Are you doubtful about being in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)? You are suffering from fatigue or discomfort ? Maybe you are in this condition.
Some conditions of NAFLD can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a dangerous form of fatty liver disease.
Below is all you should know to avoid NAFLD. Get comprehensive knowledge about the disease to proactively protect yourself and everyone against danger.
What Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Is
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a type of liver disease, that occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol at all but stores too much extra fat in liver cells.
NAFLD is no longer strange to most people, especially in the Western - where the majority of people eats fast-food.
There are two types of NAFLD:
Simple fatty liver: This is the most common condition. Although you have an amount of fat in the liver's cell, it does not inflame or damage cells. Generally, this type rarely becomes worse.
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): It is more severe if compared to type 1. If the fat is continuously increasing, the liver can be inflamed and damaged. NASH condition can lead to liver cancer, Fibrosis or Cirrhosis
High levels of fat in the liver is the cause that leads to severe disease like diabetes and high blood pressure.
If you are in a diabetes condition, NAFLD increases the risk of heart problems.
NAFLD is not a concern with alcohol
Symptoms
There are no exact signs of NAFLD in sufferers. According to surveys, the patient can have symptoms below:
- Fatigue
- Pain or discomfort in the upper right belly
- Skin and eyes become yellow
- Palms become red
- Tiredness and weakness
How Is Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Diagnosed?
It’s difficult to diagnose because symptoms are vague in most cases.
NAFLD is often diagnosed when testing other problems.
Firstly, doctors can diagnose NAFLD by a blood test, or function liver test. However, this test may not detect NAFLD.
Secondly, an ultrasound scan can reflect your image inside of your body.
Computerized tomography (CT) or transient elastography are considered as methods that can discover NAFLD.
NAFLD’ symptoms are not obvious
The Causes of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Scientists are uncertain about the reason why people accumulate fat in the liver, whereas others do not.
Obesity is the most common cause leading to NAFLD. Up to 70 percent of obesity people are diagnosed with fatty liver, while 10-15 percent of regular people show symptoms.
The unbalanced diet increases the fat in the liver, and eventually weakening the organ’s function.
Also, those reasons below are linked to NAFLD:
- High blood sugar, indicating prediabetes or type 2 diabetes
- High levels of fats, particularly triglycerides, in the blood
- High cholesterol
- High levels of triglycerides in the blood
- Metabolic syndrome
- Smoking
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Sleep apnea
- An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
- Underactive pituitary gland (hypopituitarism)
- Older age
- Infection
Obesity - the most common cause of NAFLD
Fatty Liver Diet: What Foods to Eat and What Foods to Avoid
Besides medical treatment, a healthy diet also helps the body to reverse NAFLD.
A specialized diet for fatty liver should include a variety of food as follows::
- Plentiful of fruits and vegetables
- high-fiber plants
- very little sugar, salt, trans fat
- avoid alcohol
- Healthy fat, antioxidants, and complex carbohydrates
You are advised to add this food below into daily diet. Good news for you, they’re tasty, too!
A healthy diet is the best treatment
Food to eat
#1. Coffee
Coffee is known as a beneficial beverage to human’s health, of course when you consume it moderately. Chlorogenic acid in coffee can reserve oxidants, inflame, and reduce cholesterol.
Besides, scientists believe that coffee can reduce the number of abnormal enzymes in people prone to liver diseases.
Consuming coffee properly is beneficial to health
#2. Garlic
Not only garlic is an essential spice, but it also serves as a remedy that can treat a lot of diseases. Garlic is capable of reducing weight and flushing out the toxin.
Garlic is a folk remedy curing many diseases
#3. Fresh fruit and vegetables
Fruits such as grapefruit, avocado, banana, watermelon contain a variety of vitamins, which is known to protect your liver. Antioxidants in fruit help reduce inflammation and prevent damage to cells.
Fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamins
#4. Tea
Tea is one of the supplement foods filled with antioxidants. Drinking 5-10 cups of tea daily will have a positive impact on liver health. Green tea can improve the fatty liver condition by reducing inflammation.
Tea is abundant in antioxidants
#5. Oatmeal
Oats are known with some functions as lowering blood cholesterol and blood sugar, boosting our immune system, preventing cancer, slowing down the oxidation.
People consuming oatmeal every day are at lower risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Oatmeal can cure NAFLD
#6. Fatty fish
This is the source of omega-3 fatty acids, which is beneficial for the liver. Studies show show that oily fish maintain enzyme levels, reverse inflammation, and prevent fat build-up in your body.
You can use fatty fish without damaging the liver
Food to avoid
#1. Alcohol
Alcohol is one of the first agents causing fatty liver disease as well as other diseases. People who consume from 2-3 drinks a day are more prone to alcoholic liver disease than those who do not.
You should strictly avoid alcohol
#2. Fried food
As we all know, fried food contains a high amount of fat and calories. It is scientifically proved that consuming too much fried food can lead to liver cancer.
Some guys can not deny “fried food”
#3. Red meat
The protein in red meat can be a burden for the liver. When protein is not transformed, it will mass together and damage the liver.
#4. Salt
Consuming too much salt will damage the liver cells. Salt makes changes in the liver, such as misshapen cells, higher rates of cell death, and lower rates of cell division, can lead to liver fibrosis.
Don’t overeat salts
Bottom line
It is key to keep your liver healthy, as it plays an integral role in ensuring your body run smoothly. Recognizing causes, diagnosis, and building a balanced diet are to taking the initiative in preventing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Do exercises frequently and get good lifestyle for a good health!