Diet, lifestyle modifications to treat fatty liver | Health

To treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), doctors advise patients to lose weight, as losing weight helps decrease fat, inflammation, fibrosis, or scarring of the liver. If you are overweight or obese, health experts insist that NAFLD and NASH can be improved by losing weight by making nutritious food choices, controlling portion sizes, and being physically active.

Fat in the liver can be reduced by losing at least 3 to 5 percent of your body weight, and if you want to decrease liver inflammation, you may need to reduce up to 10 percent of your body weight. Over the course of a year, doctors recommend gradually losing 7 percent or more of your body weight.

However, NAFLD can be made worse if you lose a lot of weight quickly by fasting, that is, without eating or drinking anything other than water. Although the liver of most people contains some fat, fatty liver disease can be identified when the fat content of the liver exceeds 5% and this disorder is known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is related to more often with obesity and certain eating habits if not. t caused by liver damage from excessive alcohol consumption.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Vikram Raut, Director of Liver Transplantation and BPH Surgery at Medicover Hospitals in Navi Mumbai, spoke about the damage caused by excess fat in the liver, revealing: “Fat extra can build up in the liver of some people without causing any liver disease.However, excess liver fat causes chronic inflammation of the liver in one in 20 people.Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH (steate, which means linked to fat and “hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver), is the name given to this disease”.

He noted: “Chronic inflammation can cause persistent damage to the liver, as can other liver diseases such as viral hepatitis or alcohol-related liver disease, resulting in fibrosis, or scarring, of the liver. Regardless of the etiology, severe fibrosis is called cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis are at risk of liver cancer and failure, and may need a liver transplant.”

Stating that weight loss is the key to preventing fatty liver complications, he said: “The initial course of therapy involves diet and exercise. It is recommended to engage in heart-pumping activities for at least 150 minutes per week. The best diets are those that prioritize vegetables and whole foods, although it is not clear which is optimal. NASH patients must protect their livers from any additional sources of liver inflammation. This involves abstaining from alcohol and making sure you’ve received hepatitis A and B vaccinations. To reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, anyone with NASH should also recognize and treat any specific components of metabolic syndrome they may have.” .

diet modifications

Fatty liver disease often has obesity as its underlying cause and experts advise losing between 3% and 5% of your body weight if you are obese or overweight. You may be able to reduce the inflammation caused by fatty liver disease and the amount of fat in your liver by losing that much weight. Dr. Vikram Raut suggested that he can follow the diet modifications listed below to treat fatty liver:

Limit your daily fat intake to the recommended amount. Avoid fats like trans and saturated, which are more dangerous. Choose omega-3 fatty acids, almond, avocado, or extra virgin olive oil as your preferred sources of unsaturated fat. Avoid eating too many carbohydrates, such as too much sugar. Avoid consuming highly sweetened foods, especially those that contain simple sugars like fructose. These include packaged candy and drinks with added sugar. It is essential to lose weight gradually. Your liver disease could get worse if you lose weight too soon. Experts advise gaining one to two pounds each week. Discuss a safe rate of weight reduction with a doctor.

He concluded: “Dietary changes and lifestyle adjustments that promote fat loss and reduce inflammation are necessary to treat fatty liver disease. Not only can they help you lead a better lifestyle and help you lose liver fat, but they will also improve your overall health and may decrease the prevalence of other obesity-related diseases, including diabetes. Consult a medical professional about your chances of developing fatty liver disease and, if possible, how to treat it.”

Source: news.google.com