HEALTH LINE
Hala Inom… Hala Bira... He “PATAY” Tis na!
(The following is a series of thoughts taken from the writer’s health book “Fit to Run Fit to Win” dedicated to all Election 2010 candidates; of course, all our readers can also relate):
Male candidates often fall into drinking traps during sorties: “Mayor Inom ‘Ta!” Usual technique, almost cliché, to avoid drinking is: “Ari Dugang lang da pang inom nyo.” Some are more creative: “Naga Antibiotics ako. Bawal siling sang Doctor ko!” Or: “Ga andar ulcer ko!”
Filipino machismo, however, dictates that you should drink at least one shot as gesture of “Pakikisama”. Then health danger alerts start. One bottle leads to another; then you say: “Hasta tatlo lang limit ko ha?” After ‘tatlo”, “Wala na limit-limit!”
Please read more insights from “Joyful Life and Sex? GO TO HEALTH!” on Liver Problems caused by alcohol intake:
Merry ‘Cirrhosis’mas & a Hepa New Year!
If you happen to see (at the market’s meat section) a liver with coarse textures (kudol-kudol), chances are, the liver is cirrhotic. In humans, Cirrhosis looks like these:
(Photos courtesy of Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy)
And this scarring, courtesy of significant alcohol intake and Hepatitis Virus infection (common causes), happened slowly over the years. Holiday Season is over but there can be other events (Kalibo Ati-atihan and Iloilo Dinagyang) to occur when alcohol intake is common (or even a daily chore).
“I love you with all my…” LIVER!” So the early Egyptians would say as they courted their women. They considered their livers far important than their hearts. Used to be the biggest organ (now replaced by the skin; and lately by the endothelium), the liver still does important functions. The liver efficiently: cleanses the poisons (e.g. alcohol) taken in, produces clotting factors to prevent hemorrhage, produces bile for digestion, makes antibodies to fight infections, and a lot of others like balancing our sugar, vitamins, and cholesterol levels.
Yellow-brown or orange Not only are the color of the skin and eyes of a cirrhotic patient— because of bile pigmentation— but also the color of the cirrhotic liver on autopsy (scirrhus, Greek term meaning yellow-brown or orange as the word’s origin).
Other problems may occur:
Hemorrhage due to clotting problems.
Bloated abdomen (ascites) — by the presence of fluids resulting from back-flow of blood due to abnormal pressure between the liver (portal) and the general body circulation sites. Varicose veins in the food tube esophagus (yes, varicose other than the legs’) may result from that abnormal vein pressure and may lead to rupture causing bloody vomiting.
Blood poisons accumulate (poor liver cleansing functions); then may go to the brain causing flapping hand tremors and clouded thinking (Hepatic Encephalopathy). Coma then follows!
Drink, be merry… And have Liver Cirrhosis! Alcoholic Liver Disease remains as one big cause of Cirrhosis. Prolonged drinking causes not only scarred emotions but scarred liver as well. So please cut down on your alcohol intake. Don’t take another drink until one hour has passed— the liver can only detoxify alcohol at a rate of one drink per hour. And one drink equals one bottle for beer (not the grande of course), one ‘shot’ for scotch, and one glass for wine. That way, you not only prevent hang-over but cirrhosis as well—especially if you don’t exceed two drinks per night (better, two drinks per week). Remember too that food delays alcohol absorption (be drunk on “sumsuman”; though not on atay-kilawin one). Thus, food and water “chasers” — before, during, and after the spree— aid in squashing hang-over.
“Hepa” days are here again Viral Hepatitis infections (particularly Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C) compete with Alcohol as primary causes of Liver Cirrhosis. Hepatitis B is popular in RP; while Hepatitis C (26%) overshadows Alcohol (21%) as top Cirrhosis inducer in the US of A. The viruses attack the liver causing inflammation that, if not treated appropriately, may result to Cirrhosis. Too, a link between Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer has been established. Commonly contracted through sharing of body fluids as in blood transfusion, sharing of drug addict’s needles, and mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, Hepatitis B- unfortunately (for the sex obsessed)- can be ‘shared’ through sexual intercourse too. Hepatitis B as STD case? Yes, Virginio. It is!
Cirrhosis— To prevent is to treat Cirrhosis, once present, is no longer treatable. The disease is unstoppable. We can only wish to soothe the complications but not the process that leads to morbid and mortal conclusions.
Prevent Cirrhosis:
Control, if not abstain (for hypocrites) from alcohol intake. No binge-drinking please.
Handle all man-made chemicals (in all forms—solid, liquid, or vapors) with utmost care. Follow instructions carefully.
Vaccinate for Hepatitis B.
Don’t take chances. Let a Physician quickly handle your “yellowing” of the eyes and skin.
Avoid sharing of needles (read: No substance abuse). Use your own personal manicure set. And careful with uncertified tattoos.
Practice Safe Sex!
And since Cirrhosis are linked with most vices and ‘twisters’, don’t forget your megadoses of Vitamin P — PRAYERS!
And to have lots of both prayers and responsible boozing, where do we wanna go? Of course, off then we go… to pulsating, salivating and vivacious Ati-Atihan of Kalibo! Viva kay Sr. Santo Nino!
(Our writer is a member of the American Association of Sexual, Educators, Counselors and Therapists, and The Kapisanan ng Mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas. You can catch Dr. Yap every Sunday morning at Bombo Good Morning Philippines 900 MHz and Fridays at “Health Line” Wesfardell Budyong Kapihan TV Show with Rexam Laguda. Comments are welcome at dryapjr@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it o. For more of these upbeat articles, as Too Old for Sex, Why Men Like Women with Big Breasts, and Gay Sex, his book; Joyful Life…& Sex? GO TO HEALTH! is now available at all National Book Stores outlets nationwide.)
