Diet Plan for Fatty Liver / High Cholesterol

The liver is an incredible multitasker. You can think of this vital organ as a filter system. It helps your body get rid of toxins while also harvesting nutrients from the foods you eat.

WHAT IS FATTY LIVER DISEASE?

In very simple words, having a fatty liver means you have extra fat in your liver. This condition may be medically addressed as hepatic steatosis.

Most commonly heavy drinking makes you more likely to get it. Over time, too much alcohol leads to a buildup of fat inside your liver cells. This makes it harder for your liver to work. But you can get a fatty liver disease even if you don’t drink a lot of alcohol

NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD)

There are two different types of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease:

Simple fatty liver: This means you have fat in your liver, but you may not have any inflammation in your liver or damage to your liver cells. It usually doesn’t get worse or cause a problem with your liver. Most people with NAFLD have a simple fatty liver.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): This is much more serious than a simple fatty liver. NASH means you have inflammation in your liver. The inflammation and liver cell damage that happen with NASH can cause serious problems such as fibrosis and cirrhosis which are types of liver scarring, and liver cancer.

ALCOHOL-RELATED FATTY LIVER DISEASE (ALD)

Alcoholic fatty liver disease is preventable. It usually gets better when you stop drinking alcohol. If you keep drinking, ALD can cause serious problems. These include:

• Enlarged Liver. It doesn’t always cause symptoms, but you may have pain or discomfort on the upper right side of your belly
• Alcoholic Hepatitis. This is swelling in the liver that can cause fever, nausea, vomiting, belly pain, and jaundice
• Alcoholic cirrhosis. This is a buildup of scar tissue in your liver. It can cause the same symptoms as alcoholic hepatitis plus:
  • Large amounts of fluid buildup in your belly which are called ascites.
  • High Blood Pressure in the liver
  • Bleeding in your body
  • Confusion and changes in behavior
  • Enlarged Spleen
  • The most fatal is Liver Failure

As it is very evident that Alcohol-Related Fatty Liver Disease (ALD) can be avoided by limiting or nullifying alcohol consumption.

In a healthy body, the liver removes toxins and produces bile, a protein that breaks down fat into fatty acids so that they can be digested. The fatty liver disease damages the liver and prevents it from working as well as it should, but lifestyle changes can prevent it from getting worse.

The first line of treatment for NAFLD is weight loss, through a combination of calorie reduction, exercise, and healthy eating.

In general, the diet for the fatty liver disease includes:

• Fruits and vegetables
• High-fiber plants like legumes and whole grains
• Significantly reducing intake of certain foods and beverages including those high in added sugar, salt, refined carbohydrates, and saturated fat
• Of course no alcohol

The amount of weight that you should lose to treat NAFLD will depend on the amount of excess body fat that you have. Team Nutrishilp can help you decide on an appropriate weight loss goal based on your overall health. A nutrient-dense, whole-food-based diet rich in fiber, protein, and unsaturated fats is generally recommended for those with NAFLD.

IF YOU HAVE FATTY LIVER DISEASE

If you have fatty liver disease, your doctor may recommend avoiding certain foods or eating them sparingly. These foods generally contribute to weight gain and can increase blood sugar.

Avoid when possible

• Alcohol. Alcohol can be a major cause of fatty liver disease as well as other liver diseases
• Added sugar. Stay away from sugary foods such as candy, cookies, sodas, and fruit juices. High blood sugar increases the amount of fat buildup in the liver
• Fried foods. These are high in fat and calories
• Added salt. Consuming too much salt can increase the risk of NAFLD. Limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day is recommended. People who have high blood pressure should limit salt intake to no more than 1,500 mg per day
• White bread, rice, and pasta. White flour is typically highly processed, and items made from it can raise your blood sugar more than whole grains, due to a lack of fiber
• Red meat. Beef and deli meats are high in saturated fat

TAKEAWAY

As a general rule, whole foods are best for your liver and the rest of your body. When it comes to adding foods to your diet, your Nutrishilp dietitian is your best resource for knowing the best foods for you.

Certain liver conditions may require a more specialized diet. In some cases, people with advanced liver disease may not be able to absorb the fats they eat and may have to limit oils and fatty fish.

Typically, it’s recommended for people with hemochromatosis to avoid consuming iron, while those with hepatitis C may need to limit their intake of iron and salt.

Your Nutrishilp dietitian can tell you more about which foods to eat and which to avoid.

"Do not be deceived by the name, fatty liver is a disease that can happen to normal weight people also, not only to Fat ones."

Feel free to connect with Team Nutrishilp for any emotional counselling, dietry and nutritional support to cope up with The Fatty Liver.