At least 10 times a day I either diagnose a patient or review a chart of a patient that has developed a Fatty liver. In fact, Fatty liver appears an epidemic in my estimation.
The term Fatty liver is a generic name doctors use to describe a condition where the liver has developed increased levels of fat deposited throughout the entire liver.
Important to know, Fatty Liver also does NOT indicate a specific disease. Generally speaking, if you are told you have a fatty liver this requires a complete workup to clarify the specific cause.
Put simply, fatty liver represents an abnormal change in liver appearance. I was taught in medical school the liver develops fat deposits for many reasons. Common triggers include alcohol use/abuse, obesity, and viral hepatitis. In other words, it simply represents a common physical appearance of the liver when negative changes occur.
The most common and potentially reversible form of fatty liver is called “NON-Alcoholic Fatty Liver.” As the name implies this type occurs unrelated to alcohol use.
When I searched this term in Google I got several high ranking hits that kept describing fatty liver as some “Unknown” condition.
“Experts don’t know why you store more fat in the liver, but you do….” (That kind of thing)
Truth
That is crap.
Non- Alcohol Fatty Liver is caused by simple sugar intake. This condition is a symptom that occurs in many people due to very eating high sugar diets.
You might have already guessed this is a condition related to metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.
I believe this condition represents a physical symptom found during the natural progression of metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes. Ultimately, given enough years and sugar in the diet, fatty liver represents a symptom on the path to Type 2 Diabetes.
In the past, I have done seminars and videos where I discussed the process of this disease. (Watch this video)
Natural Progression
So how do you know if you have fatty liver or are at risk?
In order of occurrence:
1)Born
2)Eat foods rich in sugar, starch, grain, cereals, pasta, fruit, soda, or alcohol
3)Develop fat in belly or waist (High Insulin)
4)Subclinical Fatty Liver (High insulin triggers fat deposits in the liver)
5)A Doctor notices elevated liver function tests and performs an ultrasound
6)Diagnosed with Fatty liver
7)The same doctor then mistakenly tells you to eat a low-fat diet
Solutions
I listed the number seven sarcastically. I get so frustrated when I hear uninformed clinicians giving the standard “low-fat diet.”
There is a problem with the “low-fat” diet. Most people are NOT eating a high-fat diet to begin with!
In my clinical experience, those suffering from the fatty liver are eating mostly carbohydrates!
Because most doctors don’t truly listen or take detailed nutritional histories they keep professing old medical dogma. Fat is what makes people fat.
This simply is not true.
As I have already written and discussed numerous times in relation to Type 2 Diabetes, these problems arise from high carbohydrate (sugar) diets and physical inactivity. Any topics you see on the NRGTRIBE YOUTUBE page or on this site discussing diabetes cover this in greater detail.
Real Cures include:
1)Eliminate processed sugar from the diet (soda, sweets, pastries, cakes, pies, candy, and grain-based foods)
2)Eliminate or severely reduce alcohol (Beer, wine, liquor)
3)Practice fasting (Topic for another day)
4)Increase Physical Activity (Click Here For Exercise Ideas)
Conclusion
As always, I write to provide practical insight into common issues. Though the advice might appear simple, it works. Feel free to leave a comment below.
I welcome questions!