Fatty Liver diet gained momentum in popular opinion because of the fact that around one-quarter of the world’s population is affected by fatty liver disease. It is common in people who are obese to suffer from ailments related to insulin resistance like “Type 2 diabetes” (1). The disease is not easily identified in the initial stages. When left untreated, it takes the form of serious liver disease and can even damage the liver. In this article, we are going to tell you more about fatty liver, its causes symptoms, and methods of prevention.
What Is Fatty Liver?
Fatty liver is a condition that develops in the liver when the fat levels in the liver cells increase. In other words, excessive buildup of fat in the liver is responsible for causing fatty liver (2). The disease is revocable in the preliminary stage. If the situation persists for a few years without any effective treatment, then it progresses into irreversible liver damage. While Fatty Liver Diet is an effective way to get rid of issues.
What Are The Causes Of Fatty Liver?
Fatty liver is caused due to various factors that collectively contribute to the development of this issue.
- Obesity: It comprises of inflammation that leads to the storage of fat in the liver cells.
- Excess deposits of fat: The fat that surrounds the belly region is termed as visceral fat. People who have an excess of fat accumulation around their waist are prone to fatty liver.
- Insulin resistance: High levels of insulin or resistance towards insulin are the two conditions that can cause fat accumulation in the liver. These two causes lead to metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.
- High consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugary foods: Frequent consumption of the refined form of carbohydrates and fructose infused sweetened foods by people especially can result in fatty liver.
- Poor gut health: Our gut has large amounts of bacteria that assist in the digestion of food. When an imbalance occurs in gut bacteria then it can lead to a condition called “leaky gut”. This, in turn, results in the development of the fatty liver.
- Genetics: People who develop fatty liver have specific types of genes in their bodies that increase possibilities of development of the fatty liver.
- Health conditions: It has been seen that people who suffer from specific ailments such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and hepatitis C infection are more likely to develop fatty liver disease.
- Medications: Certain medications such as glucocorticoids and diltiazem are also seen to buildup fat in liver cells.
- Alcohol: Alcohol fatty liver is one of the types of fatty liver disease that is caused due to excessive consumption of alcohol. The disintegration of alcohol in the body can release destructive toxins in the body and cause inflammation and damage to cells in the liver.
Symptoms Of Fatty Liver Disease
Fatty liver is one such disease whose symptoms are hard to identify in the beginning as well as in the progressing stage. That is the reason, it is referred to as a silent disease. The most important and noticeable symptom that can indicate the presence of this disease is experiencing pain and discomfort in the upper abdominal region. This happens due to the enlargement of the liver in the body.
A person who is in the initial stage of the development of fatty liver (3) can observe the following symptoms:
- Loss of Hunger
- Feeling Sick
- Reduction in Weight
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- High levels of prominent liver enzymes such as ALT, and AST
- High levels of insulin hormone
- Increased level of triglyceride in the body
In the later stages of fatty liver disease, you can come across following signs in the body:
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Severe pain in the abdomen
- Yellowing of skin and eyes
How Serious Is A Fatty Liver Disease?
Fatty liver disease is classified into two major types such as alcoholic fatty liver disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Alcoholic fatty liver disease can transform into cirrhosis (4). In this condition, healthy tissues in the liver are replaced by scar tissues that result in the failure of the liver.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease results in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (5). It is a condition where the liver cells have a lot of fat deposits in them. They are damaged due to inflammation. If not treated on time, it can even result in an acute condition, ‘liver cancer’. In this condition, the liver lacks the ability to perform its function properly.
This faulty/impaired performance of the liver adversely affects the vital functioning of other organs of the body. This condition is also linked to high chances of other critical ailments that include heart ailment, kidney ailment, and diabetes.
Fatty Liver diet can help you in regeneration of a healthy liver without harming your body organs.
Fatty Liver Diet for Weight Loss
The fatty liver disease mostly develops in people who are obese and overweight. It becomes very important to reduce excess weight to reverse fatty liver disease. To achieve weight loss, you need to plan your meals by including more of slow-digesting carbs, and low-fat foods in your diet.
Eating a good amount of healthy protein in every meal keeps you fuller for a longer time. It prevents frequent eating and gaining unwanted calories. Practice portion control. In addition to reducing your calorie consumption, perform thirty to forty-five minutes of exercise every day will also assist you in the effective management of your body weight.
Fatty Liver Diet
One of the major causes of fatty liver disease is an unhealthy diet. Excess consumption of quick digesting refined carbs and sugary foods leads to the accumulation of excess fat in the liver cells. Controlling your diet is the primary step towards the treatment of fatty liver disease.
Fatty Liver Diet can help you get rid of Dietary fat. Dietary fat usually contributes to most of the liver fat in people who are suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. One of the effective ways to treat fatty liver is to follow fatty liver diet. You should either completely eliminate or reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates and sugary foods such as sweetened fruit drinks, and beverages in your diet.
Both these foods are high in calories become the cause of fat deposition in the liver. Consuming foods low in calories, and dietary fats can reverse NAFLD.
- Foods that are rich in monounsaturated fats like avocados, olive oil, and nuts help in the loss of fat in the liver.
- Whey protein also has the ability to lower liver fat and liver enzyme levels in obese people.
- Fresh green vegetables and a broad array of seasonal fruits.
- Green tea is loaded with a potent antioxidant, ‘catechins’, that reduces liver inflammation, and fat.
- Foods that have soluble fiber like oats, etc. help in bringing down liver fat, and high levels of liver enzyme. It also works by boosting insulin sensitivity in these people.
Fatty Liver Home Remedies
Fatty liver can transform into innumerable health issues. A healthy lifestyle is very important to curb this issue at the initial stage. A healthy diet, moderate physical activity, and supplements can lower excess accumulation of liver fat. It also reduces the chances of its progression to a serious liver ailment. Here we have shown a few effective home remedies that will help you to address and treat fatty liver quickly.
Manage Your Weight
Excess body weight is the fundamental cause behind the development of fatty liver in the body. Regular exercise and healthy diet help in controlling your weight and prevent fat from depositing in the liver.
Detoxify Your Body
The presence of toxins in the body can also weaken your entire liver function. It can get into your body by way of food, or the environment. If not expelled, these toxins can develop into the fatty liver. Herbs and a detox diet can effectively help in eliminating toxins from the system.
Take Antioxidants
Antioxidants have been proven to promote liver health. The inclusion of two potent Vitamins E and C in your diet can help in the effective management of fatty liver disease. Eating fruits and foods rich in these two vitamins promotes sound liver health. Some of the best sources of antioxidants are citrus fruits, dark chocolate, Indian gooseberry, nuts, green tea, etc.
Food For Fatty Liver (Video)
Takeaway
Both non-alcoholic and alcoholic fatty liver ailment happens due to the deposition of fat in the liver. In this condition, the liver fails to function properly. Be aware of its symptoms, and get a consultation from the doctor to prevent it from developing into cirrhosis, and liver damage. There is no straightforward treatment for this health issue. By maintaining the right weight, performing regular exercise, and consuming the right diet, you can manage this health condition.
Commonly Asked Questions
Is There A Treatment To Cure Fatty Liver?
At present, there is no medical way to treat fatty liver. Reduction of excess body weight, and fat levels in blood aids in the management of this condition.
How beneficial is a detox diet for the treatment of fatty liver?
The buildup of toxins in the body is one of the reasons that can constitute to fatty liver. To manage this condition, it is required to avoid exposure to toxic substances, and flush out any toxin present in the system. A detox diet, along with detoxification procedures, will help in the elimination of harmful toxins from the body.
How good is milk thistle to cure fatty liver?
Milk thistle acts as a potent body cleanser. It helps in boosting the secretion of enzymes that works by eliminating toxins from the liver. Due to this action, consuming milk thistle is helpful in this condition.
How can I diagnose fatty liver?
As the symptoms of the disease are very subtle, its correct diagnosis can be done with the help of standard blood tests. It will let you know the levels of specific enzymes in the liver that are responsible for developing a fatty liver in the body.
What Foods Should I Avoid?
To treat a fatty liver, you need to avoid consuming foods that have high amounts of saturated fats and sugar in it. Abstain from refined carbohydrates, garlic, asparagus, probiotics, processed food, coffee, red meat, low fiber foods as it can cause NAFLD.
Is Walking Good For Fatty Liver?
Exercise plays an important role when it comes to weight management. There are several types of exercises that you can do to lower the possibilities of developing a fatty liver. Walking is one of the simplest exercises that can be done easily without any equipment.
Thirty minutes of walking daily can pause the progression of the ailment or even reverse the damage done to the liver. This happens because walking reduces calories, and shed excess liver fat. Brisk walking is considered to be highly effective in reducing visceral fat that deposits around the abdomen and contributes to liver fat.
Are Eggs Good For Fatty Liver?
Eggs are a good source of protein, micronutrients, bioactive compounds, and other nutrients that are advised as a part of a well-balanced diet. However, if you have NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) then you should avoid eating eggs. This is due to the high levels of bad cholesterol and saturated fat content in eggs that can increase your chance of risk of developing fatty liver.
Eating two to three eggs a week will not cause any of these adverse effects. But daily consumption of eggs can increase serum and LDL cholesterol (6) in the body. This proves to be damaging to your liver health.
