In simple terms, fatty liver disease means an accumulation of fat in the cells of the liver. It is normal to have fat in the liver but when we have more than five to ten percent fat and this can be considered a fatty liver disease.
A buildup of fat in the liver makes the liver vulnerable to further injury which can cause scarring and inflammation.
There are 2 types of fatty liver disease which are known as alcohol-induced and nonalcoholic.
Excessive alcohol consumption is the main cause of alcohol-induced fatty liver.
When you have nonalcoholic fatty liver, the fat builds up in your liver for reasons that are not related to alcohol.
Fatty liver disease risk factors
Contents
Also, there are other factors that can increase your risk of fatty liver diseases such as malnutrition, rapid weight loss, viral hepatitis, type-2-diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, and the most common cause is alcohol consumption.
People who have the fatty liver disease don’t have symptoms, especially in the beginning. But also there are some people who can experience vague discomfort, a general feeling of being unwell, loss of appetite, fatigue, and abdominal discomfort. This is a reason why a proper diagnosis should be diagnosed before starting any treatment. There is no effective treatment for the fatty liver. This is a reversible condition and it can be treated with some home remedies and making some lifestyle changes.
9 Home remedies for fatty liver
Exercise daily
When you exercise on a regular basis, then it can help you to treat liver disease. When you do exercises regularly, then this will help you in maintaining stable body weight and it can help you to fight against obesity. Also, it will increase your metabolism rate and it can help you to maintain proper liver function. You should exercise every day for at least 30 minutes.
If are new to exercise, then you should begin with a low–impact exercise regimen and you should gradually incorporate high–impact exercises. This is a reason why you should start the exercises under the guidance of an expert. Aerobics, jogging, and brisk walking are good exercises for the liver. Bicycling, swimming and other recreational sports can also help in the treatment of fatty liver. [1]
Dietary changes
You should follow a healthy plant-based diet which is rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats to improve the function of your liver and it can treat fatty liver disease. You should avoid all types of high fructose corn syrup.
Steer clear of white flour. Include whole-grain products in your diet. You should eat foods that are rich in Omega – 3 fatty acids such as tofu, walnuts, flaxseed, fish oils, and fatty fish. You should eat liver–repairing and detoxifying super-foods such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, and broccoli.
While you are cooking, you should lightly steam your vegetables to retain their nutritional value. You should eat more foods that are rich in fiber such as blueberries, guava, and apples. Also, you should not eat fruits in excess because most fruits are rich in sugar. You should avoid fatty meats and spicy and fried foods. You should include more plant-based foods in your diet. [2]
Papaya
In Ayurveda medicine, the papaya fruit and papaya seeds have been used as a natural treatment for fatty liver disease.
Papaya aids in rapidly burning dietary fats which is one of the main causes of fatty liver disease [3]. You should grind five to six dried papaya seeds and mix this powder with one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. You should take this home remedy two times per day for a period of one month. Also, you can eat a slice of ripe papaya with honey and eat it once per day. You should include raw papaya soup and salad in your diet.
Indian gooseberry
This natural cure is also known as amla. This is also a very effective home remedy for the natural treatment of fatty liver disease.
Also, it is rich in antioxidant Vitamin C which can help to keep the function of your liver at its optimal levels. This natural cure can help you to rid of the harmful toxins from your liver. Amla is also an effective home remedy for the treatment of high blood pressure, diabetes, or high blood cholesterol. You can eat three to four amla per day or you can include them in your cooking. Also, you can mix one teaspoon of amla powder in one glass of warm water and you should drink it two times per day. [4]
Licorice
You can use licorice as your natural treatment for curing liver problems such as nonalcoholic liver disease. There was one study in which it said that the licorice root extract can help to decrease transaminase activities of enzymes which are called alanine aminotransferase – ALT and aspartate aminotransferase – AST in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [5]. Also, it can prevent liver damage due to toxins and heavy metals.
In one cup of hot water add ½ teaspoon of licorice root. Cover it. Allow it to steep for 5 – 10 minutes. Strain it. Add little honey. Drink this tea two times per day. Also, you can mix together one tablespoon of licorice powder and two teaspoons of honey. Drink this home remedy once per day for a period of several weeks. If you take licorice supplements, then you should talk with your doctor because it can interfere with some corticosteroids, diabetes, and blood pressure medications.
Turmeric
It is packed with antioxidants and this is a reason why it is a very effective home remedy for treating fatty liver disease. There was one study in which was said that turmeric can help to prevent fatty liver disease[6]. But a lot more studies should be done in the future. This natural cure improves the ability of our bodies to digest fats so they will not accumulate in the liver. Also, it can aid in the liver detoxification process. You should put ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder in one to two glasses of water and boil it. Drink this home remedy two times per day for a couple of weeks. Also, you can mix ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder in one glass of warm milk and drink it once per day. You can find turmeric supplements in capsules and tinctures but you need to talk with your doctor before you use them. He or she will tell you the right dosage.
Green tea
In one study was said that green tea is rich with high–density catechins and it can improve liver function and fat infiltration in people who suffer from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease[7]. This tea can help to block the amount of fat stored in the liver and it can improve liver function.
Also when you drink green tea on a regular basis, then it can help you to reduce your body weight and fat percentage. You should drink 3 – 4 cups of green tea every day because this can help you to rid of the liver disease and it can protect your liver. Also, you can find green tea in capsule and liquid form. You should talk with your doctor before you take these supplements.
Dandelion
This natural cure works as a powerful liver tonic. This is a reason why it can be used as a treatment for fatty liver disease. Also, it can help to detoxify and metabolize fat that is accumulated in the liver and it can promote liver function. There was one study in which is published that the dandelion leaf extract can help in the prevention and treatment of obesity-related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease[8].
In one cup of hot water, you should add one teaspoon of dried dandelion root. Cover it and let it steep for 5 – 10 minutes. Strain it and add a little honey for taste and then you should drink it. You should drink 3 cups of this tea every day for a period of a few weeks. Also, you can add fresh tender dandelion leaves to salads or you can eat cooked dandelion leaves as your side dish. You should not use this herb if you are pregnant or diabetic.
Lemon
It has high amounts of Vitamin C. This antioxidant helps the liver to produce enzymes which are called glutathione. These enzymes can neutralize toxins and lemon can also help the liver with detoxification. One study published that lemons have a compound known as naringenin which can help to ease liver inflammation[9]. You should squeeze the juice of ½ lemon in one glass of water. Drink this home remedy two or three times per day for a period of several weeks. Also, you can add two to three chopped lemons to a jar of water. You should drink this home remedy at regular intervals.
References:
[1] van der Windt DJ, Sud V, Zhang H, et al. The effects of physical exercise on fatty liver disease. Gene Expression Patterns. 2018;18(2):89-101.
[2] Anania C, Perla FM, Olivero F, et al. Mediterranean diet and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2018;24(19):2083-94.
[3] Zetina-Esquivel AM, Tovilla-Zarate CA, Guzman-Garcia C, et al. Effect of Carica papaya leaf extract on serum lipids and liver metabolic parameters of rats fed a high cholesterol diet. Health. 2015;7(9):1196-1205.
[4] Li Q, Li H-J, Xu T, et al. Natural medicines used in the traditional Tibetan medical system for the treatment of liver diseases. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2018;9:29.
[5] Hajiaghamohammadi AA, Ziaee A, Samimi R. The efficacy of licorice root extract in decreasing transaminase activities in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Phytotherapy Research. 2012;26(9):1381-4.
[6] Inzaugarat ME, De Matteo E, Baz P, et al. New evidence for the therapeutic potential of curcumin to treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in humans. PLoS One. 2017;12(3):e0172900.
[7] Sakata R, Nakamura T, Torimura T, et al. Green tea with high-density catechins improves liver function and fat infiltration in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients: a double-blind placebo-controlled study. International Journal of Molecular Medicine. 2013;32(5):989-94.
[8] Davaatseren M, Hur HJ, Yang HJ, et al. Taraxacum official (dandelion) leaf extract alleviates high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2013;58:30-6.
[9] Hernandez-Aquino E, Muriel P. Beneficial effects of naringenin in liver diseases: Molecular mechanisms. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2018;24(16):1679-1707.
