虎年降至，又是到了一年到头最繁忙的日子，走亲访友，同学聚会，旅游出行难免会造成熬夜，过度饮食以及饮酒问题，这些生活方式不规律和饮食不节会给肝脏带来巨大压力。如何在享受阖家团聚的节日氛围，又能保护肝脏的健康？
适度饮酒
逢年过节喝酒，总抵挡不了亲朋好友各种花式劝酒。一喝酒就喝多，殊不知这一杯杯下肚的酒正在逐步突破肝脏的解酒极限。 作为处理酒精的主要器官，肝脏特别容易遭受酒精相关损伤。当饮酒量超过肝脏解酒能力，肝脏细胞将受到损害，进而导致脂肪肝，肝纤维化甚至肝硬化。 饮酒量越多，饮酒时间越长，肝脏损伤越严重。到底喝多少才算过量？《澳大利亚指南》指出，为了降低与酒精有关的疾病或伤害的危害风险，健康的人每周的标准饮酒量不应超过10杯，任何一天的饮酒量不应超过4杯。但如果您有肝脏基础疾病，如乙肝或肝硬化，戒酒是最好的方式来保持健康。
保证足够的睡眠
新年全家聚在一起，熬夜守岁是许多中国家庭恪守的传统。 除此之外，逞着假期，熬夜通宵打牌也是非常常见娱乐方式。 都说熬夜爆肝，因为肝脏的解毒是在夜间休息时完成。如果睡眠时间不足，未分解毒素会滞留肝脏导致肝细胞损害，可见长时间连续熬夜对于肝脏危害多么大。 因此，假期期间也要注意休息，给肝脏足够时间排出毒素，保持身体健康活力！
健康饮食，控制体重
为了“年年有余“好兆头，过年期间餐桌上总免不了顿顿大鱼大肉。假期后多了体重焦虑的人比比皆是。其实我们吃的喝的都会直接影响肝脏。此外，暴饮暴食不仅会增加肝脏负担，还会增加一些慢性疾病的风险。因此， 吃得好，不仅能保持健康的体重，还可以改善肝脏健康，预防某些慢性疾病。那如何在假期拥有健康饮食？从所有食物组中选择食物，并保持健康的平衡。食用适量的食物，如全谷物、水果、蔬菜和蛋白质，如鸡蛋、肉、豆类或鱼。此外，要避免富含脂肪、糖、盐和油的食物。
肝病患者不能擅自停药
许多肝病患者长期都吃着抗病毒的药物、保肝护肝的药物等，因此，病人必须遵照医生的医嘱按疗程服药。不能因为假期出游就擅自停药，否则会导致病情加重或复发。同时注意定期复查，如果出现身体不适，一定要去医院进行检查。
肝脏作为人体内最辛苦的器官，尤其是在假期的时候，我们一定要采取有效的护肝行动，避免生活方式和饮食变化带来的不必要的损害，让其在新的一年也能“生龙活虎”。
The Year of the Tiger is here, and it is the busiest day of the year! Visiting relatives and friends, class reunions, and traveling will encourage unhealthy habits such as staying up late, overeating, and drinking alcohol. These habits and unhealthy diets, especially when done excessively, can bring great harm to the liver. So, how do we enjoy the festive atmosphere with family and friends while protecting the health of the liver?
Limit or avoid alcohol consumption.
Drinking during the New Year and festivals is sometimes irresistible due to all kinds of peer pressure and persuasion from relatives and friends. Drinking too much can happen easily, which put us at high risk of liver damage. When the amount of drinking exceeds the liver’s ability to process alcohol, liver cells will be damaged, which can lead to alcohol-related fatty liver, liver fibrosis and even liver cirrhosis. The more you drink and the longer you drink, the more severe the liver damage.
How much is too much to drink? The Australian Guidelines state that in order to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related illness or injury, healthy people should drink no more than 10 drinks per week and no more than four drinks on any given day. But if you have an underlying liver disease, such as hepatitis B or cirrhosis, quitting alcohol is the best way to stay healthy.
Getting enough sleep
It is a tradition that many Chinese families follow that when the whole family gets together on New Year’s Eve and stays up late to welcome the new year and cherish the health and happiness in the following year. In addition, staying up all night playing cards during the holidays is also a very common type of entertainment. Studies suggest that staying up all night disrupts the liver, as the detoxification of the liver is usually completed during the night’s rest. If you don’t get enough sleep time, undecomposed toxins will stay in the liver and cause liver cell damage. So it’s important to rest during the holidays and give your liver enough time to excrete toxins and keep your body healthy and energetic!
Keeping a healthy diet and managing your weight.
For the good omen of “more than enough every year”, there is always a lot of fish and meat on the table during Lunar New Year. Post-holiday weight anxiety abounds. In fact, what we eat and drink will directly affect the liver. Overeating not only increases the burden on the liver, but also increases the risk of some chronic diseases such as heart disease. Therefore, eating well can not only maintain a healthy weight, but also improve liver health and prevent certain chronic diseases. So how to eat healthy during the holidays? Choose from all food groups and maintain a healthy balance. Eat moderate amounts of foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and proteins like eggs, meat, beans, or fish. Also, avoid foods high in fat, sugar, salt and oil.
Take medicine as prescribed by your doctor.
Many patients with liver disease may take antiviral drugs and liver-protecting drugs prescribed by their doctor. It’s important that patients follow their doctor’s advice and take medicines as prescribed. Stopping medicines due to vacation or travel can lead to the progression of the disease. And pay attention to your liver; if you feel unwell, visit your GP to get a liver check.
The liver is the most hard-working organ in the human body. During the holidays we must protect our liver and avoid unnecessary damage caused by unhealthy changes in lifestyle and diet so that it can also function healthily and happily in the new year.
“Keep your liver active and healthy.”
