How important is it to have a healthy liver when following a weight loss program?
Very. In the MedicineNet.com article by Medical Author, Dennis Lee, MD and Medical Editor, Jay W. Marks, MD, Body Fat, the Silent Killer, they report:
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is currently the most common liver disease in the US and worldwide.
- All stages of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are now believed to be due to insulin resistance, a condition closely associated with obesity.
- Tests show that in people with liver problems, the higher a person’s BMI (Body Mass Index), the greater the liver damage.
One of our greatest concerns in this country is obesity in children. And wouldn’t you know it, so is childhood NAFLD (Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease).
Losing excess weight is the cornerstone of treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. There are medicines that doctors can use to treat NAFLD, but losing weight through diet and exercise is still the single most effective treatment. However, this may be easier said than done. We live in a society where high-fat, high carbohydrate, high-calorie foods are the norm and exercise is an effort. Diabetes is epidemic and it is estimated that 90{2dd333ed9c7b2074fdfda098a56357c21ab487243e335d9241a31e34dbd5cf30} of people with Type 2 diabetes have fatty liver disease.
Insulin Resistance is the biggest contributing factor of obesity. Abdominal fat is the tattle-tale sign of Insulin Resistance. How do you look? You may need some help, but diabetes and weight gain can be managed. Ultimately, promoting healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle, especially in children, will most entirely prevent NAFLD (fatty liver disease) and Type 2 diabetes.
Fatty liver in itself is nothing to worry about and will disappear with loss of weight. The best way to test is through a simple blood test to see if liver enzymes return to normal after weight loss. If they do, you can be pretty well sure NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) was the problem. But to be completely sure, only a liver biopsy can tell, which is expensive and intrusive, and generally not worth the risks.
When Fatty Liver is left untreated, it develops into steatohepatitis, a condition where not only fat is accumulated in the liver, but there is inflammation (hepatitis) and liver cell die (necrosis) and scarring (fibrosis) occur. Fibrosis of the liver can then progress to cirrhosis of the liver, which is the last stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
One of the best ways to protect against insulin resistance is to maintain a healthy liver in the first place. Bile that is produced in the liver is what metabolizes fat cells. If the liver is functioning properly, and is not toxic and overworked, it will perform its weight management function efficiently and you wont have to work so hard to keep the lbs off.
Artichoke and Sarsaparilla are a great combination for liver health.
Artichoke enhances liver function including bile production for fat metabolism; Increases the good HDL cholesterol; Lowers elevated blood lipids, cholesterol and triglycerides; and Detoxes the liver and other organs of the body.
Sarsaparilla cleanses the blood, aids in bladder health and hormone balance in both men and women.
Check it out. It’s not an every day thing. Once or twice a year should keep most everybody’s liver running right. Especially if they are eating right and exercising and not abusing their liver with extensive alcohol consumption.
Control your weight and protect your liver at the same time. Your health may depend on it.
