Do You Have A Fatty Liver?
If you are quite overweight around your waist, you could be a candidate for fatty liver. Central obesity is a term that describes the accumulation of fat around your internal organs at your waistline. Often it is the result of overeating refined, fatty and rich foods that are pleasant to the tastebuds but unpleasant for your organs. A sedentary lifestyle may also play a role. Many people have fatty liver without knowing it because most people do not have symptoms. Some will feel slight discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen and general tiredness. Fatty liver may be diagnosed by ultrasound, blood tests, CT and MRI scans, physical examination of enlarged liver and liver biopsy. A fatty liver is defined as more than 5% of fat by weight accumulated in the liver, which is not related to heavy use of alcohol.
So What If I Have A Fatty Liver?
Fatty liver is a warning sign that there is an over accumulation of fat in the liver. When abdominal pressure increases as a result of fat accumulation, venous return of the lower extremities becomes sluggish. This affects blood supply to internal organs such as the heart and the lungs. This then increases the chances of coronary heart disease and metabolic diseases such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes and high blood pressure. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is also one of the leading causes of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis in western countries where obesity is prevalent (Ref: 1).
What Can Be Done About Fatty Liver?
The good news is fatty liver can be reversed if caught early and if there is no serious damage to the liver. A healthy diet, weight control and appropriate lifestyle change can help reduce excess fat in the liver. The following tips may be helpful:
- Exercise
Swimming, running and skipping are some of the best aerobic exercises you could do to get rid of that overweight belly. Gradual weight loss induced by exercise and healthy diet is a great way to deal with a fatty liver.
- Reduce Alcohol Use
Reduce the amount of alcohol drinking as heaving drinking may lead to the accumulation of fats in the liver.
- Chinese Herbs
There are many Chinese herbs that may be helpful for digestive imbalance which involves the Liver system. Some examples that are protective of the liver are Gou Qi Zi 枸杞子, He Shou Wu shou 何首乌, Jue Ming Zi 決明子, Yin Chen Hao 茵陳蒿, Ze Xie 泽泻 and Shan Zha 山楂. There are many more herbs that are not directly protective of the liver but are used in combination to address the whole body imbalance. A Chinese medicine diagnosis is a must to differentiate one body type from another. Therefore always consult an experienced practitioner before trying herbs off the shelf.
- Eating Habits
Avoid overeating spicy food, cold and raw food.
Avoid overeating.
Avoid eating under stress and eating on the run.
Reduce fatty, greasy, deep-fried and sugary food.
Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits and healthy protein.
- Diet
Certain foods may be helpful in avoiding fatty (Ref: 3, 4). These include:
* Oily fish – 2 servings a week such as salmon, sardines, tuna and trout.
* Nuts especially walnuts – a handful a day
* Avocados – Half daily
* Fruits and vegetables especially green leafy ones – 6 to 9 servings a day
* Legumes and whole grains – a cup a day when cooked
* Sunflower seeds – a handful for the vitamin E, an antioxidant
* Olive oil – to replace butter anddefinitely margarine or other unhealthy vegetable oils
* Green tea – may reduce fat storage in the body
- Calm Your Emotions
According to Chinese medicine classics, emotions such as anger, resentment and irritability, have a negative impact on the human body. The Liver system, which is in charge of these emotions, will pass on the stress to the digestive system and possibly other systems. No organ works in isolation. Relaxation, deep breathing, exercise, inner peace and spiritual connection are medicine to the mind and soul.
- Sleep Deprivation and the Liver
Ideally our body needs 7-8 hours of sleep from about 11 pm to achieve optimal repair, regeneration and rejuvenation. Lack of sleep or late nights contribute to poor health. The body detoxifies itself when we are asleep. According to the Chinese body clock, the Liver carries out detoxification at approximately 11- 3 am. Sleeping late or insufficient sleep impairs that process. That may lead to fast ageing, tiredness, weight gain. (Ref: 2)
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5664866/
- https://goqii.com/blog/the-connection-between-sleep-and-liver/
- https://www.mydr.com.au/gastrointestinal-health/7-foods-that-help-fatty-liver-disease
- https://www.healthline.com/health/fatty-liver-diet
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