Stay Healthy, Keep Hepatitis At Bay
The liver undoubtedly performs some of the most critical functions of the body. While the primary role of the liver is to produce bile and eliminate toxins from the body, it is astounding to know that it performs more than 500 functions on a daily basis; so many activities exert a lot of stress on the liver. Moreover, factors such as unhealthy eating, high-stress levels, relentless smoking, heavy medication, etc. take a toll on your liver in the long run. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to keep your liver in check. Use a blood pressure monitor to check your blood pressure on the regular since a lower count can be a symptom of the weakening of the liver, whereas higher BP points at a fatty liver. July 28 saw the world celebrating World Hepatitis Day, a day of commemorating efforts to eradicate it by 2030. Although steps have been taken to increase preventive vaccinations, Hepatitis still affects 2-3% of the total population in India. This disease has the potential to turn into difficult-to-treat situations such as cirrhosis, fibrosis, and even liver cancer. To keep yourself and your family safe, you should seriously consider the following:
- Early Vaccinations: Your little ones are at a higher risk of developing hepatitis, and hence must be given mandatory Hepatitis vaccinations. These vaccines are easily accessible and given in the form of shots. The dosage, however, varies for kids and adults. Early vaccination is highly beneficial as it eliminates the risk almost entirely. Hepatitis vaccination drives are fairly common in India. So don’t hesitate to participate - give yourself and your family a booster shot to keep hepatitis away.
- Take Care of Your Personal Hygiene: Personal hygiene is of utmost importance. You need to maintain it, especially while eating food as any carelessness during this time can lead to undesired consequences. It is imperative to wash hands before every meal with soap or an anti-bacterial hand-wash, and not just plain water. Eating with dirty hands, on the other hand, means ingesting germs and hence inviting infections.
- Never Share Needles or Razors: Since razors and needles are in direct contact with the skin, they pose a high risk of spreading infections if not used properly. Hence, it is vital that you ensure that the needles used during injection are always unused. Picking up a sealed box of Ethicon or Sutures India for your suturing needs goes a long way in ensuring your safety against the transmission of this disease. Similarly, avoid sharing your personal razor, and even if you do share, ensure you disinfect it before use.
- Consume a liver-friendly diet: In order to ensure a healthy liver, you must consume a nutrient-rich diet that improves blood purification. This will help improve your immunity and keep hepatitis at bay. Consume foods such as beetroots, walnuts, garlic, and turmeric to improve the blood purification.
