LIFE VS. YOUR LIVER

YOU DON'T NEED A "DETOX" TO FACE THE GROWING THREAT TO THIS MVP ORGAN. JUST USE THESE SIMPLE STEPS TO FIGHT BACK.

- MIKE ZIMMERMAN

WITH EVERYBODY you've ever followed on social media doing Dry January or some kind of cleanse, how is it that up to 46 percent of the general adult population has some degree of a dangerous liver disease? Sure, your liver appreciates the break. But alcohol is not the only thing hurting it, says Dr. Michael D. Leise, a Mayo Clinic transplant hepatologist.

"I don't drink much" needs to be retired from the "my liver's fine" canon, because if you carry extra weight, get minimal exercise or have bouts of overeating, your liver's probably not fine.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition that's exactly what it sounds like: unhealthy amounts of fat build up in your liver. Over time, this can cause that organ to swell, scar and eventually fail or develop cancer.

Risks are higher if you're overweight or have obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. But NAFLD can hit people without these issues.