Episode two
This opening episode pulls back the curtain on what alcohol-associated liver disease really looks like inside the clinic. Specialist clinician Elizabeth Lee and host Vanessa Wojtala explore how liver disease shows up, how easily it is missed, and why answers often come too late.
- Guest: Dr. Jennifer Flemming
- Episode : Two
- 60 min
- Liver Conditions
- GUEST: Dr. Jennifer Flemming
- Episode Two
- 60 min
- Alcohol - associated Liver Disease
Listen On :
Episode Two: Liver Disease: The Silent Epidemic with Dr. Jennifer Flemming
In Episode Two of the Mind Your Liver Podcast®, hepatologist and clinician scientist Dr. Jennifer Flemming joins Vanessa Wojtala for a wide-ranging conversation about liver disease in young adults. Together, they explore alcohol-associated liver disease, cirrhosis, liver failure, early detection, and the changing patterns of liver disease being seen in younger populations.
The conversation examines why liver disease can progress silently, why serious disease may exist even when routine liver enzymes appear normal, and how stigma and delayed recognition can affect the path to diagnosis and care.
About This Episode
Drawing from her clinical practice and research, Dr. Jennifer Flemming discusses the spectrum of alcohol-associated liver disease, Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), cirrhosis, and the factors contributing to advanced liver disease in younger adults. The conversation explores how liver disease develops, what early signs can look like, and why relying on symptoms or routine bloodwork alone can leave serious disease undetected.
Hosted by Vanessa Wojtala, Founder and President of the Liver Awareness Foundation, the episode brings clinical expertise and lived experience into the same conversation.
Together, Vanessa and Dr. Flemming examine stigma, alcohol and liver health, early detection, changing terminology, and the role of research in improving how liver disease is understood, recognized, and discussed.
Disclosure & Medical Disclaimer
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Content shared is not a substitute for professional medical care. Always consult your own healthcare provider regarding medical decisions. Dr. Jennifer Flemming participates in this episode in her capacity as a hepatologist, clinician scientist, and Director of the Liver Awareness Foundation.
The discussion is intended for public education and reflects her clinical and research expertise. Views expressed by guests are their own.
Episode Photos
These images reflect moments from Vanessa’s life before and after liver failure. They are shared to show how liver disease can exist quietly, progress unseen, and then suddenly become impossible to ignore.
On the left, Vanessa on vacation, active, functioning, and without obvious symptoms. On the right, her body weeks later, swollen with ascites, a visible sign of advanced liver failure. This contrast captures how liver disease can move fast, often without warning, and why symptoms are so often missed until they become severe.
MIND YOUR LIVER. IT NEEDS YOU.™
A Call for the Community
Everyone carries something through life. Emotional distress, questions, coping habits, moments we do not always have words for.
This is a space for honest conversations about emotional distress, alcohol use, overeating, metabolic health, and the ways these patterns can quietly shape liver health.
If you have something to share, ask, or finally say out loud, you are in the right place.