I’m Too Old To Change My Habits Now

There is an old saying that goes “as long as you’re alive, it’s not too late.” With many health conditions that continue to be the case and it’s never too late to start changing your habits for the better. It’s also incredibly important to do this, especially if you might be at risk of poor liver health. The sooner you’re able to switch to more positive habits, the more of a chance your body will have.

Liver disease numbers are rising in the UK

In fact, statistics suggest that it has now become the biggest cause of death for people aged between 35 and 49 – and is about to be more fatal than heart disease when it comes to premature death. One of the most shocking findings of recent research into liver disease is that those who are admitted to hospital with liver disease as an emergency are likely to be dead within the year. Therefore, knowing your liver health offers opportunities to alter your future. So, for anyone who has fallen into bad habits when it comes to looking after your liver, there is plenty of motivation to change. Wherever you are right now in terms of your liver health habits, there is still time to make a difference.

You’re not too old and it’s not too late

Poor liver health and Liver disease is now being described as “an epidemic” in the UK where very few of us are really aware of the damage that we might be doing to this vital organ on a daily basis. In fact, most people  who have liver problems are completely unaware of them – one statistic indicates that three quarters of those who have a problem like scarring or cirrhosis of the liver only find out about this when they are admitted to A&E for the issue. That’s according to research that was carried out by the British Liver Trust. The thing about liver disease is that if it’s caught early then it can be reversed so what do you need to look out for?

The key habits that anyone needs to change

The symptoms of poor liver health and liver disease are not noticeable, but can include – poor sleep, poor concentration, lack of energy and tiredness. This is why so many people don’t realise they have a problem until it’s too late. However, there are some key habits that will influence how healthy your liver is and you can start making those changes today.

• Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and lose weight if you need to – obesity is a leading cause of fatty liver disease.
• Eating healthy and regular movement / exercise helps the liver to process the food eaten to help the heart and those with type 2 diabetes.
• Make sure that you don’t drink more than the recommended limit of alcohol per week – and that you’re having three consecutive days in every week when you don’t drink. That’s because alcohol problems are one of the leading causes of liver disease.
• Be aware of the risks of viral hepatitis (another leading cause of liver disease), get tested and treated promptly if you need to.

These simple steps can help anyone to avoid a life that is unnecessarily shortened by poor liver health, liver disease or related conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure or liver cancer. These are changes you can make at any age – you’re never too old to change your habits and improve your liver health.