Fatty liver results from damage to your liver that prevents it from filtering out excess fat. This condition develops as a result of chronic alcohol use, known as alcoholic fatty liver, or due to contributing factors that change the way you digest foods, but are not related to alcohol use, like obesity or diabetes. Early detection of fatty liver can help you make changes to reverse the damage before hepatitis, fibrosis or the irreversible condition cirrhosis occurs. There is no medical treatment for fatty liver beyond controlling the risk factors that lead to liver fat accumulation.
Step 1
Talk to your physician. Fatty liver is diagnosed by liver enzyme tests, computerized imaging or biopsy. If you are diagnosed with fatty liver, ask your physician for recommendations on dietary changes or get a referral to a nutritionist that can help you plan a liver healthy diet.
Step 2
Research your options on the Internet. Conduct a keyword search using terms like "fatty liver diet" or "diet for liver disease." Click on the medically based links that populate to ensure you get credible information.
Step 3
Write a list of foods that support liver health to which you can refer while you grocery shop. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are liver-healthy foods that have antioxidants to protect your liver from further damage. Design meal plans that include fresh foods instead of packaged foods, which often contain harmful substances like cholesterol, added sugars and fats that may irritate and inflame your liver.
Step 4
Read nutrition labels and avoid foods high in saturated fats. Saturated fats can add more fat to your injured liver. These fats are found in red meat, whole dairy and fried foods. Replace bad fats in your diet with healthy unsaturated fats from nuts, low-fat dairy and fish. Choose free-range poultry to avoid toxins and added hormones in these meats.
Step 5
Abstain from alcohol use. No matter if your fatty liver is due to excessive alcohol use or not, drinking alcohol will cause further damage. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water daily to stay hydrated and nurture your liver back to health.
Tips and Warnings
- Use herbs and spices like turmeric to flavor your meals and help reduce inflammation in your liver. Vegetables like asparagus help stimulate your liver to metabolize foods.
- Avoid medications with acetaminophen, which is harmful to a damaged liver.
References
- Hepatitits Foundation International: Caring for Your Liver
- Merck Manuals Online Medical Library; Fatty Liver; July 2009
- American Cancer Society; Turmeric; Nov. 28, 2008
- Alcohol Research and Health; Relationships Between Nutrition, Alcohol Use and Liver Disease; Charles S. Lieber M.D.; 2003
- MedlinePlus; Diet-Liver Disease; April 23, 2009
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