Fatty liver is the abnormal accumulation of fat around the liver. It is projected to become the No. 1 reason for liver transplants. Historically it was associated with alcoholism but is now found in children and teens! This new condition, not associated with drinking, has been named Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and it’s becoming rampant.
Why?
Because our kids and teens are drinking juice and juicy drinks, and eating too many refined carbs, sugar and corn syrup in their diet. What’s worse is that NAFLD is a warning sign of serious metabolic problems such as pre-diabetes/diabetes and heart disease.
It’s just another way we are killing ourselves with convenience.
What are some signs of fatty liver?
Itchy skin, especially over the mid back (which is the skin that is located over the liver), hives, swollen legs or ankles, foggy thinking, fatigue, discomfort under the ribs on the right side and overall malaise.
If left untreated, because it’s often silent, NAFLD can cause scarring in the liver, which further diminishes the liver’s effectiveness. Most often its presence is discovered through elevated liver enzymes in a routine blood test. Eventually, the symptoms of fatty liver are very similar to those of cirrhosis of the liver and its complications, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, liver failure and liver cancer.
The most promising treatments are, you guessed it!
Diet and exercise. There are no meds available for this condition, so it HAS to be treated through lifestyle changes.
Here are our top liver-loving tips:
- Eat enough high quality protein.
- Note: if you are on any proton pump inhibitor type medications such as Prilosec, Protonix, Nexium and the like, consider getting some help from us to heal your stomach so that you can digest your proteins effectively.
- Get your dark leafy greens.
- Avoid simple carbs, even fructose.
Make every day a detox day and your liver will love you for it!
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