Fatty liver how to fix NAFLD
Fatty Liver Did you know Fatty liver affects 1 in 3 of us and if you have diabetes this figure is higher again. Scarily the end result, if not addressed, can be a decompensated liver and even liver failure. So, if you have been thinking about losing weight and getting more active but really don’t feel the need, you may wish to think again. Many of us bury our heads in the sand and believe we are getting along fine. No aches no pains, enjoying our current way of eating, drinking and moving when we have to. So why change? Well, today, the most common cause of chronic liver disease is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) AND…. 95% of people with NAFLD do not know they have it. I have many patients come to see me for weight loss, diabetes or healthy eating advice, and when we investigate their health further, we uncover blood markers that don’t read well. It is such a common problem and one that I fix daily so I feel it is important for you to be aware. I have been researching some information to help you further, and in this blog I have pulled a few interesting details from medical papers which I have added in below. So let’s dive in. What is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD? It is a liver disease that is NOT caused by alcohol use. Characterized by fatty infiltration of the liver. What is the main cause of a fatty liver? Fat builds up in the liver by eating excess calories. This excess energy is too much for the liver to process and too much fat creates insulin resistance and can lead to inflammation. Fatty liver can occur if you have other conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, high triglycerides, and metabolic syndrome. What are the signs of a fatty liver? There are usually NO signs of fatty liver disease in the early stages. But you may feel fatigued and have pain in the right upper quadrant (upper right part of the abdomen)- it’s usually a dull discomfort and you may wish to investigate. How serious is a fatty liver? Early-stage NAFLD, if sorted early enough thankfully can be reversed, and doesn’t usually cause harm. But if not treated it can lead to serious liver damage, including cirrhosis. Having high levels of fat in your liver is also associated with an increased risk of problems such as diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. What is liver cirrhosis? Cirrhosis is scarring (fibrosis) of the liver caused by long-term liver damage. The scar tissue prevents the liver from working properly. If cirrhosis (the most advanced stage) occurs, you can get more severe symptoms, such as yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice), swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, or tummy (oedema) and itchy skin. How do you fix a fatty liver? Great news, diet and lifestyle are first and foremost the key to success. 121 Dietitian has years of experience treating fatty liver patients and would love to help you with any of the following: Lose weight Establish a healthy diet for fatty liver Create a personalized fatty liver meal plan Improve blood sugar control Create a personalized weight management programme Support your overall liver health if needing to be medicated Suggest foods, snacks, meals and recipes for optimum liver health Make recommendations for healthier food products and supplements as required In addition, we will recommend exercise and how to be more active Assist if you have diabetes or have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes Lower your cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL. … The bottom line recommendation: If you’re overweight or obese, the aim is to reduce the number of calories you eat each day and increase your physical activity in order to lose weight. Easier said than done. I know it’s not for the want of trying different diets or strict boot camp style workouts- sadly if they are too tricky they don’t last. So that is where we at 121 Dietitian can help you with no quick fixes. Interestingly, although obesity is described in 50% to 90% of patients diagnosed with NAFLD, the condition can also affect individuals with a normal weight and body mass index so if you are experiencing health issues or have a poor diet do get checked with your Doctor if you are concerned. Can fatty liver disease be cured? The good news is that fatty liver disease can be reversed—and even cured—if patients take action early, including a minimum 10% sustained loss in body weight and/or a change in the foods you eat. How long does it take for fatty liver to go away? An average period of 6 weeks to 2 months is an expected timeframe to recover from fatty liver disease. However, lifelong adherence to particular diet and lifestyle changes may be necessary to prevent relapse. What foods are good for fatty liver? Foods That Help Fatty Liver Disease include but are not limited to…. Fish and seafood. Vegetables and fruit. Whole grains. Olive oil. What are Liver superfoods? There are no superfoods as such, but fortunately hundreds of fabulous everyday foods that when combined in correct amounts and consumed regularly can provide you with the best macro and micronutrient intake for a healthy liver and life. What medication can I take for Fatty Liver? There are no direct medicines for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Losing weight, eating healthily, and regular exercise can help. If you have elevated lipids, type II diabetes, and high blood pressure with lifestyle changes you may be able to reduce some of the medication you take. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is the main way of managing NAFLD. For example, it can help to: lose weight – losing more than 10% of your weight can remove some fat from the liver eat a healthy diet – try to have a balanced diet high in vegetables, fruits, protein, and healthy carbohydrates, but low in pro-inflammatory fats, sugar, and processed
Hangover cures put to the test
Hangover Cures Put To The Test In a culture where celebrations are often fuelled by alcohol, many of us will be searching for a hangover cure to erase the negative effects of the previous night. Here, at 121 Dietitian, we firmly believe prevention is better than the cure. So we have done some research on hangover cures. With so many so-called hangover cures circulating the web. We’ve looked at the studies on each one in order to determine which one is actually the best. Here are our findings… Coffee and paracetamol for hangover Caffeine is thought to raise energy levels while paracetamol relieves aches and pains. However, researchers at Temple University in Philadelphia have revealed that black coffee can worsen a hangover. While scientists at the University of Washington believe that taking paracetamol as well can be deadly, as caffeine triples the amount of a toxic by-product created when paracetamol is broken down. This toxicity is the same substance responsible for liver damage when alcohol and paracetamol react together. You may be up against your genes on these too! As a nutrigenomics practitioner I see many patients with genetic issues. The CYP1A2 gene codes for the CYP1A2 enzyme, which is responsible for caffeine metabolism in the liver. Paracetamol is degraded via a minor pathway by CYP2E1 to the liver-toxic metabolite NAPQI. This is toxic even at therapeutic doses, causing hepatotoxicity. Milk thistle for hangovers Available as a tablet or in liquid form. This is an abstract from the milk thistle plant. It is believed its properties aid the body in metabolising alcohol more quickly. Some studies have shown that silybin and silymarin, found in the plant, protect the liver from toxins. They also boast the benefits of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, most of the studies surrounding this were carried out on alcoholics so there is really no proof of its effect in preventing or curing a hangover. Water for hangover One our favourites by far, and one of the most widely recognised hangover prevent/cure techniques, drinking water with alcohol. One pint before bed is believed to reduce the effects of a hangover by diluting some of the nasty by-products of alcohol. Bacon sandwich for a hangover The hangover choice for many. This tradition dictates that bread soaks up alcohol from the night before, alleviating the effects of a hangover. In fact, a study at Newcastle University’s Centre for Life has indeed confirmed that a bacon sandwich can offer relief. Rather than bread ‘soaking up’ the alcohol, it’s the carbohydrate laden effects which boost blood sugar levels, speeding up the body’s metabolism and the process at which the body gets rid of alcohol. Furthermore, rich in protein and amino acids, bacon reverses the effects of alcohol in depleting brain neurotransmitters. But be careful, and stay hydrated as the saltiness may get you later. Isotonic sports drink for a hangover The theory here is that the products contain tiny, easily digestible particles of carbohydrates which help the body to rehydrate faster than by drinking water. Leeds Metropolitan University have revealed that sports drinks are one of the best remedies for restoring blood sugar levels, and their calories can rehydrate the body up to 40% more effectively than water. But remember to monitor both your alcohol and isotonic sports drink intake as anything in excess is damaging. Exercise for a hangover Probably the last thing a lot of people would turn to in a hungover laden state, sweating off a hangover is thought to be a myth. Findings from a government survey revealed that exercise will simply compound your body’s fluid debt and increase your symptoms further. Hair of the dog Many believe that having a drink the next day will ease the recovery process by diminishing the effects of alcohol withdrawal. However, rather than alleviating symptoms, another drink is just elongating the recovery process, lengthening the point at which you feel better. This is a dangerous option and can damage your liver and organs if habitual. Eggs for a hangover While often eaten as part of a hangover fry, eggs are also consumed raw as they contain a substance called cysteine, which is believed the fight free radical damage to the body. However, if feeling queasy, eggs can be hard to stomach and watch for any bacterial contamination. You may find it easier and more helpful to consume a supplement L-Cysteine. This was a small study so not convinced its a miricle cure! Prickly pear cactus for a hangover Taken before a night out in either tablet or pill form. Prickly pear cactus is believed the reduce the likelihood of a hangover. Research at Tulane University, New Orleans tested 64 healthy medical students and indicated that the extracts reduced three out of nine hangover symptoms – nausea, dry mouth and loss of appetite. Halving the risk of a severe hangover. Again a small study and not one to be jumping up and down about for a true cure. This does however highlight the importance of a rich polyphenol diet. Many fruits are a fantastic sources of antioxidants and fluids. Ensuring you consume these daily will support your body if needing to eliminate excess alcohol. Alka-Seltzer for a hangover One of our least favourites, containing a concoction of aspirin, paracetamol and caffeine. It is believed that Alka-Seltzer before heading to bed will leave you feeling revived and hangover-free in the morning. Research at Leeds Metropolitan University revealed that while they can help a headache and neutralise excess stomach acid, the main benefits are probably from the effect of drinking the water that they are dissolved in. They aren’t recommended for sensitive stomachs. Artichoke extract for a hangover Believed to help the liver process alcohol, there is conflicting findings on the effect of Artichoke extract. The journal Phytomedicine showed that a supplement of 400mg extract of artichoke leaf extract helped stomach problems, and there is anecdotal evidence that it reduces indigestion, an upset stomach and nausea. Experts however at King’s College London
Is coffee good or bad for you? All you need to know
Coffee has been researched over and over and over, and why not! A universally consumed drink, it is complex, with over a thousand different substances present. So is it actually good for you, or should we avoid it completely? Here, we separate the facts from the fiction so that you can make an informed decision on its consumption. For years, researchers have warned us to avoid coffee because it might increase the risk of heart disease and affect growth. They worried that people could become addicted to the energy that high amounts of caffeine provided, leading them to crave more and more coffee as they became tolerant to higher amounts of caffeine. Experts also worried that coffee had damaging effects on the digestive tract, which could lead to stomach ulcers, heartburn and other ills. All of this concern stems from studies carried out decades ago that compared coffee drinkers to non-drinkers on a number of health measures, including heart problems and mortality. Coffee drinkers, it seemed, were always worse off. But it turns out that coffee drinkers were not compared fairly. Those studies didn’t always check for other factors that could account for poor health, such as smoking, drinking and a lack of physical activity. If people who drank a lot of coffee also happened to have some other unhealthy habits, then it’s not clear that coffee is responsible for their heart problems or higher mortality. That understanding has led to a rehabilitated reputation for the drink. Recent research reveals that once the proper adjustments are made for confounding factors, coffee drinkers don’t seem to have a higher risk for heart problems or cancer than people who don’t drink coffee. Recent studies also found no significant link between the caffeine in coffee and heart-related issues such as high cholesterol, irregular heartbeats, stroke or heart attack. Is coffee actually good for you? Studies show that people who drink coffee regularly may have an 11% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-drinkers, thanks to ingredients in coffee that can affect levels of hormones involved in metabolism. In a large study involving tens of thousands of people, researchers found that people who drank several cups a day—anywhere from two to four cups—actually had a lower risk of stroke. Heart experts say the benefits may come from coffee’s effect on the blood vessels; by keeping vessels flexible and healthy, it may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, which can cause heart attacks. Some studies now suggest that decaf and caffeinated coffee may have the same health effects and suggest that it’s not just the caffeine that is responsible for coffee’s health benefits. Coffee is high in antioxidants, which are known to fight the oxidative damage that can cause cancer. That may explain why some studies have found a lower risk of liver cancer among coffee drinkers. Coffee has also been suggested to help you live longer. A recent study involving more than 208,000 men and women found that people who drank coffee regularly were less likely to die prematurely than those who didn’t drink coffee. Researchers believe that some of the chemicals in coffee may help reduce inflammation, which has been found to play a role in a number of ageing-related health problems, including dementia and Alzheimer’s. Some evidence also suggests that coffee may slow down some of the metabolic processes that drive ageing. One negative is that people may become dependent on caffeine and if stopped will cause withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms—headaches, irritability and fatigue—can mimic those of people coming off addictive drugs. Yet fortunately the dependence is nothing close to or as worrisome as addictions to habit-forming drugs like opiates. While unpleasant, caffeine “withdrawal” symptoms are tolerable and tend to go away after a day or so. How much coffee is safe? Like so many foods and nutrients, too much coffee can cause problems, especially in the digestive tract. But studies have shown that drinking up to four cups of coffee per day is safe. Moderation is key. For now, sipping coffee in reasonable amounts just might be one of the healthiest things you can do. If you have side effects however do reduce your intake to a level that is comfortable for you. If you have any concerns about how to get healthier please get in touch. We are experts in nutrition and able to assist you with all health issues. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.
