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Best Diet For Fatty Liver Disease

The Best Diet For Fatty Liver Disease

Fact: 1 in 3 people in the United States have Fatty Liver Disease and it is about the same in other westernised countries.

Today’s hurried lifestyle very rarely enables most of us to eat healthily or exercise sufficiently on a regular basis. Over the years the Liver becomes stressed, worn out and we may not even be aware of the damage as liver disease rarely shows any symptoms.

The liver carries out a number of very important functions. It process nutrients from food, makes bile, removes toxins from the body and builds proteins.

The best diet for fatty liver disease

You can see how inflammation of the liver (fatty liver disease) interferes with these important functions and can lead to poor health. Fortunately, the liver is extremely resilient and liver damage can be repaired by changing what we eat and incorporating a variety of Liver Cleansing Foods.

Fact: The number 1 cause of Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is being overweight!

We are all aware that being overweight can cause a variety of other conditions such as Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and Heart Problems to name a few.

The expression “what we don’t know won’t hurt us” in this case is totally untrue.

Below you can find out why what we eat affects our overall health.

When we eat our digestive system immediately begins to break down the food into smaller and smaller pieces. Eventually all these nutrients will enter the blood and travel to the liver through the hepatic portal system to be filtered. The liver will then process these nutrients in a variety of ways, depending on what the body needs.

It will store some of these nutrients in such a way that the body can grab them for quick energy. The rest will be used to make other important chemicals the body needs.

Gallstones

Gallstones are collections of hardened digestive fluids that collect inside the gallbladder, which also holds bile which in turn is important to digestion. Gallstones can block the bile ducts resulting in partial digestion of our food, which hinders the overall function of the liver.

It is necessary for bile to properly break down the fats and toxins before their journey to the liver. Gallstones usually occur when there is too much cholesterol (from what we eat) in the bile.

Bile Duct Obstruction.

Another digestive problem of the liver is commonly known as bile duct obstruction. This happens when a blockage in the bile duct doesn’t allow bile to release from the liver into the gallbladder, consequently bile builds up in the liver and causes a number of serious health problems.

For example, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the build-up of bile in the liver can cause jaundice, or yellowing of the skin.

Bad digestion is a big reason why the liver may not function properly to start with. This can be rectified be using a digestive supplement or adjusting your diet.

Let’s look at two other liver functions, Building Proteins and Removing Toxins from the Blood.

A protein is a complex chemical that is essential to every living thing. Proteins are everywhere in the body, and need to be constantly produced.

The liver has the job of building many different kinds of proteins that the body needs everyday. As an example, there are many proteins produced by the liver that are responsible for blood clotting. If the liver is damaged, sometimes the body isn’t able to clot blood effectively.

Removing Toxins from the Blood.

All of the blood in our bodies will eventually pass through the liver. As this is the filter for the blood it will pull out any bad things in the blood, such as toxins. Some of these toxins are drugs, and other things that the body has finished with, like damaged cells, proteins and old hormones.

The liver prepares all of these toxins so that they can be removed from the body. However, if the liver isn’t functioning properly these toxins obviously can’t be removed and they start to accumulate creating problems.

Hopefully you can understand that the liver is extremely important in allowing us to enjoy a good, healthy life.

Can I Drink Alcohol With Liver Disease? – A Guide to Safe Sips

Drinking Alcohol With Liver DiseaseHave you ever stood at a crossroads, unsure of which path to take? That’s how it feels when you’re diagnosed with liver disease and wonder about your relationship with alcohol. It’s like standing at a fork in the road, staring down two paths – one leading to abstinence, the other to moderation. But which one is right for you? 

Liver disease is a silent invader, creeping up on us without warning. According to the American Liver Foundation, approximately 30 million Americans have some form of liver disease. That’s 1 in 10 people! And if you’re part of this statistic, navigating your lifestyle choices can feel like walking on eggshells. 

The question that looms large is – Can I drink alcohol with liver disease? The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think. 

Let’s dive into the issue of your liver and drinking alcohol. 

Firstly, you need to understand what alcohol does to your liver. Think of your liver as a busy city. Alcohol swoops in like an unruly tourist causing chaos – disrupting traffic (blood flow), littering (toxins), and causing general mayhem (inflammation). Over time, this chaos can lead to serious damage such as cirrhosis or even liver cancer. 

Now, does this mean total abstinence from alcohol? Not necessarily. 

Consider the case of Tim – a wine connoisseur diagnosed with mild fatty liver disease. His doctor advised him that moderate drinking might still be safe for him but emphasized that ‘moderate’ was the keyword here. For men, moderate means up to two drinks per day and for women one drink per day. 

But remember – everyone’s body reacts differently to alcohol. What worked for Tim might not work for someone else. 

For those with more advanced stages of liver disease such as cirrhosis or hepatitis C, the path is clearer – total abstinence. It’s like a city under siege – the last thing it needs is more chaos. 

The bottom line… There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Beer is different to wine and spirits are different again. It’s a conversation you need to have with your doctor, considering your unique medical history and current health status. 

However, there are other lifestyle changes that can help with managing liver disease. Regular exercise, a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and regular check-ups can help keep your liver healthy. I would say try replacing alcohol with Green Tea as you may be surprised how beneficial it is.

Think of these as the friendly neighborhood watch keeping your city safe. 

Remember, knowledge is power. Understanding how alcohol affects your liver and discussing it openly with your healthcare provider will empower you to make informed decisions about your health.