Fatty Liver Disease

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Fatty Liver Disease
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• Having some fat in the liver is normal, but if
  five to ten percent of the organs weight is fat,
  it may be due to fatty liver disease. One of the
  critical causes of the condition is drinking
  alcohol, so it is suggested any patient diagnosed
  with fatty liver disease should cease drinking
  alcohol immediately. On rare occasions, the fatty
  liver disease can also be diagnosed during
  pregnancy and can be risky for both the mother
  and baby, possibly leading to liver or kidney
  failure in either of them (or both).

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• There are two different types of fatty liver
  disease alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and
  nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

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Signs And Symptoms Of Fatty Liver Disease

• The fatty liver disease often does not show any
  signs or symptoms in the beginning. In fact, it
  may take years, even decades before symptoms are
  apparent. Some symptoms include nausea, loss of
  weight or appetite, weakness, fatigue, and
  confusion, poor judgment, or difficulty paying
  attention.

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• Some other signs and symptoms include a larger
  liver, pain in the center or upper-right part of
  the stomach, and darker patches of skin on the
  neck or under the arms. Symptoms may worsen after
  drinking heavily. There is a possibility fatty
  liver disease leads to scarring of the liver,
  known formally as cirrhosis. If cirrhosis occurs,
  symptoms such as a buildup of fluid, internal
  bleeding, jaundice, and liver failure may occur.

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Causes And Risk Factors Of Fatty Liver Disease

• There is still not enough information to
  determine why some patients accumulate fat in
  their livers while others do not. There is also
  little understanding as to why some cases of the
  fatty liver disease lead to inflammation and
  cirrhosis. However, some common causes may better
  our understanding as to who is at risk of
  developing the fatty liver disease.

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• The causes of fatty liver disease include
  obesity or being overweight, insulin resistance,
  high blood sugar, and high levels of fats in the
  blood. The risk factors that increase the risk of
  developing NAFLD include high cholesterol, high
  levels of triglycerides in the blood, metabolic
  syndrome, obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome,
  sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, and
  hypopituitarism.

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• Many causes and risk factors can contribute to
  developing the fatty liver disease. With this in
  mind, continue reading to learn about possible
  complications that can arise.

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Possible Complications With Fatty Liver Disease

• The main complication regarding fatty liver
  disease is cirrhosis, which is scarring in the
  liver. Cirrhosis occurs as a response to injury
  to the liver, such as inflammation. As the liver
  tries to cope with inflammation, it scars the
  tissue. Cirrhosis can lead to many other
  complications and risks if left untreated such as
  fluid buildup within the abdomen, swelling of
  veins in the esophagus that can potentially
  rupture and bleed, confusion, drowsiness, slurred
  speech, liver cancer, and end-stage liver
  failure. Approximately twenty percent of patients
  with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis will progress
  to cirrhosis.

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Prevention Of Fatty Liver Disease
There are a few natural ways to prevent and
reduce the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver
disease. The first step to preventing NAFLD is to
switch to a healthy plant-based diet rich in
fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy
fats. Healthy fats include omega fatty acids,
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which
can be found in many foods like fruits and nuts.
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• Other ways to prevent NAFLD include maintaining
  a healthy weight and getting an adequate amount
  of exercise throughout the week. Start off slow,
  and continue to push boundaries and reach new
  goals within an exercise routine.The fatty liver
  disease can be prevented by making healthy
  lifestyle changes. Keep reading to find out how
  it is diagnosed.

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Diagnosing Fatty Liver Disease
Since symptoms may take years to onset, fatty
liver disease is often discovered when doing
tests for other reasons. Some methods used to
diagnose fatty liver disease include blood tests,
ultrasounds, computerized tomography (CT) scans,
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), transient
elastography, and magnetic resonance elastography.
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If all other test results are inconclusive, a
liver biopsy may be implemented to remove a
sample of liver tissue. The tissue sample is then
examined for signs of inflammation and cirrhosis.
The liver biopsy may be painful and can have some
small risks.
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Treatment Of Fatty Liver Disease

• Beginning treatment for fatty liver disease
  begins with weight loss through a combination of
  changing to a healthier diet and getting more
  exercise. If suffering from ALD, the consumption
  of alcohol must cease immediately, and even with
  NAFLD, alcohol consumption should be limited, if
  any is consumed at all. An ideal amount of weight
  to lose is ten percent of total body weight, but
  improvements will become apparent after losing
  three to five percent of starting weight. Some
  other possible treatments include vaccines for
  hepatitis A and B to prevent further liver
  damage, and possibly a liver transplant for
  patients with cirrhosis.

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Home Remedies For Fatty Liver Disease

• The home remedies for treating and controlling
  fatty liver disease all rely on healthy changes
  to overall lifestyle. If overweight or obese,
  patients should attempt to lose up to ten percent
  of their weight by reducing caloric intake and
  increasing their physical activity. Similarly,
  they may need to change their diet to incorporate
  more healthy fats.

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• Other home remedies include lowering cholesterol
  and increasing vitamin E and other antioxidants.
  However, additional research is necessary to
  determine the effects of antioxidants. It has
  also been reported coffee may prevent liver
  damage, although it studies were inconclusive as
  to how much coffee is needed to reap the
  benefits. The fatty liver disease can be quite
  dangerous. However, by making lifestyle changes
  and tackling the problem early on it can mitigate
  the symptoms and possibility of developing
  cirrhosis.

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• You can find me at http//www.livercancercentersof
  america.com/

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