As Doctors we write about evidence- based facts and with that in mind select products we believe to be the best for our readers. Thelifestylecure.com is a participant of the amazon associates program and we may earn a very small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Did you know that between 80-100 million people in the United States live with fatty liver disease? And almost 20% of these individuals are children? As a medical doctor that is extremely concerning. Especially because it can be prevented with the right knowledge. Which begs the question, is it possible to reverse your fatty liver disease diagnosis naturally?
Before we can answer that question, let’s first dive into what fatty liver disease actually is and how it’s caused.
So non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is actually the umbrella term for 1) simple fatty liver and 2) non-alcohol steatohepatitis (NASH). Both of these conditions are characterized as having extra fat present in and around your liver. The main (and significant) difference is that NASH is accompanied with inflammation in the liver AND liver cell damage. Hence the term steatohepatitis.
Table of Contents
The Problem with Fatty Liver Disease
Did you know that simple fatty liver is often times referred to as silent liver disease? Most people who develop this do not exhibit any symptoms despite having fat deposits around the liver. Generally only when simple fatty liver progresses to NASH that symptoms may first appear.
Those symptoms typically are:
- weakness
- tiredness
- loss of appetite
- nausea and vomiting
- spider like veins appearing on the skin
- weight loss
- severe itching
- yellowing of the eyes or skin
Therefore, a majority of the population that is suffering with fatty liver disease do not even know that they are suffering due to the absence of physical symptoms.
And because fatty liver disease is also a type of chronic disease, it is considered to be serious and should be taken as such.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention six in ten adults in the US have a chronic disease and four in ten have two or more.
Now as unsettling as that sounds there’s still hope! Research has found that many of these chronic diseases are actually rooted in poor lifestyle choices.
Meaning it is possible to both prevent AND reverse fatty liver disease as well.
The Connection Between Weight and Fatty Liver Disease
Poor lifestyle choices are what cause us to be overweight or obese putting us at risk for fatty liver disease.
Harvard health agrees that abdominal fat in particular is especially worrisome as it pours a significant amount of free-fatty acids into the liver. It also gets deposited into the pancreas, heart and intestines impairing their function as well.
Meaning, being excessively overweight is a risk factor for developing a fatty liver. Along with having prediabetes or diabetes, high levels of triglercides, LDL, or blood pressure.
Now as dire as this may seem, there is good news as well.
The Solution
You can not only PREVENT fatty liver disease from occurring but also REVERSE the disease YOU ALREADY HAVE!
How? By simply changing your lifestyle habits in order to lose the excess weight!
Let’s discuss what 5 simple lifestyle changes you can implement in order to reverse fatty liver today!
5 Simple Lifestyle Changes That Can Reverse Fatty Liver Disease Naturally
1) Healthy Eating
Diet is a large factor in the development of fatty liver disease.
Researchers have conducted studies that demonstrated how drinking high fructose corn syrup (ie. soda and sugary drinks) leads to direct accumulation of fat within liver cells.
Eating excess calories consisting mainly of sugar, starches, and trans-fats is a major cause for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer as well.
Instead, what is recommended is a wholefoods plant-based diet which is low in animal protein, fat, sugar and refined carbohydrates. As proof there is a whole host of scientific evidence which shows how eating a wholefoods plant-based diet can prevent and reverse it.
But what exactly is a whole foods plant-based diet?
A Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet Consists of the Following:
Whole foods: natural foods that are not heavily processed
Plant-based: foods that are derived from plants and not animals including meat, milk, eggs or honey.
And the major food categories for this type of diet are:
1) Fruits: all types
2) Vegetables: all types
3) Tubers: root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, beets etc.
4) Whole grains: cereals, grains, quinoa, popcorn kernels, brown rice, millet, whole wheat, oats, barley etc.
5) Legumes: beans, lentils, pulses and similar ingredients
Other foods that are included (but only to be consumed in moderation) are nuts, seeds, tofu, tempeh, whole-grain flour and breads and plant based milk.
The benefits of this diet is not just reversal of your fatty liver disease but also disease prevention, easier weight management, and a lighter environmental footprint.
Common eating patterns for those suffering with fatty liver disease should focus on eating a Mediterranean and/or an Anti-Inflammatory diet. Both diets focus on fiber rich foods and complex carbohydrates which are important in the management of fatty liver disease.
Take charge of your diet by adopting one of these eating patterns today.
Check Out More Diets For Reversing Your Fatty Liver Disease:
The Best Diet for Prediabetics and Diabetics – Voted #1 in 2020!
How To Lose Weight With The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
The Best Probiotics For Your Gut! A Doctor’s Guide
How To Quit Sugar For Good And What To Eat Instead!
2) Increase Physical Activity
The amount of physical activity we as adults get is generally not alot when compared to previous generations. This is because we now spend a majority of our time either working from a desk, commuting to and from work, or eating meals. And the one thing that all these “activities” have in common is that we do them predominately sitting down or while stationary!
Which is why ONLY 1 in 4 US adults and 1 in 5 high school students meet the recommended physical activity guidelines. And to add further insult to injury about 31 million adults (50 years and over) have been found to get NO physical activity beyond daily living altogether!
The reason why these stats are alarming is because lack of exercise contributes significantly to fatty liver disease. This most likely is due to the fact that lack of activity increases the amount of fat that is present within liver cells.
However, the good news is that regular exercising can improve our symptoms and prevent fatty liver disease from arising.
The Types of Exercises That Help Reverse Chronic Disease
1) Aerobic or cardio workouts – such as high intensity interval training (HIIT) which improves heart health, endurance and aids in weight loss.
2) Strength training – provides muscle strength and endurance making it easier to do daily activities and wards off age-related decline in muscle mass and joint instability.
3) Flexibility exercises – are important to maintain optimal range of motion around the joints and prevent falls from occurring with joint instability.
The Mayo Clinic recommends 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least 5 days a week. But this also can gradually be incorporated into your life to ensure that you maintain this habit lifelong. The intensity at which you preform an activity may not be as beneficial if you’re just beginning your journey to a healthier lifestyle. It is the amount that you exercise that is important vs the intensity at which you perform activity. Because if you do anything consistently and begin to see the benefits from it, you’re more likely to continue along anyway.
Having someone do ONLY HIIT activity, which has been proven to be one of the best in order to reduce fat deposition, is not as beneficial if done once per week with no other activity. However, doing something that you enjoy regularly is more important because you will return to it regardless of how unmotivated you are.
Researchers have also concluded that even if weight loss isn’t visible or weight remains stable, regular physical activity will DECREASE the fat stored in the liver!
So remember that some movement is always better than NO movement, and even if you do not see immediate weight loss occur, that does not mean you aren’t losing the fat inside your liver! All you should be doing is continuing to make it a part of your daily routine and giving it your best.
Talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise so that they can decide what is right for you.
Check Out More Exercises To Do For Your Fatty Liver:
Top 11 Resistance Band Exercises For A Total Body Workout At Home
21 Fitness Motivational Quotes To Conquer Your Goals
4 Minute Flat Belly At Home Workout Plan
Top 9 Fat Burning HIIT Workout Videos For Beginners and Advanced
3) Develop Strategies To Manage Stress
In today’s world, stress is a daily phenomena that we all experience and unfortunately many of us don’t deal with all that well.
Whether that’s stress due to high work load, too many family obligations or due to traumatic events, it can become burdening on the body and mind.
In fact according to various research papers, a relationship between stress and illness has been proven time and time again.
When the perceived threat has passed, hormone levels return to normal and other body systems resume their regular activities. However, when the stressor is constantly apart of your life your body remains under attack so the fight or flight response remains on. This results in diabetes, stress ulcers, peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, atherosclerosis, heart disease, depression, and schizophrenia.
The way to handle stress is by identifying what your stressors are and to find healthy ways to manage them.
A good example on how to manage stress is by implementing regular yoga practices. Yoga is considered to be one of the best ways to fight stress and manage anxiety. Additionally, it helps reduce chronic disease risk factors and may even alleviate chronic conditions such as depression, pain, anxiety and insomnia.
This is because it is a mind-body practice used in integrative medicine that helps brings physical and mental awareness to one’s self.
Yoga’s 3 Main Components To Help Reverse Fatty Liver Disease
1) Poses or postures which are series of movements that enhance flexibility and strength.
2) Breathing exercises which helps to control your body and silence the mind.
3) Meditation or relaxation which can be done at the beginning or at the end of the yoga practice itself.
As mentioned earlier, meditation or regular breath work can also help manage your stress levels too. It has long been touted as a stress reliever as it relaxes the mind by focusing your attention on something other than your thoughts.
In fact, health professionals have found great use of mindfulness meditation through a structured program. Professionals refer to this program as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and helps those with a chronic illness like fatty liver disease.
The program has the following tenets associated with it:
1) Eating a healthy diet, regular exercise and getting a good nights sleep.
2) Practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing, massage and meditation.
3) Participating in relaxing hobbies such as reading or listening to music.
4) Fostering healthy relationships
5) Laughing
6) Volunteering
7) Seeking counseling
Choose what works for you as everyone is different. As long as you manage your stress in a healthy way you’ll be able to cope better with whatever life throws your way in the future!
Check Out More On Reducing Stress:
11 Absolute Best Yoga Poses For Beginners
Morning Yoga Stretches: Secrets To Waking Up Happier
Meditation 101: The Ultimate Guide To Meditation For Beginners
Top 5 Ways To Relieve Anxiety Naturally With Supplements
4) Avoid Drinking Excessive Alcohol
This is one topic I think we are all familiar with and understand the impact risky substances have on diseases, specifically chronic diseases.
There is vast research on how drinking alcohol is a major risk factor for the development of most liver diseases. Including cirrhosis, cancer, and hepatitis.
And that anyone diagnosed with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) should proceed with caution when drinking alcoholic beverages.
Why? Because even NASH can progress to cirrhosis. So although it has the term non-alcoholic associated with it, doesn’t mean that alcohol cannot affect you. It only refers to the fact that alcohol was not the cause of your condition. Most likely, it could be nutritional, genetic or conditional related instead. Meaning you developed your condition because you lost weight rapidly, underwent intestinal bypass surgery for obesity, or had diabetes or insulin resistance for example. Don’t let the title fool you – alcohol is not your friend. So don’t let it into your life.
The best choice you can make is to NOT consume alcohol excessively and/or make it a part of your daily or weekly routine.
You have the ability to protect yourself from getting cirrhosis so make the right decision.
Check out more to help with fatty liver:
Top 17 Simple Healthy Habits That Will Change Your Life!
3 Simple Steps To Lose Weight If You Weigh Over 200lbs
5 Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight & How To Change It!
2 Things I Started Doing To FINALLY lose weight!
How To Lose Weight FAST – Research Proven Results
5) Role of Supplements
Many theorists over the years have illustrated how oxidative stress may play a role in the development of fatty liver disease. And the reason this is of interest now is because antioxidants may be able to help in the management of fatty liver disease.
Antioxidants such as Vitamin E may be able to improve liver histology and biochemistry in NASH patients.
Some researchers have demonstrated that Vitamin E may only be beneficial in non-diabetics and non-cirrhotic individuals with NASH.
However, scientists still maintain the need for conducting studies of larger populations and for longer duration in the future.
In summary, these are the 5 simple lifestyle changes you should make today in order to prevent and reverse your chronic disease:
1. Eat a healthier diet consistently
2. Incorporate daily activity regularly throughout the day
3. Develop strategies that will effectively help manage stress
4. Avoid engaging in regular risky behaviors especially consumption of alcoholic beverages
5. Supplements and the role they may play in the future prevention of fatty liver disease
Choosing health and happiness should be our number one priority.
By making these 5 Simple Lifestyle Changes you can change the outcome of your life today, so why not give it a chance?
