10B • OCT. 27, 2023
bransonglobe.com
Drugs that play havoc with our liver
BY JODY JOHNSON GODFREY Wellness Design Specialist
O
ur liver is quite an incredible organ; it is a cleaning and scavenging mechanism for our body as it clears out alcohol, drugs and chemicals from our blood. It processes “the bad boys” and then flushes them out via the urine. This is just one reason it is imperative to drink eight glasses of water each day as it augments that flushing out process!
Often, as the liver functions in the blood purifying process—toxins can form. These toxins can inflame and damage the liver. Toxic liver disease can be mild or severe, but if over a long duration, permanent damage or liver scarring may occur, which is referred to as cirrhosis. This disease may lead to liver failure and even death. Simply, taking acetaminophen for a short time can be enough to harm your liver. Many prescriptions, some herbal supplements, chemical solvents and alcohol will cause hepatotoxicity in many of us. Symptoms of liver damage can be “some or all” of these: diarrhea, dark urine, itching, jaundice (yellowish eyes and skin), headaches, no appe-
tite, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, weight loss, and white or gray stool. Symptoms may occur just hours after you have come in contact with the offender, or you may gradually feel worse over days or weeks of regular exposure to the culprit(s). Many over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription meds can cause toxic liver disease: Tylenol, Aleve and Motrin (OTC drugs). Statins, antibiotics (amoxicillin and erythromycin), arthritis drugs (methotrexate, azathioprine), antifungal drugs, niacin, steroids, allopurinol (for gout treatment), and antiviral drugs for HIV. Chemotherapy is a toxin and could easily stress your liver. Herbal supplements that
contain aloe vera, black cohosh, cascara, chaparral, comfrey, ephedra and kava could also cause toxic liver disease. You may be more prone to sustain liver damage if 1. You take OTC pain relievers in addition to the recommended dosage and along with chronic alcohol use 2. If you already have cirrhosis or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or hepatitis 3. You work in an atmosphere with industrial chemicals 4. You are older, or female 5. You have a gene mutation for a weak liver If you notice any of the listed symptoms or if you are “at risk,” see your doctor soon. The doctor will give you a physical exam and go over your symp-
toms and medical history. Be honest with your doctor and disclose what you take and how often and whether you consume alcohol. The tests to determine liver damage will be 1. Blood tests 2. Ultrasound 3. CT scan 4. Liver biopsy Treatment will be to stop the exposure via switching medications, avoiding herbal supplements, toxic chemical exposure and ceasing to drink alcohol. Also, if you believe that an acetaminophen overdose caused your liver symptoms, quickly go to the hospital as they have a drug that can quickly reverse the damage from overuse of OTC drugs. Also, hospital care can rehydrate you and administer anti-nausea
Love and Marriage: Thoughts on infidelity
BY HEATHER HAYGOOD Columnist
I
f you want something to last forever, you treat it differently. You shield it and protect it. You never abuse it. You don’t expose it to the elements. You don’t make it common or ordinary. If it ever becomes tarnished, you lovingly polish it until it gleams like new. It becomes special because you have made it so, and it grows more beautiful and precious as time goes by.” ― F. Burton Howard The potential for infidelity starts prior to marriage.
Ultimately the spouse who is unfaithful has a long history of “practicing” behaviors that lead to infidelity. These behaviors might include needing regular validation from the opposite sex, having over five sexual partners, engaging in pornography, lack of maturity, selfishness, not understanding morality as related to marriage, insecure attachment style and emotional starvation. The unfaithful might say something like, “I never intended this to happen.” That may be so, but chances are that they weren’t forced at gun point into an affair. At some point a conscious decision was made to engage in activities with someone other than their spouse that would result in devastating consequences to them should they find
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out. Furthermore, the decision to cheat was preceded by many seemingly small decisions chosen over loyalty to a spouse which over time slowly ate away any resolve towards faithfulness. Cheating is not ever an “accident.” “Bad marriages don’t cause infidelity; infidelity causes bad marriages.” -Frank Pittman It is important to understand that once this line has been crossed there is no going back to what was. I often hear people talk about marriage “restoration,” but if the two can stay married and continue to do life together a restructuring and rebuilding has taken place. The wounded in this scenario must choose against all odds to believe that this will not happen twice and be willing to accept that the
innocence of what they previously had together died. This entails entering a period of mourning while choosing to stay married and rebuilding. The offender in this situation must accept responsibility for what has taken place and do everything they can to prove they want to earn trust, while giving their spouse room to heal and releasing them from the obligation of making marriage feel “how it used to feel.” The process of restructuring a marriage after infidelity is possible, but the road is long and hard. The best way to avoid this kind of trauma is to be honest with yourself and your spouse prior to having an affair. It is important to be honest with yourself about your ability to be faithful before dragging someone else through a potential
heartbreak. If faithfulness and loyalty have not been your strong suit prior to marriage, chances are they will not be your forte in a marriage. Change is possible with mentoring, discipline and resolve, but the truth that we are what we repeatedly do is inevitable. We must also develop mature and comprehensive communication techniques. Learn to say the hard things in love, remembering that this person we committed ourselves to was once someone we loved and respected above all others. At the very least we must treat our spouse with enough respect to remain honorable until a resolution or dissolution has occurred. If I steal money from my business partner and I am caught, who would expect my partner to instantly forgive me and continue to do business with me without any consequences? Furthermore, who would sym-
medication. Liver transplants are the last resort for severe liver damage. The good news is that we have some “friends” out there in veggie land that can render much needed assistance! They are kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts. These all factor in with the liver cleansing, but kale is at the top of the list for THAT! You should have a kale salad every day, take kale supplements or do the life lengthening smoothie which is comprised of kale, frozen blueberries and kefir in your blender! This little powerhouse reduces fat, lowers cholesterol, cleans the liver and reduces inflammation as well as oxidative stress damage AND prevents fatty liver disease!
pathize with me if I said, “I just wish my business partner would get over it and do business like we did before my mistake?” I am going to go out on a limb and say that my sympathizers would be few. Isn’t it interesting that we often treat disloyalty in marriage with less practicality than we do in business? “Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate.” I would love to hear your feedback on my Love and Marriage Series. If you have been enjoying my articles, please visit hshaygood.com and click The Love Journey tab to order your copy of my new book and sign up for weekly emails. I keep my emails fresh and different from my weekly Globe articles. “Love is a journey not a destination.”
