www.paeds.co.uk/.../400px-Biliary_diagram.gif

Hepatic Portal VeinHepatic Portal Vein

Entero-Hepatic CirculationEntero-Hepatic Circulation

HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE YOUR LIVER?YOUR LIVER?

Hi... I'm Your Liver!Hi... I'm Your Liver!

Let me tell youLet me tell you

how much I love you…in how much I love you…in 99 ways ways

1. I make 1. I make bilebile to to help digest your help digest your food.food.

Without me, Without me, you'd waste away you'd waste away to nothing.to nothing.

Role of Bile Role of Bile

Functions of Bile Functions of Bile (Detergent Action)(Detergent Action)

Micelle’s FormationMicelle’s Formation

2. I 2. I store the ironstore the iron reserves you need, reserves you need, as well as a lot of as well as a lot of vitamins and other vitamins and other minerals.minerals.

Without me, you Without me, you wouldn't have the wouldn't have the strength to carry strength to carry on!on!

3. I 3. I detoxify poisonous detoxify poisonous chemicalschemicals you give you give me, and that me, and that includes alcohol, includes alcohol, beer, wine and beer, wine and drugs (prescribed drugs (prescribed and over-the-and over-the-counter) as well as counter) as well as illegal substances.illegal substances.

Without me, your Without me, your "bad" habits would "bad" habits would kill you.kill you.

4. I store 4. I store energyenergy, like a , like a battery, by battery, by stockpiling sugar stockpiling sugar (carbohydrates, (carbohydrates, glucose and fat) until glucose and fat) until you need it.you need it.

Without me, the Without me, the sugar level in your sugar level in your blood could fall blood could fall dramatically and dramatically and you'd go into a you'd go into a coma.coma.

5. I 5. I make the bloodmake the blood that got your that got your system going even system going even before you were before you were born.born.

Without me, you Without me, you wouldn't be here!wouldn't be here!

6. I 6. I manufacture new manufacture new proteinsproteins that your that your body needs to stay body needs to stay healthy and grow. healthy and grow.

Without me, you Without me, you wouldn't grow wouldn't grow properly!properly!

7. I 7. I remove poisonsremove poisons from the air, exhaust from the air, exhaust smoke and smoke and chemicals you chemicals you breathe. breathe.

Without me, you'd Without me, you'd be poisoned by be poisoned by pollutants!pollutants!

8. I 8. I make clotting make clotting factorsfactors that stop the that stop the bleeding when you bleeding when you accidentally prick accidentally prick yourself.yourself.

Without me, you'd Without me, you'd bleed to death!bleed to death!

9. I help 9. I help defend youdefend you against the germs against the germs going into your body all going into your body all the time. I take those the time. I take those cold germs, flu bugs cold germs, flu bugs and other germs you and other germs you encounter, and knock encounter, and knock them dead - or at least them dead - or at least weaken them. weaken them.

Without me, you'd be a Without me, you'd be a sitting duck for every sitting duck for every infection known to man.infection known to man.

That's how muchThat's how muchI love you...I love you...

but do you love me?but do you love me?

Let me tell you some easy Let me tell you some easy ways to love me, your liverways to love me, your liver

Don't drown me in beer, Don't drown me in beer, alcohol or wine! alcohol or wine! Even one drink is too Even one drink is too much for some people much for some people and could scar me for and could scar me for life.life.

• I scar easily.. and those scars, called I scar easily.. and those scars, called "cirrhosis" are permanent."cirrhosis" are permanent.

Medicine is sometimes necessary. But Medicine is sometimes necessary. But taking pills when they aren't necessary is a taking pills when they aren't necessary is a bad habitbad habit. All those chemicals can really . All those chemicals can really hurt a liver.hurt a liver.

• Watch those drugs!Watch those drugs! All drugs are All drugs are chemicals, and chemicals, and when you mix them when you mix them up without a up without a doctor's advice you doctor's advice you could create could create something something poisonous that could poisonous that could damage me badly. damage me badly.

Be careful with Be careful with aerosol spraysaerosol sprays!!

Remember, I have to Remember, I have to detoxify what you detoxify what you breathe in, too. So breathe in, too. So when you are cleaning when you are cleaning with aerosol cleaners, with aerosol cleaners, make sure the room is make sure the room is ventilated, or wear a ventilated, or wear a mask. mask.

That goes double for bug sprays, mildew That goes double for bug sprays, mildew sprays, paint sprays and all those other sprays, paint sprays and all those other chemical sprays you use. Be careful what chemical sprays you use. Be careful what you breathe!you breathe!

Watch what gets on your skin! Watch what gets on your skin! Those insecticides Those insecticides you put on trees and shrubs not only kill bugs you put on trees and shrubs not only kill bugs they can get to me right through your skin and they can get to me right through your skin and destroy my cells, too. Remember they're all destroy my cells, too. Remember they're all chemicals.chemicals.

Cover your skin with gloves, long sleeves, a hat Cover your skin with gloves, long sleeves, a hat and mask every time insecticides are in the air and mask every time insecticides are in the air or if you're handling them.or if you're handling them.

Don't eat too much Don't eat too much fatty foodfatty food! ! I make the cholesterol your body I make the cholesterol your body needs, and I try to make the right needs, and I try to make the right amount. amount.

Give me a break. Eat a good, well Give me a break. Eat a good, well balanced nourishing diet. If you eat the balanced nourishing diet. If you eat the right stuff for me, I'll really do my stuff right stuff for me, I'll really do my stuff for you!for you!

WARNING: WARNING: I can't and won't tell you I'm in trouble untilI can't and won't tell you I'm in trouble until

I'm almost at the end of my rope... and yours.I'm almost at the end of my rope... and yours.

Remember: I am a non-complainer. Remember: I am a non-complainer. Overloading me with drugs, alcohol and other Overloading me with drugs, alcohol and other

junk can destroy me! This may be the only junk can destroy me! This may be the only warning you will ever get.warning you will ever get.

Take My Advice, Please!Take My Advice, Please!• Check me out with your Check me out with your

doctor. doctor. • Blood screening tests can Blood screening tests can

identify some trouble. identify some trouble. • If I'm soft and smooth, that's If I'm soft and smooth, that's

good. If I'm hard and bumpy, good. If I'm hard and bumpy, that could mean trouble.that could mean trouble.

• If your doctor suspects If your doctor suspects trouble, ULTRA SOUND and trouble, ULTRA SOUND and CT scans can look into it. CT scans can look into it.

• My life, and yours, depends My life, and yours, depends on how you treat me. on how you treat me.

Now you know how much I care for Now you know how much I care for you.you.Please treat Please treat meme with tender loving care. with tender loving care.

Your silent partner andYour silent partner andever-loving lover …. ever-loving lover ….

LIVERLIVER

THANK

YOUTHANK

YOU