Why fatty liver is dangerous?

Your doctor says you have a fatty liver & you should avoid consuming fat. So can we assume that high fat foods are culprit here? So how can we get rid of fatty liver? These are the questions which come to mind. Fatty liver is dangerous yet misunderstood. In the U.S. alone, 90 million people & 17% of the children are facing the problem of fatty liver.

If you are consuming too much combination of sugar & starch, you are creating a dying situation for your liver. Fatty liver essentially means filling your liver with fat, exposing your body to chronic diseases & inflammation.

So you must be thinking, I should stay away from consuming fat? You would be surprised to learn that the main culprit here is carbs (not fat) that produces more fat (bad) in your liver.

Sugar consumption leads to fat production in your liver through a process known as lipogenesis.

Fructose that directly targets your liver actually ramps up lipogenesis. This is the reason why sugar, specifically fructose is the main cause of liver disease & transplants.

So why is fatty liver bad? Fatty liver causes inflammation which results in insulin resistance & situation of pre-diabetes. This means fatty liver reduces your body’s ability to use sugar to generate energy & rather deposits fats in your liver & other parts of body called visceral fat.

Excess sugar & starch creates more serious problems such as high triglycerides- low HDL( good cholesterol) & high LDL( bad cholesterol). Fatty liver also increases risk of heart disease/attack.

Most of the people are not aware they have fatty liver. I have seen 12 year old kids with fatty liver since they consumed soda & other carbonated drinks for years & now need liver transplants. Fructose, the primary sweetener in sodas is the main reason for increasing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Children are consuming fructose & other toxic substances( coming through junk & fried foods), exposing them to heart disease, liver transplant, high blood pressure & abnormal cholesterol.

I have mentioned earlier that sugar(carbs), not fat is the primary reason for fatty liver. This is important. Dietary fat actually turns off fat production in our liver. Unlike carbs & protein, fats do not trigger pancreases to secrete insulin or stress out the liver. Our body prefers to burn dietary fat rather than store it unless we combine it with carbs. When you consume the right( unsaturated fat), your improve your metabolism, stimulate fat burning & decrease hunger.

One of my favourite fats is olive oil. To prevent fatty liver focus on reducing the consumption of fat & increase consumption of healthy fat intake- mis of saturated & unsaturated fat. Healthy fats reduce inflammation when you take them in low carb, high fibre & omega-3 rich fatty acids.

So how do you know you have fatty liver? Probably if you are consuming a lot of sugar & flour, have belly fat & cravings for carbs, you have fatty liver. 

Blood tests & ultrasound can both test fatty liver. If your blood tests come abnormal, you should take it seriously. Liver function tests do not always detect fatty liver. Ultrasound is more important.

Making the following changes in your diet can help you get rid of this dreaded syndrome:

1. Eliminate high fructose syrups: If you think salad dressings (that you mix in your salads)are healthy, pause & think. Such salad dressings & sauces have more fructose than one oreo cookies.
2. Get rid of white, processed flour & reduce starch consumption: They increase our triglycerides & increase blood sugar liver which promotes fatty liver.
3. Add healthy fats: Incorporate anti-inflammatory, liver-healing foods like low-sugar fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean animal protein like chicken and fish and good, healthy fats like olive oil, avocados and fish oil. A great way to combat sugar damage is to eat plenty of these healthy fats. 
4. Improve metabolism through exercise: Daily one hour workout improves insulin resistance & reduces fatty liver.
5. Eat liver repair foods: Regularly eat foods from the cruciferous family – like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, as well as leafy veggies like kale, collards, cabbage. At least a cup or two every day can help repair and heal the liver. Garlic and onions are amazing sulfur-rich foods that help detox the body.
6. Add protein to your diet: Consuming protein at every meal, especially breakfast, becomes key to balancing blood sugar and insulin, cutting cravings and help your liver the raw detoxify