Dealing With an IBS Emergency in Public
Irritable bowel syndrome can be challenging to manage, especially when you’re out socializing. These tips can help you deal with urgent and unpredictable symptoms and possibly prevent them in the future.
The Link Between Stress and Your Liver Health
Liver disease is far more common than most people realize. While about 4.5 million American adults have been diagnosed with liver disease, it’s estimated that millions of others have undiagnosed liver disease, including fatty liver disease, putting them at risk for serious problems like liver failure.
Many people associate liver disease with drug or alcohol use or abuse, but lots of other factors can contribute to liver problems, including chronic stress.
In this post, our team at Digestive Disease Specialists in Moline, Illinois, and Bettendorf, Iowa, explores the link between stress and liver health and what symptoms could indicate your liver is in trouble.
Stress and your liver
Research shows chronic stress increases your risks of multiple serious health problems, including:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Lowered immune function
Unmanaged stress increases your risk of inflammation, sleep problems, and hormonal imbalances, and together, these factors can negatively impact your liver health.
Hormones and chronic inflammation
Chronic stress releases hormones that are part of the “fight-or-flight” response, including cortisol. This hormone plays an important role in your natural survival instinct, but in the case of chronic stress, cortisol overproduction can lead to problems.
Specifically, too much cortisol keeps your body in a state of heightened alert, even when no danger is present. Over time, too much cortisol can lead to chronic inflammation, including liver inflammation, along with disruptions in key liver enzymes, taking a toll on your liver function.
Elevated cortisol levels interfere with fat metabolism, leading to excess belly fat and an increased risk of fatty liver disease.
Oxidative stress
Chronic stress also contributes to lower immune activity, leading to more inflammation and oxidative stress. Over time, oxidative stress can lead to cellular damage in your liver, which in turn increases your risk of liver scarring and cirrhosis.
Decreased blood flow
Like any organ, your liver needs adequate blood flow to provide it with oxygen and nutrients. When we’re stressed, changes in circulation reduce blood flow to your liver, interfering with its ability to function and hindering your organ’s ability to heal and regenerate.
Unhealthy lifestyle choices
Being stressed out affects behavior too. Many of us turn to stress-eating when we feel anxious or overwhelmed, eating far more calories than we burn. Worse, our food choices tend to be less healthy, focused more on high-fat foods or sugary snacks rather than low-calorie, nutrient-packed foods like fresh fruit or raw vegetables.
Problems coping can lead to other unhealthy habits, like drinking and smoking, that can have a major negative impact on liver health and function.
Manage your stress for better liver health
Learning to manage your stress is important for better liver health and better health overall. Best of all, stress management doesn’t have to be complicated. Yes, meditation and yoga are great, but simply setting aside some “me time” every day to engage in relaxing activities, like your favorite hobbies, can help reduce stress too.
Regular exercise, like walking daily, helps relieve stress by releasing natural endorphins, hormones associated with mood elevation. Optimizing your sleep habits with a normal bedtime routine is helpful too.
Finally, knowing the signs of liver problems is important whether you suffer from stress or not. Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes) is a well-known liver-related symptom, but other symptoms to look for include:
- Belly pain or swelling
- Dark urine
- Itchy skin
- Pale stool
- Swelling in your legs and ankles
- Nausea or vomiting
- Decrease in appetite
- Persistent fatigue
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, call our office and schedule an evaluation right away.
Keep your liver healthy
If you’re at risk of liver disease or have any symptoms, scheduling an evaluation is critical in preventing complications. To learn what you can do to protect your liver, book an appointment online or over the phone with Digestive Disease Specialists today.
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