible. As long as you adjust your diet, increase your exercise, and maintain your emotional stability, your liver will recover slowly.” He listened to me and started to change his way of life. One year later, when he returned to the hospital for review, the fatty liver had clearly improved.
This little story tells us that liver health is not out of reach, and as long as we take care of it, it will pay us back in the best possible state. So, this winter, let’s work together to keep the liver healthy.
