I have been assigned to assist a patient's liver cancer case for appealing a higher medical insurance reimbursement. To my shocking, the patient is just 2 years older than me, and he is only in his early 30's. From then on, I was intimidated and now really well conscious on my health, in every aspect. I read health magazines, monitor my diet, do annual check-up and take some supplements. Not even a doctor or experts can guarantee you that you may not caught by the disease if you take XX drug or live with certain type of lifestyle etc. However, we shall try every possible effort to sustain a health life and hope to reduce the chance of being affected.

Recently I had read some general health info about our liver from an article. Desperately I would like to share what I had read and hope everyone have a better understanding to our dear liver.

What is a liver?

• Liver is the largest gland and solid organ in our body, and carries out over 500 bodily functions.
• Liver is divided into 2 main lobes, with the right side slightly larger than the left.
• 2/3 of the liver is the parenchyma, which contains the hepatocytes or liver cells, with an average lifespan of 150 days. The remainder of the liver is composed of the biliary tract, while blood supply is received via the hepatic artery and portal vein, which also transports nutrients from the intestine.

The liver's functions

1. After the food that we have eaten being digested, the nourishment will then passed through the intestine, absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to the liver. The liver either stores or breaks down the nutrients further, ready for our body to use.
2. Apart from the above function, liver is also served for:

• fighting infections and cleansing the blood of toxins and infectious bacteria;
• storing iron, vitamins, and other essential chemicals;
• processing essential enzymes and proteins;
• removal of waste not excreted by the kidneys.

The common liver problems

• Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E and G (inflammations of the liver)
• Cirrhosis (result of long-term, continuous liver damage)
• Alcoholic liver disease (consistent of heavy drinking and caused liver cells become engorged with excess fat, become inflamed or permanently scarred and damaged)
• Galistones and gallbladder disease (lumps of solid material)
• Inherited liver disease
• Cancer of the liver (either start in the liver itself (primary cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma) or spread to liver (secondary or metastatic cancer))

How to stay with a healthy liver?

Ensure a well-balanced diet in our food consumption: low in far, sugar, and salt, but high in fibre; and take lots of vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole-wheat cereals.

Not difficult to stay with that, right?