Cures for a Fatty Liver

Tap to Read ➤ Excessive amount of fat in the liver is not healthy. Find out how simple measures like balanced diet and regular exercise can help lower the symptoms of fatty liver disease. Rahul Thadani

Accumulation of excess fat in the liver is referred to as 'fatty liver disease.' It can be an alcoholic liver disease (ALD) or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). If the fat present in the liver makes up more than 5%-10% of the weight of the liver, the person is said to have fatty liver disease.

People suffering from obesity, and those over the age of 30 are more prone to this disease, and thus, require administration of some sort of cure. As the name suggests, alcohol abuse leads to ALD. Genetics also plays an important role in this disease. Wrong diet, excessive consumption of iron, hepatitis C, obesity, etc., are some of the major causes of ALD.

Chronic nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or nonalcoholic steatorrhoeic hepatosis (NASH, that affects people who drink little or no alcohol) is quite common. The cells within the liver, when invaded by fat, lead to liver enlargement (inflammation of the liver). The need for cure is very intense, once the occurrence of this condition is confirmed.

Over time, liver cells may get replaced by scar tissue (condition called liver cirrhosis). The disease can seriously affect the function of the liver, and can lead to liver failure, liver cancer, or liver cirrhosis. Studies show that NAFLD raises the risk of heart disease in overweight or obese children.

It is a common misconception that eating fatty foods leads to this condition. This condition erupts because the liver is unable to break fat easily.

The exact cause of the disease is not known, but studies show that various conditions like insulin resistance, obesity, high cholesterol/triglyceride levels, malnutrition, viral hepatitis, diabetes, overgrowth of bacteria in the intestines, use of certain medicines, etc., increase the risk of fatty liver disease.

The treatment may vary according to the underlying cause and the severity of the symptoms. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease may not exhibit any signs and symptoms. It can be detected during regular checkups.

Some may experience fatigue, weight loss, and pain in the upper right abdomen. If you are suffering from this ailment, you need to adopt and enforce some fatty liver cures in order to get rid of this problem.

Treatment Options

Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can prevent cirrhosis or cancer of the liver.

Exercise

This is the most important and the most effective of all the remedies. The main cause of this condition is obesity, and being overweight simply compounds the problem further.

People who live a sedentary lifestyle, and get little or no exercise are more prone to fatty liver. They need to create a proper exercise regime for themselves, and stick to it on a regular basis. Studies show that losing weight can help reverse NASH. Failure to do so will only increase the problem further.

Diet

Your body requires all nutrients in a healthy proportion, and sticking to a balanced diet is the best gift that you can give your body. Consume lesser amounts of sugar, and eat foods that are not packed with oil, grease, and fat. Incorporate complex carbohydrates instead of refined carbohydrates in your diet.

Bread, grits, rice, potatoes, corn, sugar, etc., should be consumed in moderate amounts. In the long run, your body will face lesser health problems. If diabetes is the cause, it is absolutely crucial for the person to take the prescribed medicine, and to alter his/her diet and lifestyle.

Natural cures like low glycemic diet and regular exercise can help control the disease. Patients with celiac disease should strictly follow a gluten-free diet. It can reverse fat accumulation in the liver. Foods rich in antioxidants (like vitamins E and C) can help protect liver. These foods can lower, neutralize or cancel the damage caused by free radicals.

According to a study, caffeine in the coffee can also protect the liver from the damage. Probiotics can help control the overgrowth of bacteria in the intestines.

Cholesterol

Another easy cure is to cut down the amount of cholesterol in the diet. Blood cholesterol levels greatly affect the health of the liver. So, the best cure for the fatty liver disease is to consume less meat and more fruits and vegetables.

Avoid Excessive Medication

Certain medicines such as tamoxifen, methotrexate, etc., can cause NAFLD. Try to keep your consumption of drugs and medications as low as possible. Presence of various medicines in the body actually damages the liver in the long run, and also slows down the healing process.

Change your lifestyle and habits, so that you do not fall sick often, and this will reduce the need to consume medication for every little ailment that affects you. You should focus on strengthening the immune system instead.

Alcohol Consumption

It is a well-known fact that consumption of alcohol damages the liver. It would be quite difficult to abstain from alcohol completely, so monitor it instead. Do not fall into alcoholism, and your liver will be healthier as a consequence. Alcohol also contains a lot of calories.

So, it adds to the possibility of getting a fatty liver. Regulating alcohol is a natural cure, that almost every medical expert will recommend to you. Quitting alcohol can help lower the symptoms of ALD as well as NAFLD. Quitting smoking can also help lower the level of toxins in the liver.

The doctor will prescribe medication if the underlying cause is underactive thyroid or pituitary gland. You can change your habits and enforce the mentioned measures . Living unhealthy lifestyle seems to have become the norm these days, and simply reading about changing and improving things is not good enough. You need to actually put it into practice.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.