The human body s ability to manage the fats consumed and the way the liver functions to handle this in the overall metabolism setting are dependent on choline. Choline, which is present mostly in the form of Vitamin B12, is available in plenty in most of the foods consumed by people regularly. The issue arises when the body system fails to absorb choline nutrient from the food consumed. There are also cases where the dietary intake does not possess adequate choline in it.

Natural Difficulty in Absorbing Choline
There are certain conditions in which the system finds it difficult to absorb choline though the diet may contain the nutrient. People who have just undergone a by-pass surgery or those who have had a kidney transplant done or if there is already a liver problem like cirrhosis face this issue. There are other reasons also which can lead to choline deficiency, such as the prolonged intake of anti-convulsant drugs and so on.

How to Detect or What are the Symptoms?
Some apparent symptoms can lead the GP to ask for more tests to establish that the person does have choline deficiency. In normal person, even high blood pressure could be caused due to choline deficiency. Then in many cases, a blood test for any other condition might reveal very low levels of VLDL (Very Low-Density Lipoprotein). This substance in the blood is used by the liver to transport fats and naturally, if VLDL is below a certain threshold the person is bound to be suffering from choline deficiency. High level of cholesterol is another symptom. It has to be understood that choline is also essential for the human brain to be functioning at its active best. Deficiency of choline can lead to an early setting in of dementia. Of course, any patient with liver and kidney related condition reaching the doctor will be checked for choline deficiency since these are closely related.

Where to Get Choline from?
The next obvious question is which foods can get you choline easily and you won t suffer from a deficiency. As mentioned there are plenty of food items of daily consumption which have choline in them. The most frequently recommended are the yolk of the egg. Pastured eggs are recommended and though even one egg can give some 115mgms of choline, you can make a couple of eggs a part of your daily breakfast menu. The other suggestion is raw liver as in beef liver which is quite rich in choline. Those who consume only vegetarian foods can always eat a lot of green vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage and also nuts and legumes (soaked) and milk and yoghurt are all good for choline intake.

Choline is an essential nutrient in the human body and is critical to the growth and development of cognitive functions and its deficiency can lead to many serious conditions, including liver impairment and brain disorders. There are plenty of foods rich in choline and should be consumed regularly.


Choline Deficiency - Signs You Are Suffering From It + Sources Of Choline!! 

Ulcerative colitis is a disorder that causes inflammations and ulcers inside your colon, affecting the entire digestive system. The disease grows over time and symptoms start to worsen over a prolonged period, rather than the problem showing up suddenly. Severe cases of ulcerative colitis may even be fatal if treatment does not resolve some of the complications arising from the condition.

Causes of Ulcerative Colitis-
The exact cause for the inflammatory bowel disease is unknown. Improper diet and lifestyle can aggravate the symptoms, but do not cause the condition. Some possible causes for the disease include-

Improper functioning of the body s immune system causes it to recognize the colon as a foreign body.
Genetic factors and hereditary may also be held accountable in some instances.
Risk factors for the condition include old age and family history of the condition.

Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis-
Here are some common symptoms associated with the condition-

Bloody diarrhoea
Rectal pain
Weight loss
Pain in the abdominal region along with cramping
Fever
Urgency to defecate
Inadequate bowel movement despite the feeling of urgency
How can you prevent ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis cannot be prevented as the exact cause for the condition is unknown. However, there are simple steps that will help manage the symptoms.

Diet change- You need to stop eating certain foods, such as, dairy products, beans, broccoli, cabbage and anything spicy. Instead, fibre intake must be increased drastically.
Exercise- Mild exercise or activities have a profound impact on managing the condition.
Avoiding stress
Drinking plenty of fluids
Role of Homeopathy in Managing Ulcerative Colitis-
Homeopathy follows a natural and holistic approach to deal with the condition. It does not merely treat the symptoms, but looks to cure the underlying cause for those symptoms. Homeopathic remedies will greatly bolster the overall condition of the body s immune system. Furthermore, the bloody diarrhoea accompanying the disease will also stop with proper homeopathic treatment.

Ulcerative Colitis - Does Homeopathic Treatments Work?

Cirrhosis of liver is slow and gradual replacement of normal healthy liver tissue with scar tissue which results in poor liver function and blockage of flow of blood through liver which comes from intestines. As more scar tissue replaces normal healthy liver, liver begins to fail.

What causes cirrhosis?

Alcohol: Amount of alcohol which can cause liver damage varies from person to person, however those who consume alcohol for long in significant amount are more prone to develop liver damage.
Hepatitis B or hepatitis C: Caused by hepatitis B and C viruses, respectively, which are acquired by contact with contaminated blood (like needlestick injury, blood transfusion, injection drug abuser), sexual contact with infected person and from mother to child during childbirth.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): Caused by presence of extra fat in liver (after excluding significant alcohol intake) which causes inflammation and scarring leading to cirrhosis. Usually seen in patients who are overweight or obese, having diabetes, high fat in blood, high blood pressure or metabolic syndrome.
Drugs causing liver injury.
Others: Autoimmune hepatitis (body`s own immunity acting against liver), Wilson disease (build up of copper in body), hemochromatosis (excess of iron in body), certain bile duct disorders, etc.
What are the symptoms of cirrhosis?

Early disease can present with nonspecific symptoms like weakness, fatigue (loss of energy), decrease wish to take food, vomiting or nausea, weight loss, etc.
Advanced disease can present with fluid accumulation in legs (edema) or abdomen (ascites), facial puffiness, yellowish discoloration of eyes or urine (jaundice), redness of palm (palmer erythema), decrease urine output, small red lesions on skin, easy bleeding following trauma, blood coming out of mouth/anus/other body site, black colored feaces, mental confusion, flapping tremors of hand, etc. In men it can cause impotence, breast enlargement and shrinking of testis.
What are the complication of cirrhosis?

Portal hypertension: It is a common complication of cirrhosis which is due to increased pressure in portal vein. Portal vein is main blood vessel which carries blood to liver from stomach, intestines, spleen, gallbladder and pancreas. Because of scar formation in liver the normal flow of blood from these organs to liver is hampered. As a result of blockage of blood flow to liver there are few complications which can arise like accumulation of fluid in abdomen (ascites) and legs (edema), formation of enlarged veins (varices) in food pipe (esophagus), stomach, etc., enlargement of spleen (splenomegaly), mental confusion/altered behavior/altered sensorium (hepatic encephalopathy), respiratory discomfort (hepatic hydrothorax or hepato-pulmonary syndrome) or decrease urine output/rise in creatinine (hepato-renal syndrome).

Increase risk of infection because of immune system dysfunction.
Development of liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma)
Easy brusibility or bleeding following light trauma.
Gall bladder stone formation
Metabolic bone disease
What are the stages of cirrhosis?

Compensated cirrhosis: Liver damage is damaged but no abdominal swelling (ascites), blood in vomiting or black/red color feaces (variceal bleed), altered behavior/sensorium (hepatic encephalopathy), respiratory discomfort (hepatic hydrothorax or hepato-pulmonary syndrome) or decrease urine output/rise in creatinine (hepato-renal syndrome).
Decompensated cirrhosis: Presence of abdominal swelling (ascites), blood in vomiting or black/red color feaces (variceal bleed), altered behavior/sensorium (hepatic encephalopathy), respiratory discomfort (hepatic hydrothorax or hepato-pulmonary syndrome) or decrease urine output/rise in creatinine (hepato-renal syndrome).
How cirrhosis is diagnosed?

Your doctor will take good history and do proper physical examination. If there is suspicion of cirrhosis then he will subject you to some blood test, ultrasound abdomen, fibroscan/elastography, upper GI endoscopy and if needed CT scan or MRI of abdomen or liver biopsy.

Ultrasound of abdomen in cirrhosis may shows coarse liver echotexture, nodular liver surface, dilated portal vein or collateral, enlarged spleen or abdominal fluid (ascites).

How to prevent cirrhosis?

Best way to avoid development of cirrhosis from predisposing stage of liver illness is to recognize and treat early. Few advices to keep liver healthy are:

Dietary modification: Eat healthy balanced diet. Avoid high calorie food or drinks, saturated fat, sugar and refined carbohydrates. Keep yourself hydrated.
Lifestyle modification: Maintain healthy body weight. Avoid being overweight or obese. Aerobic exercise (like brisk walk 30-45min/day atleast 5days/week) regularly helps to lower liver fat.
Avoid: Avoid use of contaminated needles, sharing of items of personal hygiene (like shaving razors, toothbrush, nail clippers, etc), use of illicit drugs, self medication with over the counter drugs or using drugs beyond doctor`s advice.
Practice safe protected sex
Alcohol
Motivate others: to stop drinking and follow hand hygiene and doctor`s advice.
Hand hygiene: Wash hand with soap and water regularly before eating, after going to toilet and after touching dirty objects.
Vaccination: For hepatitis A or hepatitis B, if you are not vaccinated or not already infected or unsafe antibody titre. Transmission rate of hepatitis B from mother to child at birth can be reduced with vaccination and immunization of newborn starting within 12 hours of birth as well as by using antiviral drugs (if indicated).
Prevent others from getting infected from you if you harbor virus causing liver damage.

How to treat cirrhosis?

Treatment of cirrhosis is based on cause of cirrhosis and complication of cirrhosis. Main aim of treatment in early stage of cirrhosis is to slow the progression of cirrhosis and prevent complications development

Stop alcohol, antiviral drugs for hepatitis b or hepatitis C, proper sugar level if diabetes, steroid or other medications for autoimmune hepatitis, medications to reduce copper from body in patients with Wilson`s disease, etc.
Drugs to lower portal pressure (beta-blocker or nitrates), drugs to remove fluid from body (diuretics), drugs to lower ammonia level for encephalopathy (lactulose and others), drugs to improve kidney function (albumin, terlipressin and others).
Opt for liver ransplant, If cirrhosis is life threatening or treatment of cirrhosis complication is ineffective.
Low salt high protein diet
Stop alcohol intake even if you have other cause of cirrhosis.
Stop smoking
Avoid over the counter drugs (especially pain killers)
Vaccinate if not done already or infected

Cirrhosis Of Liver - A Complete Guide!

Tummy tuck also known as an abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck surgery is a form of cosmetic surgery, which is used to remove excess fat and skin from the abdomen as well as tighten the muscles in your abdominal regions. Similar to 'mommy makeovers' (a procedure applicable after pregnancy, which helps women restore their figure). 


Tummy tuck surgery is used to help patients treat that loose and sagging skin who have experienced excessive weight loss within a relatively short period of time. Although, it is usually done for cosmetic reasons, it does provide a large number of medical benefits, such as:


1. Reduction in stress urinary incontinence: Stress Urinary Incontinence is a bladder control problem that is characterized by involuntary urination because of exercises or normal bodily functions such as sneezing or coughing which might put pressure on the bladder. In some women, (SUI) can develop after a vaginal birth. The condition does not generally require a surgery. However, research has shown that in severe cases, abdominoplasty is helpful in patients who do not have a caesarean section. A slight bladder obstruction is made during the procedure using soft tissue which reduces the incontinence.


2. Better posture and improved abdominal tone: Strong muscles tend to become weak after multiple pregnancies and extreme weight loss. In these cases, diet and exercise are not enough. Abdominoplasty surgically removes excess fat and skin thereby, tightening weak muscles and flattening the abdomen. It is noticed that after the surgery, the patients develop an improved posture due to the tightened muscles supporting the spine. This helps in relieving a variety of back pains.


3. Correction of ventral hernia: Ventral Hernia is the bulging out of tissues through a defect, opening or past incisions within the wall muscles of the abdomen. In such a case, the surgeon may opt for Abdominoplasty to support the abdominal wall and prevent recurrences.


Medical Benefits of Tummy Tuck Surgery 

Liver cirrhosis is characterized by the replacement of normal liver tissue with fibrous tissue. This condition occurs when the liver has been exposed to certain causative factors for a prolonged period of time. Liver cirrhosis can be compared to  Kumbhakaamla  as stated in Ayurveda.

In Ayurvedic terms, liver cirrhosis is through to result due to an extreme aggravation of the pitta dosha. The liver is considered as the seat of pitta and therefore, an aggravated pitta dosha affects the functioning of this vital organ that helps eliminate toxins from the body. It can lead to problems such as anemia, jaundice, hemorrhage, ascites, and liver and spleen enlargement. This may end up aggravating and dis-balancing other doshas as well.

Because of aggravation of the pitta dosha, all the functions of the pitta such clarity of skin complexion, hunger, digestion, and production of blood are seriously affected. Because of the aggravation, the rasa and rakta dhatus are severely affected followed by other dhatus.

Ayurvedic treatment for liver ailments is highly recommended as it is completely natural and does not result in any side effects. It helps reverse all of the symptoms of liver cirrhosis and other diseases while restoring the normal functioning of the liver. There are several Ayurvedic remedies that you can practice to relieve the symptoms of liver cirrhosis.



The following are some of the most common Ayurvedic tips for liver cirrhosis:

Patient must take expert opinion of an Ayurveda for the right treatment of liver cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a complicated and serious situation thus, home remedies or any single herb treatment is not recommended.
Quit alcohol
Eat a well balanced and nutritious diet that contains a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables
Opt for sources of good fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado, soy and olives
Avoid packaged food items with added preservatives, including pickles
Ayurvedic treatment varies from person to person and therefore one must consult an expert and not try any home remedies.

Liver Cirrhosis Treatment With Ayurvedic Remedies 

Just like the name suggests, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a set of diseases that can affect the liver due to excess accumulation of fat. One common disease that arises from this condition is known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. This can lead to cirrhosis as well. NAFLD is very common in the Western Countries affecting close to 100 million people annually. Although it can occur in any age group, the most affected age group being the one between 40-50 million. With this condition, the risk of getting other diseases such as cardiovascular problems and type 2 diabetes increases considerably.

Symptoms: Non-alcoholic fatty liver shows symptoms such as fatigue, enlarged liver, and pain, discomfort in the upper abdomen. Some other symptoms that have been witnessed in patients suffering from NAFLD include the development of breasts in men, swelling of the abdomen, red palms, jaundice, swelling of the blood vessels etc.

Causes: Experts have not been able to identify the exact causes of NAFLD. However, it is pretty evident that this condition only arises when the liver fails to produce bile which is responsible for digesting the fat cells. The fat in turn deposits in the liver cells resulting in NAFLD. Some of the possible causes include the following:

The resistance of insulin
Type 2 diabetes
High level of triglyceride in the blood
Obesity
Risk Factors: There is a wide array of risk factors that can pose a threat of NAFLD. Some of them include metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes, hypopituitarism, obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome etc.

Complications: The major complications of NAFLD is liver cirrhosis. This is a condition that results in scarring of the liver cells resulting in fibrosis. Some other complications include fluid accumulation in the liver, liver cancer, swelling of the vein etc.

Diet: A mediterranean diet is a perfect diet suited for patients suffering from NAFLD. It includes nuts, fish, vegetables, grains, fruits and olive oil. Fat should be eliminated from the diet by a significant bit. It is important to add the right kind of fat in the diet. Omega-3 fatty acid available in flaxseed oil, leafy vegetables, and nuts fits the bill. Studies have shown that vitamin D and E helps a great deal in fighting liver diseases. Some other food items that should be included in the diet are green-tea, red grapes, Brazil nuts, raw garlic, wolfberry etc.

Treatment: Once the disease is diagnosed, a doctor s first endeavour is to ensure that the patient loses weight through a combination of diet and exercise. Vaccination against hepatitis A and B is the next step that a doctor would ideally suggest. For patients who are suffering from cirrhosis, a liver transplant is the only viable option to increase mortality.

What Are The Reasons Behind Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

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