Optimize your Liver Health
UP TO 25 PER CENT OF US ARE LIVING WITH FATTY LIVER DISEASE AND MAY NOT EVEN KNOW IT.
F atty liver disease, also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a condition that most people have never heard of, and yet up to 25 per cent of us are living with it and may not even know it.
NAFLD is a medical condition whereby excess fat accumulates in the liver and is a major risk factor for diabetes, heart attacks and even cancer.
NAFLD is commonly diagnosed by specific liver function blood tests or an ultrasound. It can cause a whole cascade of issues. It causes inflammation in the body, which can create insulin resistance and pre-diabetes, which in turn causes the body to deposit fat, not just in your liver but also all around the organs and in the belly.
Most people with NAFLD have few or no symptoms, but some people may complain of fatigue, malaise and dull righ-tupper-quadrant abdominal discomfort.
Given the name, you probably think it is caused by excess fat in the diet. This is not always the case. Fatty liver disease is mostly caused by all the sugar and starch and flour in our diets.
Take ‘foie gras’ for example. Foie gras is a delicacy made from duck or goose liver. In order to make foie gras, ducks or geese are force-fed sugar in the form of corn and starch. This creates a fat-production factory in the liver, a process known as ‘lipogenesis’, which is the body’s normal response to sugar. Sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup found in our processed foods, is one of the biggest causes of fatty liver disease.
Strategies to Fix Fatty Liver Disease
The primary goal in most cases of fatty liver disease is improving insulin sensitivity through diet and supplementation. • The elimination of highglycemic-index foods is a critical step in both the prevention and the treatment of NAFLD. One study found that 80 per cent of NAFLD patients drank enough soft drinks and juices to add the equivalent of 12 teaspoons of sugar or more to their diets. • Watch for high fructose corn syrup. Read labels – especially in salad dressings, sauces, ketchup and tomato sauce. • Reduce or eliminate starch. Get rid of the white, refined and processed flour. Even whole grain flours can be a problem for some. • Include good fats in your diet – olive oil, avocados, coconut oil and fish oil. • Increase foods that are rich in compounds that help protect the liver from damage and improve liver function. These include high sulfur foods such as garlic, legumes and onions; and good sources of soluble fibre such as pears, oat bran, apples and vegetables in the brassica family, especially broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage; as well as artichokes, beets and dandelion. • Minimize or eliminate substances that increase stress on the liver such as excess coffee and alcohol. • Silymarin, a powerful extract found in milk thistle, has the most impressive research on protecting the liver from damage and enhancing detoxification, especially increasing the liver’s content of glutathione - a key compound in liver function that is low in people with NAFLD. • N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) is another molecule that supports and replenishes the natural antioxidant glutathione, sparing liver cells from the effects of oxidant and free radical damage. • S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) also replenishes glutathione levels and restores liver cell protection to normal. Antioxidants such as SAMe, NAC and ALA help to improve levels of liver enzymes and decrease inflammation. • Betaine, choline, methionine, vitamin B6, folic acid and vitamin B12 are important lipotropic agents – compounds that promote the flow of fat and bile to and from the liver. They produce a “decongesting” effect on the liver and promote improved liver function and fat metabolism. Lipotropic formulas appear to increase the levels of two important liver substances: SAM-e and glutathione. • Magnesium levels have been shown to be significantly lower in those with NAFLD. Suboptimal magnesium status may contribute to the insulin resistance that plays a role in the development of NAFLD. • Bile acids from ox bile are effective in promoting the flow of bile and fat to and from the liver and relieving liver congestion. March is Liver Health Month. Help spread awareness about prevention and optimal liver health.
“Sugar, especially the high fructose corn syrup found in our processed foods, is one of the biggest causes of fatty liver disease.”