Have you ever been pointed out that you have a fatty liver in a health checkup or medical checkup?
When you hear the word fatty liver, you think of “obesity,” “overeating and drinking,” “metabolic syndrome,” etc. Some women may be surprised to hear that they have a fatty liver even though they are not obese and do not drink alcohol.
Fatty liver is one of the modern diseases that is increasing along with westernization of eating habits, stress, obesity and lifestyle-related diseases.
In this article, we summarize the diet and exercise that can be adopted right now to improve fatty liver, so please read to the end.
table of contents
1. What is fatty liver
Fatty liver refers to a state in which more than 30% of the energy that cannot be consumed in the body is converted to neutral fat and accumulated in the liver due to excessive drinking and eating and lack of exercise.
Fatty liver is common in middle-aged men, affecting 1 in 3 men. It is more common in older women, reportedly 1 in 5.
In the case of women, after menopause, female hormones drop sharply, bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) increases, and the risk of arteriosclerosis and fatty liver increases, so caution is required.
1-1. Fatty liver is caused by overeating and drinking, unhealthy diet, and lack of exercise
Causes of fatty liver include:
● Alcoholic fatty liver caused by excessive drinking habits
● Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) caused by lack of exercise
● Overeating and unhealthy diets not associated with drinking (NAFLD)
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is one of the most common forms of NAFLD.
NASH causes hepatitis, and repeated exposure causes liver fibrosis. There are cases of fatty liver due to extreme diet, side effects of drug treatment such as steroids and anti-estrogen drugs.
1-2. Main symptoms of fatty liver
Fatty liver is almost asymptomatic. The liver is called the "silent organ" and is virtually painless.
If fatty liver is left untreated without subjective symptoms, it is not uncommon for bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) to adhere to blood vessels and cause arteriosclerosis. There is also the risk of developing angina, myocardial infarction, and cerebrovascular disease.
Fatty liver is often found during medical examinations and comprehensive medical examinations, and is almost unnoticed in ordinary life. If symptoms such as general malaise, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, and jaundice appear, it is highly likely that the disease has already progressed and it is necessary to see a doctor.
2. Dietary therapy and exercise therapy are effective in improving fatty liver
There is no cure for fatty liver, and in order to improve it, it is essential to review your diet and lifestyle.
If you review your diet and improve your lifestyle, you can prevent diseases other than fatty liver, so let's actively incorporate it from what you can do.
2-1. Effective diet to improve fatty liver
What you need to improve your eating habits is to be conscious of "what to eat" and "what can be substituted".
Please refer to the following contents as measures that can improve fatty liver immediately.
● Change your drink from juice to tea
● Reduce the amount and frequency of eating greasy foods and sweets
● Avoid fatty meat
The ideal is a meal like a Japanese set meal with a main dish, a side dish, and a staple food.
2-2. Effective exercise therapy for improving fatty liver
It is said that a combination of muscle training and aerobic exercise for 20 minutes or more is effective for fatty liver.
Specifically, using the stairs instead of using the elevator, or raising and lowering your heels while brushing your teeth, will allow you to use your lower body muscles more efficiently. Recommended for those who want to increase their basal metabolism and aim for a body that burns fat easily.
Also, for those who use the train for commuting, just walking one station will allow them to take in cardio while commuting. Be conscious of exercise and incorporate it into your daily life.
3. Food points to improve fatty liver
A well-balanced diet and reducing the frequency of eating fatty foods, juices and sweets is very important for fatty liver.
Here are three points that can be expected to improve fatty liver.
3-1. Watch out for excess sugar and fat intake
There is no problem as long as you eat the right amount of sugar and fat.
Fruits have a strong image of being “good for the body” and “rich in vitamins”. However, fruits contain a lot of fructose.
"The daily intake of fruit is 150g" in the diet for fatty liver, which corresponds to the following amounts.
● 1/2 apple,
● 1 large kiwifruit
● 10 grains of grapes
Just as too much medicine can become poison, eating too much fruit will turn it into triglycerides.
Also, moderate intake of fat plays a role in maintaining the body's regulatory function, so it is also a problem not to consume it at all. To avoid consuming too much fat, try cooking with less oil, boiling, or steaming.
3-2. Be careful with alcohol intake
Alcohol in moderation is fine, but people who have been diagnosed with alcoholic fatty liver should stop drinking.
Also, high-sugar and high-fat snacks such as fried chicken, pizza, and cheese are strictly prohibited. Choose low-calorie, low-salt foods such as sashimi, chilled yakkokko, and green soybeans.
The recommended daily intake of alcohol is as follows.
● Beer…………1 medium bottle
● Shochu ………………1/2 go
● Sake…………1 go
● Wine…………2 glasses
● Whiskey …… 2 singles
3-3. A diet that incorporates an appropriate amount of protein and catechins is also effective
What you want to include in the diet of people with fatty liver is an appropriate amount of high-quality protein.
The recommended daily intake of protein is as follows: ● 1 chicken egg
● 80g fish (slice)
● 40-80g of meat (with a lot of lean meat)
● 1/3 block of tofu
● 200g milk
Catechin contained in green tea is also effective for fatty liver.
A large amount of active oxygen generated from stress, smoking, excessive drinking, etc. is called oxidative stress and damages liver cells. It has been found that catechins reduce this oxidative stress and are effective against fatty liver.
4. Positive effect that appears when improving fatty liver
Incorporating a well-balanced diet and exercise not only improves fatty liver, but also provides health benefits such as prevention of metabolic syndrome, diet effect, and reduction of bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol).
In addition, if you continue to exercise moderately, the good substance called "adiponectin" will increase, which is effective in lowering triglycerides and increasing good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol).
As a result, positive effects such as prevention and improvement of arteriosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, and prevention of cancer can be obtained.
Five. Summary: To improve fatty liver, be conscious of diet and exercise therapy
There is no cure for fatty liver, so the most important thing is to review your lifestyle.
However, it is difficult to suddenly stop the lifestyle habits you have had so far, and if you are not conscious of improving your lifestyle, the fatty liver will progress rapidly, and it may become an irreversible situation.
It would be ideal to be able to eat and exercise, but the reality is that it is quite difficult. If this is the case, try little by little the easy ways to improve, such as switching from juice or coffee to green tea.
Let's aim to improve fatty liver by being conscious of diet and exercise and incorporating them into our daily lives.
Supervision: Dr. Yasushi Tsuda