What is the Liver? Let's learn more about this silent worker in our body!

Have you ever thought about your liver? Although we often talk about things like the heart and the brain, the liver is also an amazing organ that quietly but indispensablely performs a huge amount of work inside our body. It's like a silent worker in our body. So, today we're going to talk in a little more detail about our friend the liver, the work it does, the problems it can cause, and how to take care of it, okay?

What exactly is the liver?

Simply put, the liver is a very important organ in our body as well as a gland . That means it works as an organ as well as a gland that makes things like proteins and hormones that the body needs.

Imagine that the liver is like a sponge, wedge-shaped, reddish-brown, and about the size of a football . However, this size can vary depending on your height and weight. The liver of an adult weighs about 1.3 kilograms, which makes it the largest organ in our body.

Most of the time, the liver is located on the right side of our body, just below the ribs. However, there is a very rare condition called `(Situs Inversus)`, in which some people's liver can be located on the left side.

In medicine, we call diseases related to the liver 'hepatic' conditions. We call doctors who specialize in the liver 'hepatologists'.

So, what service does this liver provide to our body?

Oh my! There are hundreds of jobs that the liver does. But let's talk about a few of the most important, essential jobs for survival :

• Purifies the blood: The liver's main job is to remove toxins , that is, harmful substances, that accumulate in our blood and purify the blood. It's like a super filter in our body.
• Removes old red blood cells : When the red blood cells in our blood become old, the liver removes them.
• Bile is produced by the liver: The liver produces a fluid called bile that helps us digest the food we eat. This bile helps us digest fatty foods.
• Processes nutrients: Another important function of the liver is to ``metabolize`` the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats we get from the food we eat so that our bodies can use them.
• Helps blood clot: The liver also makes some substances that help blood clot, which helps stop bleeding when there is an injury somewhere.
• Controls blood volume: The liver also helps control the total blood volume in our body.
• Stores energy and vitamins: The body stores energy (this is stored as glycogen) and vitamins (e.g. vitamins A , D, E, K, B12) for later use in the liver.

Now you understand, right? The liver is not a small person. These are just some of the main functions. In addition, the liver performs hundreds of other functions silently.

What are the parts of the liver?

The liver is mainly composed of two large lobes : the right lobe and the left lobe.

There are many blood vessels inside this organ. The blood in our body goes through these veins to the liver, where it is purified. The liver, to be precise, works like a super filter system , removing toxins and unnecessary waste from the blood. These removed substances are then excreted from the body with urine and feces.

In addition, within these large ducts are thousands of smaller ducts called lobules. These lobules are connected to many small tubes called bile ducts that carry bile produced in the liver to the small intestine.

What diseases can affect the liver?

Unfortunately, there are a number of conditions and diseases that can damage our precious liver, that is, cause liver disease. Some of them are:

If there is a liver problem, what symptoms do we feel?

Okay, now let's see how our body lets us know if there is something wrong or a problem with the liver. What are those symptoms?

One of the most important and most common symptoms is jaundice . You may have seen some people whose skin and the whites of their eyes have turned yellow. That's what jaundice is. The reason for this is that a yellow substance called bilirubin increases in the blood. This bilirubin is a substance that is produced when the liver breaks down old red blood cells. So, high levels of bilirubin in the blood are a sign that there may be something wrong with the liver.

In addition to jaundice, there may be a number of other symptoms:

• Fluid buildup in the abdomen (doctors call this ``ascites''). The abdomen looks swollen.
• The body bruises easily. Even if you get hit by something small, you turn blue.
• Excessive itching of the skin.
• Low blood pressure .
• Feeling pain in the stomach, especially in the upper right part of the abdomen.
• Swelling in areas like the legs and ankles.
• Weakness in the body, lack of energy, feeling off balance when walking, feeling tired all the time.
• Confusion means a bit of confusion, forgetting where you are and what time it is.

How can I keep my liver healthy and fit?

Because our liver is such a valuable and functional organ, it is very important to keep it healthy . We all need to treat our liver with love. So, here are some simple, yet very important things you can do to keep your liver healthy:

• Stay away from toxins: Stay away from harmful substances such as chemicals (such as pesticides, herbicides), smoking, and illegal drugs as much as possible.
• Take care of personal hygiene: Never share your personal items like needles, razors, and toothbrushes with others.
• Limit alcohol consumption: If you are a person who drinks alcohol, do so in very limited amounts and only infrequently .
• Follow medical advice about medication: Take the medication prescribed by a doctor exactly as prescribed, in the amount prescribed, and at the time prescribed.
• Maintain a healthy body weight: Eat a balanced, nutritious diet. Exercise regularly.
• Practice safe sex: To protect yourself from infections like hepatitis B and C.
• Get hepatitis vaccinations: There are vaccines against hepatitis A and B.
• Wash your hands thoroughly: Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating and after using the toilet.