Most people think liver disease is only caused by alcohol. It isn’t. In this episode of Psychology, Actually, we explore fatty liver disease (now known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease), a common but often silent condition affecting 1 in 5 people in the UK.

I’m joined by NHS health coach Sharan Verma, who shares both professional insight and her personal experience of losing her father to the disease. We discuss symptoms, diagnosis, reversibility, and why so many people are unaware they have it until it’s progressed.This episode also explores the psychological impact of illness, caregiving, and grief including how difficult it can be to witness physical decline in someone you love.If you’re interested in health psychology, prevention, or understanding how physical and emotional wellbeing connect, this episode offers an important and eye-opening perspective.

Highlights

• 00:00 Why liver disease isn’t just about alcohol
• 01:22 What fatty liver disease actually is
• 02:15 Early symptoms and why it’s often missed
• 03:04 Stages of liver disease and reversibility
• 04:47 Why awareness needs to change
• 06:48 Sharan’s father’s diagnosis and missed opportunities
• 08:59 Rapid deterioration and hospitalisation
• 09:49 Losing a parent to liver disease
• 10:30 Guilt, hindsight and what we didn’t know
• 11:29 Stigma and misunderstanding around liver disease
• 12:44 Genetics and family patterns
• 14:01 Living with increased health risk
• 15:12 The emotional impact of watching someone decline
• 15:39 Physical changes at end of life
• 16:18 Trauma, memory and grief
• 17:36 Where the liver is and what it does
• 18:46 Diet, lifestyle and prevention
• 21:47 Barriers to healthy eating
• 22:03 Risk factors and population differences
• 22:42 Where to learn more

Links:

📲 Connect with Sharan: https://www.instagram.com/renourishwithsharan/ https://sharanverma.com

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