23 January 2023
Love Your Liver Awareness Month
As part of Love Your Liver awareness month this January, we are urging people across the Borders to consider how they can better look after their livers.
According to the British Liver Trust, creators of the Love Your Liver campaign, liver disease is on the rise in the UK - with more than 1 in 5 of us being at risk.
The three major causes of liver disease are drinking alcohol, obesity and viral hepatitis. These are preventable causes, but many people with the disease do not have any symptoms until it has progressed - by which time it can be too late for treatment.
To get an indication of whether you are at an increased risk of liver disease, you can visit the British Liver Trust’s online screener here.
Thankfully, because 9 in 10 cases of liver disease are preventable, there are many ways in which we can make changes to improve our liver health and reduce our risk of developing the disease.
The British Liver Trust has developed five different pledges you can choose from to start your journey to a healthier liver this January. They are:
- Pledging to complete a fitness challenge
- Pledging to stick to 5-a-day every day
- Pledging to cut down on sugar
- Pledging to give up alcohol for 31 days
- Pledging to reduce processed foods and takeaways
To find out more information about the Love Your Liver campaign please visit https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/love-your-liver/, or to make your pledge click here.
Jonathan Manning, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Clinical Director for Medicine at NHS Borders, said: “Finding out if you are at risk of liver disease is the first step towards taking positive action for your liver health.
“Making a pledge to start your journey towards better liver health this month is all about making small changes that can have a big difference. We would urge you to consider what lifestyle changes you can make, as these changes could also have a positive impact on your overall health.”