Fatty liver disease is a type of liver disease where excess fat accumulates in your liver, making it tough for the organ to function normally. Several factors can make a fatty liver more likely, including certain infections, a genetic predisposition, and less-than-ideal lifestyle habits.
While medical treatment can go far in treating fatty liver disease, you can also fight it or potentially prevent it by modifying your daily habits.
Dr. Sreelatha Reddy and the team atHouston Gastrointestinal & Liver Clinic, P.A. in Sugar Land, Texas, diagnose and treat liver disease so you can lead a fuller, healthier life.
Here, we explore several lifestyle measures to help fight fatty liver disease.
Try a Mediterranean diet
A healthier diet can help you manage and minimize the effects of fatty liver disease in important ways.
Eating more nutrient-dense foods while cutting back on high-calorie, low-nutrient foods can help you shed excess pounds, for example. That’s important, given that being overweight increases your risk for fatty liver disease.
In particular, you may want to try a Mediterranean-style diet. An 18-month Harvard study published in 2021 showed that a green, veggie-rich Mediterranean diet lowers liver fat by an average of 39%.
To invite these benefits, consider these changes:
- Emphasize vegetables and fruits in your meals and snacks
- Swap out refined grains, like white flour, for whole grains, like brown rice
- Eat oily fish, such as salmon, regularly
- Enjoy moderate amounts of olive oil, nuts, and seeds
- Have small amounts of dairy products
The Mediterranean diet also allows for limited consumption of red wine, about one glass a day.
Get moving
Routine exercise can also help prevent or treat fatty liver disease. Aerobic activities, like walking and jogging, can cut down the amount of fat your liver contains. And working up a sweat may help by lowering inflammation.
While you’re at it, try resistance training. Activities like lifting weights and doing yoga or stair-stepping can also improve your liver health.
In general, aim for 30-60 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise five days a week and strength training three days a week.
Improve your sleep
Sleeping well and enough allows your body to heal and recover from daily activities and gear up for good functioning the next day. Among other health problems, too little sleep is linked with fatty liver disease.
Aim for at least 7-8 hours of shut-eye most nights. Sleep in a dark, comfortable room and avoid digital screens near bedtime. Limiting caffeine later in the day and managing stress can help, too.
To learn more about fatty liver disease or get the care you need, call Houston Gastrointestinal & Liver Clinic, P.A. today or request an appointment.
