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Glory Days & maturity Lifestyle change can combat liver disease Q: My doctor just diagnosed me with fatty liver disease. She says in my case it has nothing to do with drinking alcohol, which makes sense since I rarely drink. But I still don't understand it. Why do I have a problem that's usually caused by heavy drinking? She says it has to do with the fact that I've been overweight most of my life. liver disease (NAFLD) was rarely diagnosed before 1980. But today, NAFLD is believed to affect as many as 30 per- cent of adult Americans. NAFLD is actually not a single disease. Instead, it's a spectrum of disor- ders, all marked by the accumulation of fat inside liver cells. Under the microscope, this fatty buildup looks just like alcohol-induced fatty liver disease, but it occurs in people who consume little or no alcohol. NAFLD usually causes no symptoms and few, if any, complications. How- ever, some people with NAFLD go on to develop serious problems, which we'll discuss shortly. The exact cause of A: Nonalcoholic fatty NAFLD is unknown. But its emergence as a recog- nized and increasingly common disorder coin- cides with the epidemics of obesity and Type 2 dia- betes. Both of these are associated with insulin resistance. Dr. K by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. years to decades, some- times causing vague complaints, such as fatigue, discomfort in the upper right abdomen or an overall sense of being unwell. Underly- ing these complaints may be a cascade of seri- ous damage to the liver that culminates in mas- sive scarring and impaired liver function called cirrhosis, the most advanced stage of NAFLD. Cirrhosis is irreversible and can lead to liver failure or cancer. NASH is most closely associated with obesity, Type 2 diabetes and hyperlipidemia (high blood levels of triglyc- erides or cholesterol) — conditions that, along with hypertension, con- stitute metabolic syn- drome. unless it shows up during a blood test or imaging proce- dure performed for other reasons. But unlike steatosis, NASH is not harmless. In some peo- ple, it progresses slowly, over they have it obesity, Type 2 diabetes and abnormal lipids has NASH. And some peo- ple with NASH have none of these risk fac- tors. This suggests that genes and other factors play a role. There's no cure for But not everyone with Obesity and insulin resistance, in turn, are implicated in "metabolic syndrome," a group of risk factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular dis- ease, including a large waist and high triglyc- erides (a type of blood fat). Some experts con- sider NAFLD a symptom of metabolic syndrome. The leading theory about NAFLD is that it's a result of metabolic changes driven by insulin resistance. More fat stays in the liver, accumulating in tiny sacs in the liver cells. In its simplest form, survivors and their family and friends are invited to attend a wonderful evening with people who understand the "journey" through can- cer. lifestyles Cancer patients gather for prayer, fellowship Cancer patients, cancer always uplifting and encouraging. Great music from local artists, excellent speakers, times of sharing, resources that offer hope, positive networking and a good evening out is some- thing to look forward to each month. Jehovah Rapha — God who heals — is a Christian Ministry open to all of Tehama County and beyond. The group began meeting in February and the May meeting will be 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 8 at Cozy Diner in Red Bluff. The group will continue to meet there the second Tues- The time together is day of each month in the banquet room. Meetings begin with an opening prayer, live music and getting acquainted LOS ANGELES (MCT) — People buy target-date mutual funds to avoid unpleasant surprises. But older investors in these retirement-oriented funds — and more broadly, any investors who hold fixed-income securities — could be in for an unexpected jolt if interest rates rise sharply, as they threatened to do in the first quar- ter. while ordering food. It's been such a joy to see how many people have been making new friends, giving needed support and on- going hope. Prayer will be available through the prayer team, at the end of each meeting, as requested by individuals Pastors are encouraged to attend. The group's state- ment of faith is open to all guests and will be available as a handout at each meet- ing, or can be emailed upon request. Jehovah Rapha is a min- istry of compassion. Cancer patients and cancer sur- vivors are blessed through this outreach. Coming together in a faith- and hope-filled environment is good medicine for soul and body. Invite your family and friends, and be blessed. Please RSVP, as it will help to prepare for seating arrangements and resources, to Patricia Martin at 824-0411 or Carole Clark at 824-1810. Target-date funds aren't immune to rate-increase risks eventual rising interest-rate environment," said Jerome Clark, manager of the T. Rowe Price retirement funds. Saturday, April 21, 2012 – Daily News 7A Interest rates fell to generational lows in recent years as the economy struggled in the aftermath of the global finan- cial crisis. But with the economy gathering steam lately, many investment professionals say rates are much likelier to rise than fall. Rates surged late in the first quarter, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond jumping to 2.38 percent on March 19 from 1.94 percent on March 6. They've since settled back to 2 percent, but nonetheless were up from 1.88 per- cent at the start of the year. fatty liver disease or NASH. Treatment is aimed at reducing or pre- venting further fatty buildup and addressing underlying risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Lifestyle changes such as weight loss and a healthy diet can help. You may also want to talk to your doctor about medications to lower blood sugar and choles- terol and vitamin E sup- plements. Although there is some evidence that these measures may help, it's far too early to recommend any for rou- tine treatment of fatty liver disease. NAFLD is just fat in the liver cells. This condi- tion is called steatosis. While steatosis is not normal, it causes no symptoms and by itself is usually harmless. However, 5 percent to 20 percent of people with steatosis will develop a more serious form of NAFLD called nonalco- holic steatohepatitis, or NASH. In NASH, the fattened cells cause inflammation, swelling and cell death. We don't know the cause of this more seri- ous, inflammatory form of NAFLD or who is most likely to develop it, but it is not simply relat- ed to the amount of fat in the liver cells. NASH is usually a relatively stable condi- tion with few symptoms. Most people don't know LASSEN MEDICAL GROUP Expands Red Bluff Urgent Care to 7 days a week. www.lassenmedical.com 2450 Sister Mary Columba Drive (530) 527-0414 fixed-income holdings, have greater exposure to this risk. "If there is a significant spike (in rates), the fixed-income portion of some of these funds is going to be hurt," said Josh Charlson, a target-date analyst at Morningstar Inc. "Man- agers are aware of it and there's been a lot of thinking about how to protect retirees from unexpected shocks." Target funds invest in a mixture of stocks and bonds, and Higher rates could mean losses in fixed-income holdings because rising rates reduce the value of previously issued bonds paying lower yields. Older savers, whose target funds tend to have larger And perhaps it goes without saying, but to be clear on the issue of alcohol: People with NASH should not drink at all. And people with simple fatty liver — that is, steatosis — should at the very least minimize their alcohol consump- tion. avoid exposure to other liver toxins and to get immunizations against hepatitis B and A. But the most important mea- sure of all is slow, steady weight loss — and that requires a balanced, calorie-restricted diet along with regular exer- cise. It's another exam- ple of how healthful lifestyle choices actually improve health. It also makes sense to Sat - Sun, April 21st - 22nd Round Up Parade • Bowling Tournament Sears Tractor Rodeo Sat, April 21st Sat, April 21st RED BLUFF ROUND-UP Tehama District Fairgrounds 2:30pm • Sun, April 22nd RODEO: Submit questions to harvard_adviser@hms.h arvard.edu. 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Many have lightened their holdings of Treasury securities and boosted high-yield bonds or other investments that are considered less sensitive to rising rates. T. Rowe Price, for example, has lightened its "core" bond allocation but has increased its helping of high-yield and emerging-market bonds, as well as stocks. "In every aspect that we are able to within the portfolio, we have positioned as best we can for the likelihood of an SATURDAY, APRIL 28 - 7 A.M. ROLLING HILLS CASINO 2012 9th & 10th. 91