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Preventing liver disease through healthy eating

Posted September 28, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

Section: In The News, His Health, Physical Health, His Nutrition, Healthy Eating

healthy eating Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) refers to a range of conditions from cirrhosis to liver inflammation that can lead to liver disease and death, and afflict individuals who drink little to no alcohol. Why should you care about this? According to some recent research, NAFLD affects nearly one-third of all American adults.

Though more research is needed to determine the exact cause of NAFLD, The Mayo Clinic reports that many scientists believe metabolic syndrome plays a main role in its development. Metabolic syndrome is an umbrella term for disorders that increase the likelihood of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Obesity, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels are just some symptoms of metabolic syndrome and all can contribute to the development of NAFLD.

Fortunately, good news has surfaced in the scientific community. U.S. News & World Report posted an article last week stating that on top of obesity and high blood pressure, a study in mice conducted by researchers at the Children’s Hospital Boston indicates that diets high in quick-burning carbohydrates may cause fatty liver disease. Why is this a good thing? According to the researchers, if these findings can be replicated in humans it means that NAFLD can be both prevented and treated through relatively simple dietary changes.

In the study, two groups of mice were fed equal amounts of calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates. The only difference was that one group received high-glycemic foods (those that raise blood sugar quickly) while one was put on a low-glycemic diet. After six months, the mice in the high-glycemic group had twice the amount of fat in their bodies, blood, and liver when compared to those in the low-glycemic group.

Essentially, these findings show a strong correlation between high glycemic foods and fatty liver disease, and scientists are optimistic that such results will be replicated in humans. If these findings hold up in human studies, what does this mean for us? For starters, we can help fight against the risk of NAFLD by avoiding high-glycemic foods - for example white bread, white rice, and concentrated sugar. We should also learn to load up on vegetables, fruits, beans, and unprocessed grains as these are the types of low-glycemic foods that will help keep our bodies healthy. And don’t forget to keep up a regular exercise routine, as keeping off excess body weight is another essential factor in reducing the risk of such serious conditions as fatty liver.

NAFLD is a serious condition, but with a little conscientious eating and regular exercise, we can help keep our health intact.

Research sources and for more information: [U.S. News & World Report], [Mayo Clinic], [MedicineNet.com]; [picture]

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Tags: carbohydrates, cirrhosis, disease, disease prevention, fat, fatty liver disease, glycemic, health, liver, liver inflammation, men's health, metabolic syndrome, nafld, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

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9 Responses to “Preventing liver disease through healthy eating” (Leave a reply)

drug tests from United States said:

Liver is one of the most important organs of the body that participates in body cleansing. Bile secretion reduces if toxins start accumulating in the liver,. The cleansing action performed by the liver drastically deteriorates as a result of which the liver becomes a store house of toxins in the long run. It very critical that you liver must be maintained clean. So periodic liver cleansing is absolutely essential
Regards, Richardson
October 14, 2008 at 10:45 AM
lemon detox from United States said:

Hahaha I work at a major chain restauraunt (the largest casual dining restauraunt) and have also worked for most of the other top 10 (think restaurants named after fruit+bugs and days of the week), and haha the lemons are the least you need to worry about. If you go out to eat at a busy restaurant on a friday night, trust me - all health code rules go out the door. I have been in the business almost 20 years and most of the places I have worked would make you never want to eat out again if you saw the kitchen. Cooks who never wash their hands or change the one pair of gloves they wear all day, grabbing raw chicken then putting that same gloved hand into the bin of french fries. Garbage all over the floor and counters, just a total disgusting mess in general. Now when you go out to eat at 3pm on a wednesday afternoon your odds of a clean meal are a little better, but when the pressures on, the business is boomin - the managers are so worried about trying to get the food out quickly that for the most part sanitation is non existant. Next time you think you have the ‘flu” think to yourself, “did I eat out last night?”. Good chance its mild food poisoning if you did!Regards, Richardson
October 17, 2008 at 04:14 AM
SJS said:

Our eating habits surely reflect in our health conditions.You have provided great information on preventing liver diseases thorugh healthy eating tips.
November 26, 2008 at 03:55 AM
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Yesterday only i came across a post that specified the importance of fruits & veggies in keeping our heart healthy.And now as you have also explained how important healthy food is in keeping our liver strong, i must say these kinds of posts are really helpful in learning about health issues.
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