Early Signs, Prevention and Lifestyle Tips for Liver Health | Dr. Harshal Rajekar
The liver is the largest internal organ performing over 700 different processes in human body. It has the unique ability to repair itself.
Over 90% of liver disease is preventable. The most common causes of liver disease are alcohol, fatty liver, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and some metabolic and immune mediated problems. Of these alcoholic liver disease, fatty liver disease, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are preventable. Fatty liver disease forms a large chunk of the problem. We can transform liver health within a generation. We just need to intervene now and make prevention a priority.
Our lifestyles have changed enormously over the past few decades. Modern ‘on-the-go’ 21st-century lifestyle, quick fixes for everything, fast food have not been particularly conducive to good liver health. The effects of those are now starting to come through in the rapid emergence of liver diseases, especially fatty liver as a critical health issue. More and more people are getting diagnosed with fatty liver disease, and a fairly large number of people ignore it.
NAFLD is a medical condition in which excess fat deposits in the liver. NAFLD means Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. This deposition of fat is not caused by heavy alcohol use. NAFLD affects about 25% of the global adult population ranging from 13.5% in Africa to 31.8% in the Middle East. The prevalence of NAFLD in India is about 9% to 32%. Contrary to popular belief, alcohol only accounts for about one third of all the cases of liver disease with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) emerging as the leading contributor in recent times.
Unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are the two most controllable factors responsible for fatty liver disease. Some of the patients with fatty liver may have a genetic predisposition to develop insulin resistance, which predisposes to the development of fatty liver disease. The good news is, it can be corrected and controlled.
We've put together a list of early signs that could help identify warning signals for NAFLD
- Abdominal fat - Those who are overweight are at an increased risk of NAFLD, especially those with abdominal fat or “central fat”. A BMI of over 30 significantly correlates with the prevalence of NAFLD.
- Raised cholesterol – An increase in the unhealthy cholesterol level is closely linked to fatty liver.
- High blood pressure and sleep apnea – People who snore, and those who have a higher blood pressure are at an increased risk of fatty liver.
- Constant fatigue – This is not a consistent symptom unless liver disease is fairly advanced.
- Binge eating - If you feel hungry most of the time or having a craving for sugar on a regular basis, it could be an early sign of liver damage.
NAFLD can progress to NASH (non alcoholic steato[fat] hepatitis) – which is inflammation in the liver. NASH often times progresses to fibrosis (scarring) which can eventually cause liver cirrhosis (irreversible liver damage).
How to avoid and how to correct fatty liver are important things that one should be aware of.
ACTIVITY -
Move more and sit less, for a healthy liver! Keeping active and exercising regularly can have a huge benefit to your overall health and your liver by reducing the build-up of fats and therefore helping to lessen the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and prevent fatty liver disease.
DIET –
The accumulation of abdominal fat is increasingly associated with an excessively high consumption of carbohydrates, mainly the fast-absorbing sugars found in:
- Sweets,
- Refined cereal products (white bread, more than one helping of rice, pasta made from refined flour, crackers without fibre, etc.),
- Fizzy drinks,
- Yogurt with added sugar,
- Fruit juice and desserts.
It becomes important to become familiar with reading nutrition labels and the list of ingredients in a product. This helps you judge what is good and what is bad. For example, breakfast cereal is usually more than 75% carbohydrate.
A carbohydrate-restricted diet is a widely recommended intervention for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This means avoid consumption of all processed food, like biscuits, namkeen (snacks), sweets, noodles and all bakery products. Foods that advertise whole wheat or soya or multigrain; contain only a small fraction of the same, the main ingredient being refined flour (maida).
The fibers and nutrients found in fruits and vegetables help to limit inflammatory processes, among others, through their role as energetic substrate for good intestinal bacteria. Similarly, probiotics like curds and buttermilk are helpful. Healthy gut bacteria limit inflammatory processes when they are present in large quantities in our intestine, and they are adequately nourished through the fibers and antioxidants contained in coloured plants.
Eat like a Mediterranean (Greek/ Italian/ Spanish)
- Oily fish such as salmon, trout, sardines and mackerel rich in omega-3 fatty acids and recommendations are to eat two portions of fish a week, one of which should be an oily fish.
- Try using a variety of herbs and spices to flavour meals rather than adding salt.
- Switch to wholegrain bread and cereal and eat more wholegrain rice and pasta products.
- Unsalted nuts are great for a healthy snack in between meals.
- Choose lower-fat cheese such as cottage cheese, mozzarella or feta rather than cream cheese or cheddar as this will help reduce your saturated fat intake.
Evidence suggests that we should eat at least 4-5 portions of fruits and vegetables per day. Consume more protein and fibre, and try to consume fats that are healthy. Eggs and pulses are great sources of protein.
Obesity is often associated with an increased preference for, and consumption of, foods high in fat and sugar. Thus, it becomes more difficult to lose weight.
It may be tempting to lose weight faster, but the best way to lose weight and keep it off, is to do so gradually. Slow and steady is best for weight loss.
Making positive changes to your diet and activity levels are essential to successful weight loss. However, the environment you are in each day can also have a huge influence on your dietary choices. Making some simple changes to the environment, you live in, work in, and socialise in can make it much easier for you to make healthier dietary choices.
SOME USEFUL IDEAS:
- Store pre-cut fruit or vegetables in the fridge, so they are easy to reach for a healthy snack.
- Place a fruit bowl somewhere visible that you can reach easily.
- Store snack foods such as crisps and biscuits in hard-to-reach places such as in a box at the back of a cupboard. Better still do not keep biscuits and snacks at home.
- Use smaller plates that are 9 or 10 inches in diameter.
- Use darker coloured plates (that contrast with the colour of your food) as this can help you reduce your portion size.
- Eat at a table with the TV turned off, and away from your cell phone.
- Drink water along with a meal.
Keep your liver healthy. Stay fit stay healthy. After all fatty liver can not only cause irreversible liver damage, but also put you at a risk of getting liver cancer and increases your chances of developing diabetes and heart disease.
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