In healthy individuals, the liver contains little or no fat. In overweight or obese people, gradual fat accumulation leads to significant liver disease. Interestingly, these individuals may be consuming minimal to no alcohol. So, alcohol, which is the main cause for liver damage, does not have a significant role to play.

The non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has 4 significant stages as outlined below. It is a chronically progressive disease and may take years to reach the final stages of cirrhosis and fibrosis.

1. Simple fatty liver (steatosis): This is usually identified when diagnostic tests are done for some other suspected conditions. There are usually no symptoms obvious in this stage, other than the buildup of fat in the liver.

2. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): The second stage where the liver is inflamed to a greater extent due to fat accumulation.

3. Fibrosis: The next degree of inflammation where blood vessels may be narrowed leading to scarring in the liver with impaired liver functions.

4. Cirrhosis: This is the most severe stage that occurs due to years of cumulative inflammation. The liver shrinks in size, is scarred, and liver functions are markedly impaired and can also result in liver cancer.

Risk factors for NAFLD: The exact reason why a person develops NAFLD is not established, but some of the risk factors include

1. Obesity, with more weight concentrated around the abdomen

2. Type 2 diabetes

3. High blood pressure

4. High cholesterol levels

5. Age greater than 50

6. Smoking

Symptoms: This will depend on the stage in which it is identified. While there are no symptoms in the early stages, in some people there could be a dull, aching below the ribs, unexplained weight loss, weakness, and extreme tiredness. As it progresses to cirrhosis, there could be jaundice, fluid accumulation in the abdomen and feet, and itching of the skin.

Management: While there is no treatment aimed at curing the disease per se, there are ways to manage the symptoms, as noted below.

1. Weight loss: Reducing excess accumulated fat will help reverse symptoms and prevent further progression of the disease. A BMI of 18 to 26 is considered optimal.

2. Dietary changes: Modify your diet to a carbohydrates and protein rich and reduced fats and sugars. Increasing fiber through fruits and vegetables is highly recommended.

3. Exercise: Whatever your choice of workout, it will do wonders for NAFLD. Keep a target of an hour or two of moderate to intense exercise per day to reduce weight.

4. Smoking: This is another risk factor and can also help prevent other effects of NAFLD such as diabetes and heart disease.

NAFLD is highly controllable with these changes and other damages can be reversed too.

What is Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)?

This is a disease that affects the large intestine and the rectum. The Ulcerative Colitis refers to the inflammation in the innermost lining of the large intestine. The main function of the large intestine is to absorb water from indigestible food matter in the body before throwing away any waste. Hence, the large intestine is a vital part of our body. If left untreated, the disease increases risk of colon cancer.

Symptoms:

    Diarrhea with blood or pus: A person suffering from Ulcerative Colitis is likely to suffer from loose stools accompanied with blood or pus.
    Stomach pain and Cramping: In many cases, patients complain of severe stomach pain and cramping.
    Rectal pain: At times, many patients feel pain while sitting or even after a bowel movement.
    Bleeding from the rectum: Bleeding can be observed while passing stools.

The other complications leading to this disease are kidney stones, swelling of the colon, thickening of intestinal walls and blood infection.

Diagnosis:
This disease can be diagnosed by several methods. A simple stool test may be done to check out for bacteria and parasites. A blood test to check the level of C-reactive protein helps determine the inflation rate of the body. Endoscopy, colonoscopy, biopsy are some other methods of diagnosis.

Treatment

    Oral medication: Treatment involves drug therapy or surgery. The first step in treating Ulcerative Colitis will be an intake of anti-inflammatory drugs, but these may have a side effect. Another option is immune system suppressors, which help to bring down the inflammation by suppressing the immune system response. Antibiotics, anti-diarrheal medications, pain relievers are some of the additional drug supplements recommended by doctors.
    Surgery: Surgery plays an important role because this disease is pre-malignant in nature. Depending on the severity of the condition, the medical practitioner may advice surgery. The common methods of surgery are:
        Proctocolectomy and Ileostomy: Proctocolectomy involves removal of the colon in part or whole. Ileostomy is carried out by placing a special bag in the small intestine to collect waste from the body.
        Proctocolectomy and Ileo-anal: Ileo-anal pouch is a bag directly created the small intestine and connected to the anus, for diffusing the stools. As colon is removed Ulcerative Colitis cannot re-occur.

Precautions after surgery
It is very important that the patient takes healthy, sufficient and nutritious food so that bowel movement can be carried out with ease and zero strain. The patient has to restrict lifting of heavy grocery, mowing the lawn, any physical activity that can strain the abdomen and related areas.

Surgery and Post Surgery Care for Ulcerative Colitis

If you think fissure and fistula are the same, you are mistaken. While the term fissure refers to the tear of the skin, fistula refers to the abnormal tube-like passages or connections between organs. Fissures get cured with or without treatment in a few days to few weeks, and do not lead to complications. On the contrary, fistulas when left untreated may lead to complications.

So, read on further to know about the distinction, how to recognize the symptoms and avail treatment.

What is anal fissure?
An anal fissure can occur due to various reason, such as prolonged diarrhea, anal sex, vaginal childbirth, rectum cancer, etc. For majority of the cases, it is usually due to constant constipation or strained bowel movements, that tear down the muscles controlling the sphincters to the inner rectum or the anal canal.

What is anal fistula?
Anal fistulas are not tears but abnormal abscesses near the anus, filled with pus. In fistula, a tunnel is formed under the skin which connects these abscesses to the infected glands. Fistulas are usually the results of present or previous abscesses. If ignored or left untreated, one single fistula can lead to the development of a more complex fistula, where the single fistula tract ends up creating multiple openings.

Symptoms of anal fissure and anal fistula
Some of the common symptoms of an anal fissure are excruciating pain in the anal area every time the bowel movement occurs, constant itching or burning sensation in and around the anus, bloody stool and visible tears and cracks around the anus.

For anal fistula, some of the very common symptoms are a throbbing pain in the anus, which continues to increase, difficulty in sitting down for longer period, swelling and redness around the anus, accompanied by skin irritation, discharge of blood and pus, and at times fever.

Treatment options
To completely cure anal fissure and fistula, it is the various surgical options that are the most effective ones. However, when diagnosed in its earliest form, medications like antibiotics, analgesics, and antipyretics can often help. It is solely depending on the location, type, and size or severity of the fistula or fissure, the treatments may vary from person to person and so does the recovery time.

Though, these conditions cannot be cured with dietary changes or exercise, following a healthy diet can boost healthy bowel movement, reducing chances of constipation or diarrhea that results in fissures.
Prevention is always better than cure. Therefore, it is essential that you visit the nearest medical facilities once you notice any signs of fissure or fistula , to avail the right treatment and get relief from the symptoms quickly.


Don't Confuse Fissure With Fistula!

Feeling bloated or acidic after a heavy meal can take away all the satisfaction the taste of food gave you. Indigestion and gas are some of the most common gastrointestinal problems faced by people around the world. In most cases, indigestion is a result of bad food choices and unhealthy lifestyles. Thus they can simply be relieved at home and do not necessarily need medication. Here are 4 easy steps to lower heartburn, gas and indigestion.

1. Add more fiber to your food: Fiber is crucial to healthy digestion. It is easy to digest and help push waste out of the system by adding bulk. In this way, fiber helps detoxify the system as well. It also prevents diabetes, heart disease, hemorrhoids and other diseases. Add fiber to your diet in the form of whole grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts and plenty of water. Ideally, a woman should have 25gms of fiber a day and men should have 38 grams of fiber a day.

2. Healthy food eating habits: How you eat also makes a difference to your digestion. Instead of eating on the move, eat mindfully. Chew your food carefully to begin the digestive system. Eating smaller portions can also help improve stomach functioning. Avoid fast foods that are difficult to digest. Ensure that you do not eat anything for at least an hour before going to bed. Lying down immediately after a meal is one of the leading causes of indigestion.

3. Probiotics: Gut bacteria is essential for healthy digestion. This bacteria helps maintain a healthy inner ecosystem and help fight harmful viruses, yeast and other such microorganisms. This balance of gut bacteria can be affected by an unhealthy lifestyle like excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, stress and certain prescription drugs. Supplementing your natural probiotic enzymes with food rich in probiotics like yogurt or probiotic supplements can help make your digestion better.

4. Exercise Regularly: Exercise is necessary not only for a fit body but also for healthy digestion. Exercising also helps fight stress that is one of the leading causes of indigestion. Taking a walk after meals can help regulate the passage of food and gases in your digestive system. This prevents bloating and heartburn. Physical activity also helps stimulate your bowels to prevent constipation and prevent gaseous build up. Some forms of exercise you could try are yoga, swimming and cycling. A word of caution; always ensure that there is at least an hour's gap between exercising and your last meal.

Gas & Indigestion - 4 Things That Can Help Ease It!

The word colic directly refers to the colon. Colic pain is a sharp abdominal pain followed by bouts of crying usually occurring in infants below the age of one year. The pain only last for a short period of time ranging from a few weeks to a couple of months. Very few number of babies will cry endlessly indicating towards an underlying condition.

It is mainly characterized by sharp crying for supposedly no apparent reason, irregular sleep patterns, and restlessness or owing to deviation from normal postures. The apparent causes of colic pain include indigestion and negative reaction of the sensitive gut to the breast or formula milk, although no concrete cause of the state has been discovered.

Doctors often suggest home remedies such as swaddling, pacifiers, holding and comforting the baby and more frequent feedings to reduce the condition. Since it is so common among infants and relatively less harmful, no proper medication is usually given. Physicians suggest mothers to reduce the content of caffeine, alcohol or spice in their diet. Sometimes a warm bath, burping the baby or going on more frequent walks is useful. Background music draws the attention of the baby and hence drives their focus, away from the abdominal pains.

Colic pains are mainly treated by care rather than medicine. The baby is made to feel comfortable and the distress is reduced just by being around the infant. The primary care giver plays an important role in consoling the child and helping them get through the sudden pain which further plays a significant role in personality development. Colic pains are extremely short lived and probably one of the first few challenges of parenthood. They are primarily dealt with care and feeding except in extreme cases where medicinal cures such as lactase drops and simethicone drops are used to treat the abdominal pain.

Colic Pain - How To Treat It

Peptic ulcer, often referred to as stomach ulcer, is usually a misunderstood disease. Most people are unaware of the reasons why the ulcer is caused and are also unaware of the early symptoms of the disorder. Here is a look at some of the strange facts about peptic ulcers that you may not know.

Stress does not cause ulcers: The myth that stress causes ulcers is just that- a myth. Ulcers are not caused by stress and tension. However, if you are already affected by an ulcer, stress can alleviate the symptoms and make matter worse. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can result in ulcers. So, if you have already been diagnosed with peptide ulcer, try not to stress too much.
Ulcer pain is not caused due to food: Contrary to popular belief, ulcer pain is not alleviated when you eat something. In fact, pain increases if your stomach remains empty for a long period of time. So, if you are an ulcer patient, make a point of eating at regular intervals. In fact, the American College of Gastroenterology claims that people with ulcers do not need to follow a bland diet in order to recover from the condition.
Heartburn medication is effective against ulcer: Stomach acid is the common link between heartburn and ulcer, as both of these disorders are caused as a result of excess acid formation in the stomach. This is why physicians often prescribe antacids to ulcer patients.
Untreated ulcers can be problematic: Ulcers are easy to cure and can be completely treated with proper medication and adherence to restrictions. However, you should seek treatment for ulcers as soon as it is diagnosed. If left untreated, this ulcer may go on to cause severe issues for the patient. For instance, untreated ulcers may lead to internal bleeding and scar tissue. The same also impedes the digestive process. So, do not leave ulcers untreated and think that they will be repaired automatically over time.
Endoscopy is the best way to diagnose ulcers: Even though X-rays may often reveal ulcers, a normal X-ray cannot detect certain smaller ulcers. Endoscopy is the best way to detect the disorder. In this process, a small tube, containing a light and a camera, is inserted inside the patient s esophagus. The camera reveals any abnormal growth or infection inside the stomach. If you suspect an ulcer, book an appointment with the doctor as soon as possible. 

Peptic Ulcers - Strange Things About It!

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