Five manifestations of stagnation of liver-qi impairing health and six secrets to enhance liver function

Editor’s note:"Good health is the capital of the revolution", but in the busy life, people are often busy with work and eager to socialize, but they ignore the good fortune of good health. In fact, with a little attention and early prevention, health is around us. People’s Health Network launched the column "Know early and know early" to collect and sort out the health knowledge that you usually ignore, be your health think tank, and carry out health with you to the end!

Five manifestations of stagnation of liver qi

According to Chinese medicine, the liver is "happy but depressed", and the liver’s drainage function is normal, so as to ensure the smooth flow of qi, normal operation of qi and blood and physical and mental health. If the liver qi is not smooth, the qi in the human body will be blocked and blocked, which will lead to various pathological changes of the body, such as edema, blood stasis and amenorrhea in women. Therefore, soothing the liver is the essence of nourishing the liver.

1. Feeling depressed or irritable.This symptom is the most common, manifested as depression, always sighing, or irritability, which affects daily life and work.

2. Swelling and pain in the parts along the liver meridian.The liver meridian passes through the lower abdomen, chest and hypochondrium, larynx and pharynx, and the top of the head, and the stagnation of liver-qi will cause abdominal pain, breast swelling pain, hypochondriac pain, headache and other manifestations.

3. Lesions of neck and throat.The liver meridian passes through the throat, and the liver qi stagnates here, so people will have a foreign body sensation in the throat, which can’t be swallowed or coughed up. Chinese medicine calls it "plum nuclear qi". If qi stagnation lasts for a long time, it will further affect the normal operation of blood and body fluids, resulting in phlegm and blood stasis staying in the neck and neck lumps.

4. Female breast and menstrual diseases.Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "women are born with liver", so women are more prone to stagnation of liver qi. In addition to some of the above symptoms, it will also be manifested as breast pain, caking, dysmenorrhea or menstrual disorders.

5. Digestive system diseases.Traditional Chinese medicine believes that liver and spleen are closely related in physiology and pathology. Stagnation of liver qi can affect the spleen and stomach for a long time, resulting in abnormal digestive function, loss of appetite, belching, abdominal distension, irregular stool and even diarrhea.

Stagnation of liver qi is an emotional disease, so we should first pay attention to mental adjustment. On the basis of treating the primary disease, we should actively carry out mood counseling, seek the help of family, friends or psychologists, or cooperate with music therapy, or devote ourselves to nature. Only by diverting attention and relaxing body and mind can the stagnation of liver qi be alleviated.

In diet, you can choose more foods with the functions of soothing liver and regulating qi, such as celery, chrysanthemum, tomato, radish, orange, grapefruit, citrus, bergamot and citron. Usually, roses, jasmine flowers, acacia flowers, green sepals, chrysanthemums, mint, bergamot and other teas can be used as appropriate, which also has a certain effect of soothing the liver and relieving depression. Patients with severe symptoms need to take medication under the guidance of a doctor. Commonly used prescriptions include Xiaoyao Powder and Chaihu Shugan Powder.[detailed]

White hair on the temples and liver and gallbladder deficiency

The temples, that is, the parts near the ears, are mainly related to gallbladder. Because the liver and gallbladder are both exterior and interior, it is also related to the liver. The liver holds blood, so the long white hair on the temples is mainly due to insufficient blood. At the same time, we should pay attention to invigorating qi, such as eating red dates to strengthen the spleen and replenish qi, or drinking millet porridge, because qi can produce blood, promote blood circulation and dissolve blood, and when qi is replenished, blood will rise.[detailed]

Nine "killers" who hurt the liver the most

1. Lack of sleep.Nowadays, many people have the habit of working or playing at night, but staying up late is the easiest way to get liver disease. The reason is that during sleep, the human body will enter the self-repair mode, often staying up late not only leads to lack of sleep, but also affects the self-repair of the liver at night. People who have been infected with hepatitis virus will get worse if they stay up late. Professor Neil Colin, an expert from the American Sleep Association, said that "late sleepers" should try to adjust their schedules, and it is best to fall asleep before 11 o’clock every night to ensure that they sleep enough for 7-8 hours every night, so as to effectively detoxify the liver and ensure their overall health.

2. Do not urinate in time after getting up in the morning.Dr Daniel Paradi, an expert from the European Association for Liver Research, said that detoxification in the body can be carried out through urination, perspiration and defecation. Urinating as soon as possible after getting up in the morning can excrete toxins accumulated all night in time to avoid toxins staying in the body and causing liver "poisoning".

3, overeating.Many people know that eating too much will increase the gastrointestinal burden and induce fatty liver. Dr Paradi pointed out that overeating is not only harmful to the health of gastrointestinal tract, but also easy to cause a great increase of free radicals in the body. The key function of the liver is to help the human body deal with free radicals, eliminate toxins and purify the blood. The more free radicals in the human body, the more serious the damage to liver function.

4. Don’t eat breakfast.Nutrition experts say that eating breakfast helps to neutralize stomach acid and protect the liver, reducing the risk of pancreatitis, diabetes, gallstones, constipation and other diseases. Dr. Hermite Suri, a holistic nutritionist in Ontario, Canada, said that a healthy breakfast can prolong satiety and avoid liver damage.

5. Take too much medicine.According to a study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, taking painkillers and other drugs for a long time will increase the burden of liver detoxification and lead to liver damage. Dr Kenneth Simpson, the head of the new study and an expert from Edinburgh Royal Hospital, said that there are many drugs and their metabolites that can easily cause liver damage, leading to drug-induced hepatitis. These drugs include antibiotics, antipyretic and analgesic drugs, antipsychotics, antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs, sedatives, anti-hyperthyroidism drugs, anti-tumor drugs, hypoglycemic drugs and cardiovascular drugs. Therefore, taking medicine must strictly follow the doctor’s advice and be taken under the guidance of a doctor.

6. Excessive intake of processed food.Dr. Hidachiran Zara Hussain, a registered nutrition therapist in India, said that many food additives such as preservatives, pigments and artificial sweeteners were added to many processed foods. These additives contain a variety of chemicals that are difficult for human body to decompose, which will increase the burden of liver detoxification and induce liver damage after entering the human body.

7. Prefer fried food.A study reported by CBS found that eating fried food for one month can cause obvious changes in the liver and trigger changes in enzymes similar to hepatitis. Dr. Drew Auden, a famous American medical expert, pointed out that the accumulation of oil and saturated fatty acids can lead to fatty liver. Unhealthy edible oil increase that risk of heart disease and liver disease. Relatively speaking, olive oil and sesame oil are healthier.

8. Eat half-baked or burnt food.Dr. Hussein said that undercooked food or overcooked burnt food (especially meat) can also easily lead to liver damage. Studies have found that drunken shrimp, oysters and half-baked shellfish often carry bacteria and parasites. Once acute gastroenteritis and dysentery occur, it is easy to worsen liver disease and even induce hepatic coma.

9. Excessive drinking.Dr. Nemo Ashi, a hepatologist at Zef Medical Research Center in Israel, said that excessive drinking will reduce the liver’s ability to purify blood, lead to an increase in toxins in the body, and induce liver damage and various diseases. In addition, alcoholism can easily lead to liver poisoning and induce hepatitis. Long-term excessive drinking can easily lead to cirrhosis. Dr. Ashi said that drinking more than two cups (25 ml) of high-concentration wine every day would damage the liver.[detailed]

Seven most common symptoms in early stage of liver cancer

Symptom 1: Pain in the liver area

Common index: ★★★★★★★

The first symptom of most patients with advanced liver cancer is pain in the liver area, and the incidence rate is over 50%. The pain in the liver area is generally located under the right rib or xiphoid process, and the pain is intermittent or persistent dull pain. Dull pain or tingling, the patient may feel discomfort in the right upper abdomen some time before the pain. The pain can be relieved by itself in a short period of time. The main cause of pain is the rapid enlargement of tumor, which compresses the liver capsule and produces traction pain, and it can also be caused by tumor necrosis stimulating the liver capsule.

A few patients spontaneously or suddenly have severe pain in the liver area after liver puncture, which is mostly caused by the rupture and bleeding of cancer nodules on the surface of the liver. If there is blood pressure drop and shock at the same time, and there is bloody fluid in abdominal cavity puncture, it means that the cancer node is ruptured and bleeding seriously. In this case, emergency rescue is needed. Without the above-mentioned accompanying symptoms, the pain is limited, which indicates that the bleeding is located under the liver capsule. Pain can vary according to the location of tumor growth. Tumors located in the left lobe often cause pain in the middle and upper abdomen. The tumor located in the right lobe, the pain is in the right quarter rib; When the tumor involves the diaphragm, the pain radiates to the right shoulder or back, which is easily mistaken for shoulder arthritis; When the tumor is located in the posterior segment of the right lobe, it can sometimes cause low back pain; Patients with tumors located in the deep liver parenchyma generally feel little pain.

Symptom 2: Symptoms of digestive tract

Common index: ★★★★★☆.

According to incomplete statistics, about 37% of patients with liver disease were mistaken for "stomach trouble" at the initial stage of illness, which delayed diagnosis and treatment. Loss of appetite and fullness in the upper abdomen after meals. Warm qi, dyspepsia and nausea are common digestive tract symptoms of liver cancer, among which loss of appetite and abdominal distension are the most common. Diarrhea is also a common digestive tract symptom of liver cancer, which has been reported at home and abroad with a high incidence and is easily mistaken for chronic enteritis. Portal hypertension and intestinal dysfunction caused by portal vein or hepatic vein tumor thrombus can cause abdominal distension, increased stool frequency, and abdominal distension can also be caused by ascites. Gastrointestinal dysfunction can also lead to indigestion, warm gas, nausea and other symptoms.

Symptom 3: fever

Common index: ★★★★★

A considerable number of patients with liver cancer will have sweating and fever. Most of the fever is moderate to low fever, and a few patients may have high fever, which is above 39℃ and is generally not accompanied by chills. The fever of liver cancer is mostly cancerous fever, which is caused by the release of pyrogens into the blood circulation after tumor tissue necrosis. Because of low resistance, tumor patients are prone to infection and fever, which is sometimes difficult to distinguish from cancerous fever of liver cancer. It is necessary to combine blood picture and observe whether antibacterial treatment is effective.

Symptom 4: emaciation and fatigue

Common index: ★★★★☆.

Patients with liver cancer often feel more tired than patients with other tumors, which is similar to patients with chronic hepatitis. The cause of fatigue is unknown, which may be due to digestive dysfunction and nutrient absorption disorder, or liver cells are damaged and liver function is reduced, which makes metabolic disorders and some toxins unable to be inactivated in time, or toxic substances are released due to necrosis of liver cancer tissue. Emaciation is also a common symptom in patients with liver cancer, which is due to impaired liver function. Decreased digestion and absorption function. With the development of the disease, the degree of emaciation can be aggravated, and cachexia appears in severe cases.

Symptom 5: Bleeding tendency

Common index: ★★★★

Patients with liver cancer often have bleeding tendency such as gingival bleeding and subcutaneous ecchymosis, which is mainly caused by impaired liver function and abnormal coagulation function, especially in patients with liver cancer complicated with cirrhosis. Gastrointestinal bleeding is common, which is mainly caused by esophageal and gastric varices caused by portal hypertension. In fact, gastrointestinal bleeding is also the leading cause of death in patients with liver cancer.

Symptom 6: edema of lower limbs

Common index: ★★★★

Patients with liver cancer and ascites often have edema of lower limbs, which can occur in the ankle and spread to the whole lower limbs in severe cases. Clinically, I have seen some patients with high edema of lower limbs, and water can seep from the thigh skin. The main cause of edema of lower limbs is that ascites compresses the veins of lower limbs or blocks the tumor thrombus, which blocks the venous return. Mild edema can also be caused by low plasma albumin.

Symptom 7: Acute abdomen.

Common index: ★★★

The rupture of cancer nodules usually causes pain in the liver area, and there is obvious tenderness in the liver area during physical examination, which is a symptom of liver capsule irritation. Some patients showed acute abdominal pain with peritoneal irritation after the rupture of cancer nodules, which was easily misdiagnosed as acute peritonitis. Abdominal pain caused by rupture of cancer nodules is usually accompanied by blood pressure drop or even shock, which is different from general acute peritonitis.[detailed]

Six secrets to enhance liver function

Step 1 drink more lemonade

Water helps to speed up metabolism, expel impurities and toxins from the body and reduce the burden on the liver. Drink a cup of warm boiled water after getting up every day, which can wake up the whole body. Dr. Peter Kramer, an American liver expert, suggested that you can try adding lemon to water. The acidity of lemon can promote the liver to produce bile, which is beneficial to detoxification. Drink 8~10 cups a day, 300 ml each time.

2. Eat purple cabbage often

Cruciferae vegetables include beets, radishes, cabbages, purple cabbage and arugula, or vegetables containing sulfur, such as onions, garlic and cauliflower, which can enhance the detoxification function of the body. Eating two servings of cruciferous vegetables every day can enhance the detoxification function of the liver.

3. Regular massage

When the body is lying flat, gently massage the gallbladder and liver, about below the ribs on the right side of the body. Stephen Stewart, an expert in liver disease at Mette Hospital in the United Kingdom, believes that massage can help promote blood circulation in the liver, thus improving the metabolic function of the whole body.

Step 4 stay away from alcohol and medicine

Alcohol is extremely harmful to liver function. People with liver damage must give up drinking. In addition, many people are used to buying over-the-counter painkillers in pharmacies when they are unwell, but these drugs may contain acetaminophen, which may produce some toxic metabolites after liver metabolism, causing liver damage.

Step 5 make up minerals

Make sure you get enough minerals in your daily diet, such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc, selenium and manganese. For patients with liver cirrhosis, doctors will also advise them to supplement more vitamins and minerals than usual to activate liver function.

6. Homemade liver protection tea

Silybum marianum, turmeric and dandelion are all thought to help clean and protect the liver. Try taking 45 mg of turmeric, 400 mg of dandelion extract or 400 mg of milk thistle every day. You can also soak fresh dandelion roots in boiling water instead of drinking tea, but make sure they are not polluted by chemical pesticides.[detailed]

Small coup to help you protect your liver

Close your eyes.　The liver and eyes are interlinked, and the liver holds blood and the liver holds eyes, so nourishing the liver can first support eyes. Can fix a large object in the distance as the target. The eyeball goes from left to top, then to bottom and then back to left, completing a big circle. Remember to keep your head still and keep your eyes moving. After 10 turns, turn it from the opposite direction for 10 turns, which can effectively relieve eye fatigue and improve vision. If you are tired of eyes, closing your eyes can also achieve the effect of nourishing the liver and improving eyesight.

Pressing and protecting liver point　Massage acupoints is also a very direct method to protect the liver. Hugan point is the middle point between breasts. Hands folded, up and down to and from Shanzhong point for 30 times, can relax Qi, stimulate thymus and enhance immunity. Zusanli point is also a point for protecting the liver. Punching with fists can achieve the effects of tonifying kidney and nourishing liver and protecting the spleen and stomach.

Do liver-protecting exercises　Dry cleaning legs: Hold one thigh root tightly with both hands, rub it down to the ankle with a little force, and then go up to the leg root. Or you can also rub the calf, that is, pinch one side of the calf with two palms and rotate it.

Drink gouqi porridge　Lycium barbarum is an absolutely good food to protect the liver and improve eyesight. Lycium barbarum can be eaten directly or soaked in water, and can also be used as medicated diet and porridge. Cook rice into semi-finished porridge first, then add Lycium barbarum and cook it. The effect of wolfberry porridge can relieve symptoms such as eye fatigue and dizziness. Drinking wolfberry porridge for patients with hepatitis has the good effect of protecting liver and promoting liver cell regeneration.[detailed]

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