Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is an umbrella term used to define several conditions that are caused by fat build-up in the liver. It usually refers to liver conditions that afflict people who drink little to no alcohol. NAFLD is mostly seen in obese or overweight people. Did you know that the prevalence of NAFLD in India is about 9% to 32%? Globally, it affects around 25% of the adult population. In obese populations, that percentage can go up to 75%.
Although in its early stages, this disease does not cause any harm, over time, it can often lead to more serious consequences like liver cirrhosis. The good news is that you can prevent or reverse the effects of NAFLD with some simple lifestyle changes and such as switching to a healthy diet best suited for preventing and avoiding the complications of fatty liver.
Why is fatty liver disease bad?
In most cases, the fatty liver disease doesn’t cause any serious problems or prevent your liver from functioning normally. But for 7% to 30% of people with the condition, the fatty liver disease gets worse over time. It progresses through three stages:
- Your liver becomes inflamed (swollen), which damages its tissue. This stage is called steatohepatitis.
- Scar tissue forms where your liver is damaged. This process is called fibrosis.
- Extensive scar tissue replaces healthy tissue. At this point, you have cirrhosis of the liver.
Cirrhosis of the liver
Cirrhosis of the liver is a result of severe damage to the liver. The hard scar tissue that replaces healthy liver tissue slows down the liver’s functioning. Eventually, it can block liver function entirely. Cirrhosis can lead to liver failure and liver cancer.
Causes of fatty liver
As mentioned earlier, fatty liver is primarily caused by high fat build-up in your liver. But how or why does that happen? Some people develop fatty liver even when they do not have any pre-existing conditions. Although, there are a few risk factors that increase the chances of developing it. Here are some of them:
- Obesity
If you are overweight or obese – particularly, if you have an apple-shaped body with more fat around your waist – you are more likely to develop NAFLD. - Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance (IR) is another factor that contributes to NAFLD in association with obesity. It does so by increasing free fatty acid delivery and hyperinsulinemia, which stimulates anabolic processes. DHA in its pure form extracted from algal oil is offered as a supplement in the progen method to help our clients fight insulin resistance faster and facilitate easy hormonal activity post diet. - Type 2 diabetes
The relationship between NAFLD and type 2 diabetes functions both ways. Diabetes enhances the progression of NAFL, often to Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), which is a serious and sometimes fatal condition. It also increases the risk of cirrhosis and Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or liver cancer. On the other hand, NAFLD is often associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. - High cholesterol
If your body gets too much cholesterol, it can lead to fatty liver disease. In serious cases, it can also turn NAFLD into NASH.
Symptoms of NAFLD
NAFLD is the most prevalent liver disease in human history but it is also one of the most silent diseases. Most people suffering from it will not exhibit any symptoms.
People with fatty liver disease often have no symptoms until the disease progresses to cirrhosis of the liver. There are, however, some occasional symptoms that you should look out for, such as:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Abdominal pain or a feeling of fullness in the upper right side of the abdomen (belly).
- Nausea, loss of appetite or weight loss.
- Yellowish skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice).
- Swollen abdomen and legs (edema).
- Extreme tiredness or mental confusion.
If you can detect and manage NAFLD at an early stage, you can stop it from getting worse by reducing the amount of fat in your liver. If you are obese, overweight, or have type 2 diabetes, take the necessary measures to reduce your risk of NAFLD.
Can fatty liver disease be reversed?
The liver has an amazing ability to repair itself. If you avoid alcohol or lose weight, it’s possible to reduce liver fat and inflammation and reverse early liver damage.
The ProGen Method: Lose Weight and Fight Diabetes
Obesity is one of the major causes of multiple health conditions, including NAFLD and diabetes. When you are obese, you are at a higher risk of developing diabetes. If you already suffer from the latter, obesity can worsen over time. This is why it is crucial that you take the right steps to manage both these conditions and keep yourself fit and healthy.
Weight loss is one the most effective ways to control obesity, diabetes, as well as NAFLD. With a healthy weight loss diet, your body becomes more insulin sensitive. Consuming a low-carb diet will also help reduce your blood sugar levels, which is proven to be a much better solution than taking medication.
At ProGen Weight Management, we offer a specialized weight loss treatment that is aimed at helping you lose weight quickly and sustainably. Our treatment is based on a Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCK Diet), which cuts down your calorie consumption to 800 kcal or less per day. With this diet, you will lose around 10 kgs within a short duration due to the low intake of carbs, which will promote ketosis and allow your body to draw energy from its stored fat.
VLCKD is different from other diets because even with its low-calorie count, it still provides you with your daily requirement of protein and other nutrients. This makes it a great choice for people who are severely obese or suffer type 2 diabetes as a result of their obesity. It will also help reverse your body’s insulin resistance, which will reduce your risk of developing NAFLD.
If you want to know more about our fatty liver or diabetic weight loss diet plan from our experts, feel free to get in touch with us.
Call us on 08048655757 or +919620659132, or email us at info@progenmethod.com.
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