Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a very common disorder that results due to the build-up of extra fat in liver cells that is not caused by alcohol. Doctors refer to this condition as steatosis. Fatty liver has no symptoms in its initial stages however when not treated it has the potential to cause continuous damage to the liver and results in a more severe condition called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
During this condition, the fat accumulation leads to liver cell inflammation eventually causing severe liver scarring and cirrhosis (late stage of scarring results from permanent damage leading to a blockage of blood flow through the liver). But what is causing the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?
What Are The Ways To Prevent Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?
There are several things you can do to prevent fatty liver which includes losing weight and cutting back on carbs.
Choose A Healthy Diet To Avoid Overweight Or Obesity– Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most recommended ways to prevent this condition. Medical studies estimate that weight loss has shown significant results in improving fatty liver disease in most adults irrespective of the underlying factor whether weight loss is achieved either by dietary modifications or weight-loss surgeries.
Say No To Carbs Particularly Refined Carbs- One of the most sensible ways to handle the fatty liver condition is to cut back on dietary carbs. Research shows that individuals affected with Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease had a history of dietary fat. A carb-restricted diet offers several health benefits such as improving metabolism and improves the non-alcoholic fatty liver condition
Physical Exercises- Fatty liver disease affects about 25% of people worldwide. Exercises are one of the most effective ways to reduce body weight and maintain a healthy weight. Increasing physical activities through exercises improve fatty liver disease.
Food To Include To Avoid The Condition- Certain foods and beverages have proven beneficial for Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This includes
Monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats – Replacing saturated fats and trans fats in your diet with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats eventually reduce the risk of Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Some proteins such as soy and whey protein appear to protect the body from fatty liver
Green tea regarded as the most popular beverage worldwide has the tendency to prevent or reduce the intensity of many diseases out of which, one is fatty liver.2
Does Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Reoccur?
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease recurrence is most common in post-transplant patients. Medical studies estimate that around 40% of the population who have undergone surgery have found to get affected with this condition. Also, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease recurrence was higher in patients with fibrosis.
Medical researches show that non-alcoholic steatohepatitis can persist or even gets worse after liver transplantation. The recurrence rates post-transplant varies widely depending on conditions. Also, the survival rates in these patients are relatively low.
Similarly, studies were conducted on patients with colorectal cancer. For these patients, resection of metastasis is the only potential cure however the recurrence of non-alcohol fatty liver disease was high as 60%.3, 4
Causes Of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
The most common cause of fatty liver disease across the planet is obesity. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a part of the metallic syndrome is caused by diabetes or pre-diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure conditions, increased blood lipid levels such as cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, nutritional causes of Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease includes
- Starvation and protein malnutrition
- Prolonged use of Parenteral nutrition (intravenous administration of nutrition in individuals who no longer can eat or absorb enough diet through tube feeding formula)
- Intestinal surgery
- Drastic loss of weight.1
Conclusion
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition associated with obesity and diabetes. Although it is a benign condition when left untreated can progress to advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis.
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease https://gi.org/topics/fatty-liver-disease-nafld/
- Prevention of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354567
- Evolution of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease recurrence after liver transplantation https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22740341
- Recurrence of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease https://aasldpubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/lt.22038
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