The fatty liver, commonly known in the health field as hepatic steatosis is a benign liver disease generally characterized by the accumulation of fatty acids and triglycerides in liver cells.
The symptoms of fatty liver generally tend to be pain in the upper right abdomen, malaise, chronic fatigue and feeling of heaviness, especially after meals. Although it is also true that there are patients who have no symptoms, dangerous question to some extent given that the disease may progress silently to more serious stages.
Some years ago the fatty liver was associated with the consumption of alcohol in large quantities, although nowadays are becoming more specialists that relate the increase of people with this disease with high levels of obesity, cholesterol and triglycerides.
Symptoms of fatty liver
There are various symptoms of fatty liver, although it is true that not all patients have symptoms. Generally, the most common tend to be:
- Pain in the upper right abdomen.
- General discomfort.
- Fatigue.
- Chronic fatigue.
- Weight loss.
- Heaviness.
- Sometimes, jaundice.
Evolution of fatty liver
Generally the fatty liver is a benign disease that tends not to progress to more severe stages of the illness.
Once the appearance of fatty liver is detected (by abdominal ultrasound) should take steps to remove that fat in the liver, and thereby avoid this fatty liver evolve to steatohepatitis (inflamed liver, increased of size, in this case caused by accumulation of abundant fat and in excess), and hence to possible cirrhosis and/or cancer.
Treatment of Fatty Liver
While there is no definitive treatment for fatty liver, basic recommendations given in this regard through a reduction in body weight and follow a healthy diet and rich in fruits and vegetables.
The practice of exercise is appropriate in all cases, as we help our body to eliminate excess body fat.
A good option is to consult a nutritionist to provide us with a proper diet for fatty liver, and to control the weight that we lost, since rapid weight loss is associated with increased liver damage.
Back to the beginning: is it possible to prevent fatty liver disease?
Taking into account that, currently, the majority of cases that are diagnosed fatty liver are caused by habits and lifestyle that we follow today, it is clear that the fatty liver or hepatic steatosis can be prevented. Even not only we can say that it can be prevented, but if detected and be already present, it can be cured.
Therefore, to prevent it is very important to follow a healthy lifestyle, based on the tracking of a varied and balanced, rich in fresh, healthy foods, and low-fat diet. In this sense, for example, we can put as an example the Mediterranean diet-in fact considered as one of the healthiest diets in the world. The key is to avoid overweight and obesity, and keeping a diet as healthy as possible.
Since alcohol is another enemy for the health of our liver and decisively involved in the accumulation of fat in the body, it is essential to completely eliminate alcohol from our diet. In any case, since there is no agreement by the medical community, the basic recommendation is simple: avoid or reduce almost complete consumption of any alcoholic beverage.
As we indicated, overweight and obesity affect the appearance of fat in the liver; likewise also it is done by the diabetes (which, by the way, can appear in turn for being overweight). It is therefore important to reduce our weight slowly with the help of a nutritionist, with personalized diet and adapted to our conditions and personal circumstances. Many scientific studies have found that a modest reduction in weight gets reversed and even eliminate the presence of fat in the liver.
Moreover, when we practice exercise regularly we increase our metabolism and burn fat. It is an activity that helps very positively if we have fatty liver, especially if we practice some form of aerobic exercise, such as running or walking. Just practice on a regular basis, preferably every day for at least 30 minutes.
Taking into account that high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides may also influence its appearance, it is suitable to reduce the high levels of fats in the blood. In this case, the preventive tips listed above are equally useful and recommended.
Some natural tips for fatty liver
If you have recently detected fatty liver, first you must remain calm. And although this is a very common disorder, and usually benign, although it is true that it should not be alarmed it is advisable to get down to work as soon as possible. At the advice listed above, such as avoiding alcohol, eating a diet low in fat and healthy, lose weight and do sports regularly, you can also follow these natural tips:
Opt for cleansing tea: This is the case, for example, tea made from artichoke and dandelion. In this sense, you can develop a combined infusion of artichoke and dandelion. For that you boil in a saucepan the equivalent of a cup of water and bring to a boil. When the water boil add a teaspoon of dandelion and artichoke leaves. Boil for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat, strain and let stand 3 minutes. You can drink 3 cups of this tea a day. You can also opt for the infusion of licorice. In this case the development is identical to the steps taken previously, with the difference that should replace the artichoke and dandelion by a teaspoon of licorice, and do not drink more than 2 cups a day, as it can act negatively on the blood pressure.
Milk thistle: The milk thistle is a plant with medicinal benefits highlights for the care and protection of the liver. It contains silymarin, which helps regenerate and protect liver cells. If you want to enjoy its qualities you can choose milk thistle capsules or liquid extract of milk thistle.