A fatty liver diet plan should be holistic in its approach to not only improve liver health, but also the overall health of the human body. Everything you consume, good or bad, passes through the liver before being distributed to other areas of the body. Performing more than 200 functions, the liver is a critical organ, and a healthy liver generally equals a healthy body.

Fatty liver disease (FLD) occurs when triglyceride fat makes up more than 5-10% of the weight of the liver. Fat accumulates in and around liver cells (hepatocytes), causing the liver to become larger and heavier. When this happens, some patients complain of abdominal pain and discomfort and a “full” sensation in the lower torso on the right side of the body.

For the most part, fatty liver in its early stages (simple steatosis) is an asymptomatic condition. Many patients do not know the condition exists until it worsens. When this happens, symptoms can include weakness and tiredness, nausea, anorexia, confusion, abdominal pain, and jaundice. If not remedied by diet and exercise, FLD can progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer and can become fatal.

There is no cure for fatty liver. However, this does not mean that the condition cannot be treated, slowed down, or even reversed. Although alternative treatment methods such as the use of vitamin C and E, Epsom salts, milk thistle, and a variety of different medications exist and are gaining popularity in some medical circles, proper diet and exercise remain the best way to combat the disease. FLD.

The best diets for fatty liver patients follow a few key principles. Here’s a quick breakdown that may help you whether you have alcoholic or non-alcoholic FLD.

• Focus on foods high in complex carbohydrates like brown rice and whole grains.
• Cut back on simple, refined carbohydrates like those found in sugar, white bread, egg noodles, cakes, and many desserts.
• Eat many servings of fruits and vegetables every day. A quick tip: Raw vegetable juices can be extremely healthy for the liver.
• Stay away from fried, fatty, and processed foods, especially processed meats like hot dogs and sausages.
• Reduce and limit your intake of dairy products. When you do eat dairy, focus on organic yogurt and ricotta and/or cottage cheese. You can also opt for soy and rice milks instead of whole or 2% milks.
• Avoid margarine, excessive consumption of fatty condiments such as salad dressings, sweetened fruit juices, energy drinks, and alcohol.
• Focus on lean white meats like chicken or turkey instead of beef or pork. Free range meats are best as they do not contain harmful steroids, growth hormones or other antibiotics.
• Drink plenty of water (at least 2 liters per day).