Do you feel tired or weak for no apparent reason? If abdominal cramps, feeling nauseous or loss of appetite are also some of the common symptoms you face quite often, then chances are that you have fatty liver. Once your liver becomes fatty, all of its 800 plus functions get impaired. The result is you feel unhealthy, which is quite natural if one of your vital organs is not functioning properly. Let’s try to understand whether it can be reversed by liver cleansing or any other method.
What is fatty liver?
As the name suggests, fatty liver is when fat deposits on the liver and is more than 5%. This condition is also called steatosis. Usually some amount of fat is quite normal, but when fat accumulation on the liver is more than 5%, you are said to be suffering from fatty liver. This is called ALD or Alcohol Related Liver Disease. Though alcohol consumption is the most common cause of this fatty liver, there are almost equal number of patients suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD). However, non-alcoholic cases often go unreported unless the situation becomes very severe.
I don’t drink, can I have fatty liver?
As mentioned above that usually non-alcoholic people assume that they cannot develop fatty liver, which is not correct. A lot of people who never had a drop of alcohol also develop fatty liver. However, the reasons vary from person to person in these cases. It will not be out context to mention that extreme weight loss measures can sometimes lead to this condition. Keeping that in mind, I’d suggest that go for fat loss programs, but within your limitation. If you are cutting down on protein beyond a certain limit, then it may cause protein deficiency, and could be the reason for fatty liver. Sometimes, those who undergo intestinal bypass surgery, may also develop steatosis under certain conditions.
What causes fatty liver
- Alcohol is the number 1 cause. If you quit alcohol, the disease will also disappear. It is good for heart health as well.
- Insulin Resistance: In other words if you are diabetic with Diabetes type 2, you are prone to obesity. Insulin resistance and obesity together often cause fatty liver.
- Obesity or being fat is an obvious reason.
- High fat level in blood. When fat level is high, it gets deposited on liver as well as the visible body parts such as thighs, belly and buttocks.
- Though rare, sometimes fatty liver develops during pregnancy and it is considered very serious .
- Excess medication can sometimes lead to fatty liver conditions. Especially, drugs used for Malaria treatment are reported to cause this condition in many cases. Similarly TB drug isoniazid can sometimes also cause fatty liver.
Can fatty liver cause pain?
There are many symptoms of fatty liver and mild abdominal pain is one of them. When fat deposits on the liver, it becomes enlarged and extra pressure on the receptors of pain in that area causes the pain.
Fatty liver symptoms
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of energy and general tiredness
- Jaundice or jaundice-like symptom such as yellowish eye, skin and mouth
- Low or diminishing sex drive
- Dark or yellowish urine
- Itchy skin
Is Fatty liver curable? Can it be reversed?
Yes, it is curable but is slightly difficult because treatment of fatty liver is all about changing eating habits, which is easier said than done. As the symptoms are usually not life threatening, people tend to take it lightly and carry on with their existing lifestyle. More or less, the treatment approach is similar to any effective weight loss program. Many people ask if this condition can be reversed. It depends a lot on your exact health condition. After proper lab tests, your physician can tell you if it can be reversed. However, I must say that in initial phases, you can reverse it by choosing healthy eating habits and quitting alcohol.
Fatty liver cure
- Cut down on saturated fat
- Manage or control cholesterol level
- Diabetes control
- Quit Alcohol if you drink
- Exercise regularly so that you burn calories and lose weight
Liver Cleansing or Detoxification
Liver is one of the many detoxifying organs in human. Other organs are kidney, gall bladder, colon and also your skin. These organs work in tandem to detoxify your body. If any of these organs fail to function properly, extra pressure is handled by other organs, which often result in other ailments or symptoms of other diseases. For example, if your colon is not working properly, then digested food is not eliminated due to constipation. Your liver will not get the right place to dump toxins. This may slow down the function of other organs. It is therefore highly recommended to ensure that our digestion works properly.
Benefits of liver cleansing
One of the best and most effective way to ensure that your liver functions at its optimal level, is to incorporate liver cleansing food in your daily diet. Also, you need to cut down on alcohol or items that cause fatty liver. Before discussing food for liver cleansing, lets take a quick look at its health benefits.
- Liver cleansing helps you lose weight
- Boosts your immunity
- Increases your mental focus
- Better sleep cycles and quality of sleep also improves
- Improves vision
- Clearer skin and relief from allergies
- Balances your mood
Liver Cleaning Food
- Beetroot
- Leafy and green vegetables
- Fresh fruits
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Gooseberry or Amla as it is called in India
- Lemon
- Ginger, Garlic and Onion
- Turmeric
Fatty Liver Yoga
This brings me to my favorite and probably the most natural way to good health. Yes, yoga can help you manage, detoxify or completely cure fatty liver. What’s more is that you yoga of fatty liver is not a set of difficult asanas. Simple hand gesture or Apaan Mudra can provide your relief from liver related disease. This gesture is simple. All you have to do is press your middle and index fingers with thumb (See the pic above). Place your hands on your thighs and sit in a comfortable position. This simple yogic method offers many health benefits, and liver detoxification or cleansing is just one of them. As a result, your digestion improves and your gain many other health benefits.
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