elnathan Blog

One in eight middle-aged adults in the UK could have a potentially serious form of liver disease - because they are overweight. Scans of nearly 3,000 individuals from the UK Biobank research project showed that 12% had inflamed, fatty livers. The British Liver Trust said the "very alarming" findings were a 'wake-up call' because the condition can lead to cirrhosis , liver failure and death. Hepatologists said there was a silent epidemic of fatty liver disease . This is especially worrying because symptoms often do not emerge until permanent damage is done - but the condition is reversible if caught in time. Back to normal Frances Carroll , aged 52, from Oxford, was told she had fatty liver disease seven years ago. At the time she weighed over 18 stone (116 kilos). She lost 7 stone, and went down from a size 22 to a 12. Frances said: "I was shocked when I was told my liver was diseased, but determined to do something about it. I started by e...

  What does a huge festive meal do to your brain? Jessica Bradley Share Save Getty Images (Credit: Getty Images) Many of us with throw modesty out the window when it comes to Christmas lunch . But what do these blow-out festive meals do to our body and brain? There are  lots of ways that food supports our brains  to do their many important functions, including our memory and concentration. A  balanced diet can also be a powerful support to our mental health. But what immediate effects does eating a huge meal – such as an all-the-works Christmas dinner – have on our brains? What happens when we overeat? When we're eating, various signals around  the body work together to let our brains know we're full  – including from hormones released from the gut, and metabolites (molecules that break down food for energy). These  hormones also signal the release of insulin from the pancreas to control our blood sugar.  This whole process is called the " satiet...