Love Your Liver Awareness Month

The month of January is used by the British Liver Trust to highlight the important functions of the organ and how individuals can best care for it. As the largest liver charity in the UK, their goal is to raise awareness of the risk factors of liver disease and provide vital advice to help people improve their liver health. The British Liver Trust also support the community through a helpline and online resources.

As medical students and professionals, you will most likely encounter liver disease as both a primary and secondary condition during your career. Sadly, cases of liver disease are on the rise across the globe. The three major preventable causes of the illness are drinking alcohol, obesity, and viral hepatitis.

The liver is only able to repair itself so much over the course of a person’s lifetime, which means eventually these preventable causes can lead to lasting damage. Liver disease may be symptomless until past the point of treatment, which is why it is so important that the public are aware of how to look after their livers.

This month, take the time to familiarise yourself with the best ways to keep the liver healthy. Consider incorporating these practices into your daily life, as well as encouraging patients to do the same.  

Things to consider include:

There are plenty of resources and guides on the British Liver Trust’s website to help you get started. You can also donate and support the cause to help them continue improving liver function nationally.