The liver is a powerful organ in our bodies which performs many functions including converting food into fuel, filtering harmful toxins, producing proteins, metabolizing nutrition, and keeping down inflammation.
Unfortunately, this organ is susceptible to a potentially dangerous condition called fatty liver disease.
Fatty liver disease is becoming increasingly common, and it has affected about 25% of people globally.
If fatty liver isn't addressed, it may progress to more severe liver disease and other health problems, especially liver failure and death.
What is fatty liver?
To some extent, there is a tiny amount of fat in liver cells, but when too much fat builds up in these cells, your liver is considered fatty. If more than 5% of your liver's weight is fat, you are suffering from fatty liver disease.
The disease can alter the way your liver functions, may leading to other serious illnesses.
What Causes Fatty Liver?
Excessive alcohol intake can cause fatty liver, but people who do not consume alcohol can also get this disease. The former situation is called alcoholic fatty liver type, and the second is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD which is the most common liver disease in many countries.
Several common factors are leading to fatty liver disease besides alcohol:
High intake of refined carbs: Frequent intake of refined carbs builds up the liver fat storage, especially by overweight or insulin-resistant individuals.
Sugary beverage consumption: Sugar-sweetened beverages like soda and energy drinks are high in fructose which will cause liver fat accumulation in your liver.
Physical inactivity: physical exercises play an essential role in the development of your bodies and their organs, including the liver. If you don’t work out enough, the chance of fatty liver disease will increase.
Symptoms of Fatty Liver
Fatty liver has several signs and symptoms, yet only some of these are present. That’s why you may not even realize you have a fatty liver.
Some visible symptoms initially:
- Fatigue and low energy
- Slight pain or fullness in the upper right abdominal area
- Elevated insulin levels
- Elevated triglyceride levels
- Yellowing of skin or eyes
Over time, more symptoms like weakness, enlarged liver, poor appetite, nausea, weight loss may appear.
To diagnose the fatty liver disease at the early stage, you should see your doctor regularly for blood tests and exams. Nowadays, there are different standard medical tests which can help you to detect NAFLD.
How to get rid of fatty liver?
Good news is that fatty liver disease is an easily treatable condition.
The typical treatments for both alcohol-related and not alcohol-related fatty liver disease are the dietary strategy, weight loss, and exercise.
#1. Dietary strategies
First of all, you should know how to eat right to help your fatty liver: what to eat and what not to eat.
What food to avoid?
Sugar
Avoiding sugar is critical for liver health since sucrose and fructose are linked to NAFLD.
Processed foods and vegetable oils
You also should avoid processed foods and vegetable oils which often contain toxic GMO ingredients and trans-fats promote the development of NAFLD.
What’s more?
Meat and dairy from conventionally-raised animals and farmed fish should also be avoided since they promote inflammation and contain large amounts of toxins.
What food to eat?
In addition to cutting back on unhealthful food, certain foods and beverages may be beneficial for your fatty liver.
There are different kinds of foods which can help reverse this disease. They facilitate your body’s using insulin, fight against cell damage, and lower inflammation.
Therefore; an anti-inflammatory diet is a brilliant choice for your liver.
An anti-inflammatory diet includes whole, unprocessed foods, clean protein, organic vegetables and fruits, and healthy fats.
Clean protein sources are grass-fed meats, organic chicken, eggs and, wild-caught fish.
Vegetables and fruits are also great for your liver’s health. Berries, grapefruits, limes, lemons, and granny smith apples are high in anti-inflammatory antioxidants and phytonutrients.
Plenty of liver-healthy herbs should be included in your diet, too.
What’s more?
Healthy fats, of course.
Quality fats are found in coconut, olives, avocados, and their oils and grass-fed butter and ghee. They are an efficient source of fuel to fight against inflammation and support your liver.
Notice that:
You are recommended to work with your doctor to come up with the right eating plan for you since everybody’s need is different.
Besides these are top foods treating fatty liver disease efficiently:
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is the most efficient food for fatty liver disease. This food can reduce fat accumulating in the liver. It also helps promote healthy liver functioning by reducing inflammation.
Lemon
Lemons are famous for its significant amount of vitamin C and antioxidants which help the liver produce glutathione. This is an enzyme neutralizing the toxins in the liver, thereby promoting detoxification.
Green tea
Green tea is enriched with high-density catechins. This compound can improve liver functioning and prevent fat accumulation in people suffering from NAFLD.
Turmeric
Turmeric always acts as a natural healer. The valuable antioxidants of this spice are beneficial for fatty liver disease. It boosts your body's ability to digest fats and prevent its accumulation in the liver.
Papaya
The pulp and the seeds of the papaya fruit are effective in burning dietary fats, thereby preventing fatty liver disease.
#2. Weight loss
If you are overweight or obese, weight loss is one of the best ways to reverse your fatty liver as maintaining a healthy weight is also crucial for your liver’s health.
This way has been shown to increase the loss of liver fat in adults with NAFLD, regardless of whether weight is lost by changing diet alone or in combination with weight loss by surgery or by exercise.
#3. Exercises
Physical activity consistently is vital to decrease the amount of fat in your liver. It speeds up your metabolism effectively and helps you maintain proper liver function.
Studies have shown that engaging in some form of physical workout several times a week can significantly cut down the amount of fat stored in the liver cells, regardless of weight loss.
How much and how regular your exercise is important.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is beneficial for decreasing liver fat.
However, even lower-intensity exercise can be effective at treating fatty liver.
So, choose something you like doing and can stick with to help your fatty liver. You can go for a walk, jog, run, jump rope or do yoga; any of them can help your “burn” a large amount of fat in your liver.
If you want to how to start your exercise endurance, you should begin with low-impact workouts first and then move on to the high-impact exercises. The guidance of an expert initially may be crucial for someone.
What’re more strategies?
There are also many other natural strategies like lifestyle alterations for treatment which can heal your liver.
Your condition will be better by intermittent fasting, drinking plenty of water, reducing stress and improving sleep, and reasonable dealing with your anger.
Last but not least, stop drinking.
To sum up
Fatty liver is a common disease nowadays. It changes your liver’s health, affects its functions, and even leads to other serious conditions.
However; you can get rid of your fatty liver by early and suitable treatments.
We hope all the information and strategies mentioned can help.
Thank you for this important information. I’m going to start the routine as soon as I can get one made.