WELLNESS
29th of July 2020
Can We Reverse Fatty Liver?
Affecting about 25% of the population globally, fatty liver disease is becoming more alarmingly common in today’s modern world. So let’s dive in deeper to learn about the real culprit and how to prevent it.
Being the most hardworking organ, the liver helps our body to metabolize nutrients, cleanse the blood, and remove toxins out of the body. But when there is too much fat accumulation in the liver, this can prevent the organ from functioning normally, leading to fatty liver disease which can even put life under threat.
#2 How Is Fatty Liver Formed?
To simplify, fatty liver disease is the buildup of excess fats in the liver while a healthy liver comprises little or no fats. It is considered a fatty liver when the lipid (fat) level is over 5-10% of the liver weight. There are two types of fatty liver disease: alcoholic fatty liver disease (ALD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
#3 ALD or NAFLD: What’s The Difference
Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (ALD)
The liver develops new cells regularly, but prolonged alcohol misuse over the years can reduce its ability to regenerate. Not only that, the breakdown of alcohol produces toxic components (Acetaldehyde) that destroy healthy liver cells by increasing inflammation and impairing normal liver function.
This can result in liver inflammation and oxidative damage, which burdens the liver, ultimately leading to ALD.
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
There are possibilities for simple fatty liver to develop into NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), which might lead to fibrosis (buildup of scar tissue in the liver), cirrhosis (hardening of the liver), and liver failure if not identified and treated early. Therefore, early prevention is crucial for improvement, or even reversal of the condition.
Heavy drinking does not necessarily cause NAFLD. Being overweight or obese (especially centrally obese), having high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, or diabetes have a higher risk of developing the disease. There’s also a common misconception that only overweight or obese people get NAFLD, but individuals who are too lean or thin can develop it too if they have an unhealthy eating habit. So yes, you can still get fatty liver even if you don't drink alcohol.
According to research, central obesity (excess abdominal fat) is directly linked with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver disease. This is because excess body fat causes inflammation and increases the lipid level in the blood which leads to the body cells becoming less sensitive to insulin, a state known as insulin resistance. As a result of insufficient insulin production to reduce the blood glucose level, your body cells use fats instead.
The fat tissue will then start releasing stored lipids into the blood and transport them to tissues for energy needs. When the lipids level in the blood increases, the conversion of excess lipids to fat storage will also arise which eventually leads to liver fat accumulation. In other words, the real culprit behind NAFLD is not excess body fat but insulin resistance.
#4 So How Do You Detect Fatty Liver Condition?
Fatty liver can be asymptomatic for some in the early phase while for others, symptoms may vary among individuals including:
Fatigue and weakness
Pain or discomfort in the upper right abdomen (where the liver is located)
When fatty liver progresses to NASH and cirrhosis, some may experience:
Loss of appetite
Nausea and vomiting
Involuntary weight loss
Yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice)
Itchy skin
Swelling of abdominal (ascites)
Dark urine
#5 So Can We Reverse Or Prevent Fatty Liver?
Although no specific medications are found to treat fatty liver disease, the good news is that it can be reversed if addressed at an early stage. The remedy for ALD remains the same after many years of studies, that’s by quitting alcohol intake and getting nutritional support. As for NAFLD, the treatment mainly gets down to weight loss and lifestyle modifications, particularly through diet and exercise. These include:
Maintaining A Healthy Weight
Research suggests that losing weight is the best thing you can do to control or reverse NAFLD. The perfect goal is to cut down 10% of your total body weight, but a loss of 3% to 5% can be a great start to improve your liver health. Try cutting down calorie intake and increasing energy expenditure through physical exercise to ensure a healthy BMI that’s used to indicate the distribution of fat on your body while assessing your disease risk. Still unsure of your BMI? Check it yourself here.
Adopting A Healthy Diet
It is important to choose a varied and balanced diet with moderate portions. Incorporating a diet rich in whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables, but low in sugar (fructose), salt, saturated fat, and trans fat will improve NAFLD conditions.
You can simplify a varied and balanced meal by filling half your plate with veggies. Fill one quarter with lean protein, such as fish, beans, and tofu. Stock up another quarter with carbohydrate, preferable whole grain like brown rice or whole-grain bread. This not only helps to provide satiety, but can also improve metabolic syndrome and NAFLD. At the same time, try to opt for dishes that are boiled, steamed, grilled, or poached which have lower calories. Find out more healthy eating habits here.
Be More Active
Staying active by engaging in physical activity is a great way to help decrease liver fat. Multiple studies have shown that spending 5 times weekly on the aerobic exercise of moderate-intensity for at least 30 minutes increases the use of fat as energy, thereby preventing excess fat from being stored in the liver. This results in losing body fat and weight, increasing insulin sensitivity, building muscle mass, and even improving NAFLD.
Examples of moderate-intensity exercises include brisk walking, roller skating, bicycling, gardening or doing physical house chores. Taking small steps by exercising 30 minutes daily not only helps improve NAFLD conditions but can also bring positive mood, energy to your mind and body.
Say No To Alcohol
If your fatty liver condition is caused by alcohol consumption (ALD), the most effective way to improve the condition is to quit drinking alcohol completely. Those who find it hard to do so can start by gradually minimizing the daily alcohol intake or consider adding in supplementation to help replenish the body with much needed nutrition.
As for those seeking prevention against fatty liver, follow these daily recommended limits:
Men: ≤ 2 drinks per day
Women: ≤ 1 drink per day
*One drink = 12 fluid oz of beer (5% alcohol), 5 oz of wine (12% alcohol), or 1.5 oz of hard liquors (40% alcohol)
Liver-Rejuvenating Supplements For You
We’ve learned that oxidative stress is one of the leading causes of liver cell damage and fatty liver, and the only way to fight it is with ANTIOXIDANTS. MONIVITA™ comprises 16 superfoods including Artichoke (cynarin & silymarin) and Broccoli Sprout (sulforaphane), two vegetables abundant in powerful liver antioxidants which can help prevent fatty liver disease while bringing many liver benefits when consumed in the long-run.
Protect the liver from oxidative damage and reduce liver cell inflammation
Improve the liver’s function in removing toxins
Promote the growth of new liver tissues
Repair damaged liver cells
Prevent fatty liver by reducing fat deposition in the liver, increasing bile formation, and decreasing LDL cholesterol
With MONIVITA™ working to improve liver health directly, CelloFIT™ helps tackle the underlying conditions that contribute to NAFLD, namely: obesity, high blood glucose, high blood cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Formulated with 8 scientifically proven ingredients, CelloFIT™ works effectively to improve overall metabolic health.
Eliminate excess body fat through cold thermogenesis and AMPK pathway
Neutralize harmful free radicals and reduce liver inflammation
Improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood glucose level
Regulate LDL cholesterol and triglycerides level
Maintain a healthy range of blood pressure
The bottom line - by following a healthy diet, quitting alcohol intake, practicing physical exercise, and achieving a well-balanced weight, can help to prevent fatty liver disease and reduce the risk of fatty liver from progressing into a more severe condition.
Don't wait until it’s too late! Grab The Liver Guards here to nourish and improve your overall liver health from within. Remember, the key here is PREVENTION!
