How to Detox a Fatty Liver
Fatty liver disease is a build-up of fats, mainly triglycerides, in your liver, This common conditions is normally asymptomatic, but a few people may have slight abdominal pain or fatigue 2. Your doctor may discover that your liver is inflamed during a routine physical examination. In rare instances the inflammation may lead to scarring or cirrhosis of the liver, which may be fatal. A combination of diet and exercise may help detox a fatty liver.
Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome are all risk factors for fatty liver disease 24. About 20 percent of overweight people have fatty liver disease, according to the Better Health Channel 2.
Symptoms of Slightly Elevated Liver Enzymes
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Lower your dietary cholesterol intake and triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are the form in which fats exist in the body; excess calories that are not used for energy right away are stored as this form of fat in your cells. The American Heart Association suggests substituting mono- and poly-unsaturated fats for saturated and trans fats 3. For example, use olive oil instead of butter and eat salmon rather than beef.
Avoid alcohol and drugs, which tax the liver and add stress on the organ, making detox harder, and alcoholism is a known cause of fatty liver disease, Better Health Channel states 2. Consult with your doctor about your current medications, as some prescription medications contribute to inflammation of the liver.
Diet for Alcoholic Liver Disease
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Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week at a moderate level. This will help keep your weight and insulin levels under control and reduce triglycerides. Fatty liver disease is associated with insulin resistance, even in people at a healthy weight who do not have diabetes, according to a 2000 Italian study from Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology researchers, G. Marchesini et al., at the University of Bologna 24.
Tips
Pregnancy, polycystic ovarian syndrome and hypothyroidism are rare causes of fatty liver disease. A blood test will confirm your diagnosis, as other liver diseases, such as viral hepatitis and haemochromatosis cause similar symptoms.
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References
- American Liver Foundation: Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Better Health Channel: Fatty Liver DIsease
- American Heart Association: Triglycerides
- PubMed.gov: Association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with insulin resistance.
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. What Is NAFLD and NASH?
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. How Can My Diet Help Prevent or Treat NAFLD or NASH?
- US National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus. Fatty Liver Disease.
- Ersöz G, Günşar F, Karasu Z, Akay S, Batur Y, Akarca US. Management of fatty liver disease with vitamin E and C compared to ursodeoxycholic acid treatment. Turk J Gastroenterol. 2005;16(3):124-8.
- Cusi K. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2009;16(2):141-9. doi:10.1097/MED.0b013e3283293015
- Deivanayagam S, Mohammed BS, Vitola BE, et al. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with hepatic and skeletal muscle insulin resistance in overweight adolescents. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;88(2):257-62. doi:10.1093/ajcn/88.2.257
Writer Bio
Maura Shenker is a certified holistic nutritionist and health counselor who started her writing career in 2010. She leads group workshops, counsels individual clients and blogs about diet and lifestyle choices. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design, a Master of Fine Arts from The Ohio State University and is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.