What is a fatty liver?
As the name itself suggest, fatty liver is caused by excess fat in the liver. This fat accumulates when a person eats a diet which is high in fat, even higher than the body can deal with. Fatty liver often leads to fatty liver disease, which eventually increases the risk of many chronic diseases. People who are more prone to a fatty liver are those who are overweight, insulin-resistant, pre-diabetics, have excess abdominal fat, and those who crave sugars. However, this doesn’t mean that healthy people and those with normal weight cannot suffer from fatty liver.
The liver is located in the upper right part of the body and it is responsible for many bodily processes. Among them are:
- Making proteins that are essential for blood to clot
- Making cholesterol
- Making bile, which digests fat
- Helping to remove or process alcohol, medications, and toxins from the body
- Stores fuel for the body (The food we consume is broken down into a type of sugar called glucose, which is used for energy. Glucose cannot be stored and it is turned into glycogen instead. It is stored in the liver and released when we need energy
While most people don’t experience any symptoms, some experience fatigue, digestive issues, and persistent pain in the upper part of the stomach. 70-90 million Americans suffer from a fatty liver, without being aware of it. This condition is mostly caused by the food we consume, not by excessive alcohol intake.
Causes of Fatty Liver
Fatty liver is caused by the consumption of unhealthy food, such as sugar, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, fast food, pre-packaged foods, and soda. These foods cause inflammation, which eventually lead to pre-diabetes and insulin resistance. Consequently, this leads to abdominal fat and fat around the liver.
How to Reduce your Risk for Fatty Liver
- Eat more vegetables
- Eat raw nuts and seeds
- Incorporate healthy oils into your diet (olive oil, macadamia nut oil, avocado oil)
- Eat more cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel Sprouts)
- Reduce starch intake ( processed flours, processed foods)
- Take fish oil supplements
- Eat wild fish ,wild meats, and grass- fed beef or bison
- Cut out sugar and high fructose corn syrup ( sodas, pops, ketchup, cookies)
- Red labels
- Exercise
What To Do if You Have a Fatty Liver?
In case you are already suffering from fatty liver, follow the tips above and take the supplements below:
- N- Acetyl-l-Cysteine
- B Vitamins
- Magnesium
- Milk Thistle
- Lipoic Acid
source: http://besthealthyguide.com
