Skip to main content
Group:
129 Articles Found

#LiverCancer Expert Discussion

This past week on the radio, Dr. Joe Galati interviewed Dr. Sudha Kodali and discussed all that the public needs to know about #livercancer. Knowing your risk factors will certainly reduce the risk of having serious complications from your liver disease. Risk factors for liver cancer include: Any form of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis Hepatitis B Hepatitis C Fatty liver disease Alcohol abuse Various medications Sclerosing cholangitis Knowing your risk factors is key. Call us at 713-794-077 if you have further questions.


#Addiction Updates

Dr. Howard Huang from Houston Methodist Hospital joins Dr. Galati this week and gives an update on COVID-19 and the recent infection that President Trump experience. He will discuss new therapeutics, and what lessons have been learned. Also, Becky Vance who is the president and CEO of Drug Prevention Resources, will shed light on the current state of affairs with regard to addiction and alcohol abuse. The impact of COVID-19 triggering a spike in addiction and overdoses will be discussed in detail. Addiction is such a major issue in the management of patients with liver disease that we dedicate a lot of education in this topic. Addiction impacts on liver transplant patients, and the decision to evaluate them for a life-saving transplant. If you like these podcasts, make sure that you sign up to be notified with each new episode. …


Liver Health Checkup

For years, we have been receiving phone calls and various inquiries from individuals that were concerned about the health of their liver. Maybe they were consuming too much alcohol, or they were recently told they had fatty liver disease. In other circumstances, they remember being told that a family member had hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Because of these concerns, many wanted a "check up" of their liver, but were not quite sure where to go. Some patients would come and see us as a patient, while others simply stayed away. Possibly as a result of COVID-19 and greater dialogue regarding the presence of chronic diseases, including liver disease, we’ve continue to receive calls from people looking for an inexpensive liver health checkup for themselves. Because disorders of the liver usually do not produce many symptoms, you may not even …


Tips for a Healthy Liver

Dr. Joe Galati shares his top 5 tips for a healthy liver. DOWNLOAD HERE Top 5 Tips for a Healthy Liver.  Know your ALT. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is an enzyme found primarily in the liver, one of the liver tests measured on your blood tests. Elevation of ALT indicates inflammation of the liver. There are numerous causes of elevated ALT, including fatty liver, hepatitis B and C, autoimmune disease, and several other metabolic and genetic disorders. Elevated ALT needs a detailed evaluation by your physician. Don’t ignore a fatty liver. Fatty liver is a leading cause of chronic liver disease, which in certain individuals, can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Fatty liver is due to obesity, pre-diabetes or type-2 diabetes, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, and high blood pressure. Fatty liver may have NO symptoms, and you feel well. It can be …


Fatty Liver: All You Need to Know

This past week on Your Health First, Dr. Galati interviewed Dr. Eric Lawitz, a fellow liver specialist, and they spent the hour talking about nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Fatty liver is a leading cause of chronic liver disease in the United States, and can lead to cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver, as well as liver cancer. One amazing statistic is that there are 100 million people in the United States with fatty liver. Most people are unaware that they have a liver problem and thus ignore it. The liver has no nerve fibers, and as a result, in the vast majority of cases, patients will not have any outward signs or symptoms that something is wrong. Risk factors for fatty liver include metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol or triglycerides. …


COVID-19 and Heart Attack: Dr. Galati Explains

An unintended consequence of #COVID19 is that the number of #heartattacks is reduced. Why? Patients are fearful to come to the ER for the help the need. Dr. Mike Wilson, are cardiologist in Houston, joins Dr. Galati to explain. Follow Dr. Galati's podcast available throught the internet, including the iHeart Radio app.


How Do I Calculate My MELD Score?

Dr. Joe Galati details all you need to know about how the MELD score is calculated, and how changes in your lab values increase the MELD score and your priority for liver transplant. There are numerous MELD score calculators online, and these can be easily used. Please call us if we can be of any assistance to you if you are suffering from any type of liver disease. Our main referral line is 713-794-0700.


Low Salt Diet in Liver Disease

Helen Yuan, Registered Dietitian at Liver Specialists of Texas, explains some key facts regarding a low salt diet. The key take home message: 1. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables 2. Stay away from processed foods 3. Don't eat anything in a can, box, or bag 4. Read food labels for sodium (salt) content 5. The goal is about 1,500 mg sodium PER DAY. 6. BONUS: learn to cook at home


5 Foods You Need to Eat Now

Helen Yuan, Registered Dietitian at Liver Specialists of Texas, just released her latest post "5 Foods You Must Have in Your Diet...Now". It is a fantastic outline, full of valuable food and nutrition information that will guide you to a better you. Nutrition is the cornerstone of wellness. Take a look at the post, print it out, and share it with your family and friends. All of us at Liver Specialists of Texas are here to support your liver wellness, and that starts with a solid nutrition foundation. DOWNLOAD "5 FOODS YOU MUST HAVE IN YOUR DIET...NOW"


Top 10 Tips for a Healthy Liver

Dr. Joe Galati shares his DOWNLOADABLE  TOP 10 LIST FOR A HEALTHY LIVER.  Dr. Joe Galati’s Top-Ten Tips for a Healthy Liver Limit your alcohol intake – men should not consume more than 2 alcoholic beverages/day and women no more than 1 alcoholic beverage/day. Note: beer/wine/spirit are all the same regarding alcohol content. Maintain a healthy weight. If overweight or obese, try and lose a minimum of 10% of your body weight now. Exercise regularly and attempt to complete 10,000 steps/day. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is potentially toxic to your liver. Never take more than the recommended dose and avoid taking it if you have been consuming alcohol. If you have ever been told your liver tests in your blood have been elevated, regardless of the results, you need to have a comprehensive evaluation. Talk with your doctor. Get vaccinated for hepatitis …


Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease

Obesity, and all of its related complications, is more serious than most adults in America believe. More than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and certain types of cancer, are some of the leading causes of preventable death. We are seeing an increase in the number of young children and adolescents developing obesity, and all of the related complications.

The cost of obesity is staggering, with annual medical cost of obesity exceeding $147 billion in 2008 U.S. dollars. The medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.

Dr. Galati and the Liver Specialists of Texas team are dedicated to evaluate, treat, and manage all aspects of obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD and NASH), including the complication of cirrhosis and liver failure. Developing a customized plan of care for each patient they see is their objective.

Liver Transplant Resources

Dr. Galati has been involved in Liver Transplantation since 1989. As Medical Director for the Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation at Houston Methodist Hospital, Dr. Galati has cared for thousands of patients with advanced liver disease. In those with the most severe form of advanced liver disease and cirrhosis, liver transplantation is a life-saving surgery. For more information on liver transplantation, click here.

Indications for liver transplant include:

Online LIVER Second Opinion

  • 1

    From the comfort of your home, without the need to spend additional money on travel, lodging, and food, receive and expert second opinion from the expert physicians at Liver Specialists of Texas

  • 2

    There are five steps in the process of requesting a second opinion. We anticipate the steps will take you about 30-65 minutes to complete.

  • 3

    Have your medical records or those of your loved one on hand as you fill out the medical history questionnaire portion of the online process. The medical history questionnaire is detailed so having medical records to quickly reference will help make the process more efficient.

  • 4

    To start the process of an Online Liver Second Opinion, please fill out the initial contact form and fax back to our office. A representative from our office will call you for additional details.