Changing diet

[Violet78]

Hi I've been diagnosed with fatty liver disease and told to lose weight by my GP. I am trying but wondered if anyone out there has been told specifically what to eat/not eat by a Dr/dietician. Are there specific foods that affect liver surprisingly, for example? I drink a lot of herbal tea but not sure if that is ok?

[jojokarak]

Hiya best foods are all fresh, no jar sauces, microwave meals, to be fair any kind of pre prepared meals what you can buy. Cut down on salt and no sugar. Herbal teas will be fine and also a lemon and hot water will kick start your body in the morning. And if you drink alcohol then just refrain from it for a while. I hope that your doctor informed you that fatty liver can be reversed. And also plenty of exercise 😊 good luck

[Violet78 in reply to jojokarak]

Thanks very much for you're reply. I have cut down on alcohol a lot, take 2 weeks off drinking at a time and have cut down on cake, choc etc. Have noticed that if I do have a lot of sugar in one day I get pains around my liver. Am hoping this is normal with fatty liver and not a sign of something more serious. I presume my blood tests and ultrasound would have shown up something like hepatitis?

[jojokarak in reply to Violet78]

Definitely would of shown up, your area around liver will be hurting just because it struggling with the sugar so carry on cutting everything out and I really wouldn't have any alcohol to give yourself the best chance believe me you really don't want the alternative, so grab this warning with both hands and live a happy healthy life it's all that matters, you will notice a difference in a few months x

[Jeannieb12]

Hi there

I was the same as you. I put myself on a 1000 calories a day and got a Fitbit. It's a bit of a faff putting your food details in but it really works in making sure you don't eat more calories than you use. Exercise is a no no for me as I have bad arthritic knees so I try to just keep an eye on my steps. I didn't have an alcoholic drink at all which is not a real hardship for me personally and I also wound back on Paracetamol which I'd been taking for my knees. I largely stick to chicken and fish with some carbs like potato or pasta etc and lots of veg. I also found with a sweet tooth to have a dessert helped which isn't something I normally did such as fruit or those 10 calorie jellies and I always had a hot chocolate before bed. I also tried to drink as much water as I could or low cal drinks ... Aloe is good I found as well. It worked for me my LFTs fell over 9 months ... I had them measured every month and if something special was coming up I had a day off and ate as sensibly as I could. It was a long hard slog and you do become obsessed with food (!) but it paid off in the end. Good luck Jean

[Ginnymax in reply to Jeannieb12]

Hi there .just read your post , am I right in thinking that you take aloe tablets. If so how do they help , Many thanks x

[Violet78 in reply to Ginnymax]

No I don't take aloe tablets I have just always drunk peppermint or fennel tea. However am thinking about starting to take milk thistle but not sure if good idea? Have not had any advice from gp apart from loose weight. Very grateful for advice here.

[Jeannieb12 in reply to Ginnymax]

Hi Ginnymax no I buy the juice with pulp ... The one I like is by Grace but Waitrose also do one with Honey or Wheatgerm. I've tried other kinds like from Holland & Barrett but not liked them. Also I have a friend who is in Herbalife and they sell Herbal Aloe concentrate which has no pulp but mixes with water. I think you have to know a distributor though. Just keep an eye on the calories though ... Some can be quite calorific but overall I'm a fan Jean

[mherbie]

Good quality protein and fibre are key to healthy long term weight loss. Lots of water (personally do not like low cal drinks..nasty chemicals). Sweet cravings..try fruits, honey, dates, etc.

[Hidden]

Hi,

You may find The british Liver Trust publication 'Diet and Liver disease uesful to look at ;

britishlivertrust.org.uk/wp...

There are some special considerations that people with liver disease may need to make in their diet to stay nutritionally well and to help to manage their condition. Some of these are specific to certain liver diseases, others relate to how advanced the liver disease is.

It would therefore be advisable to obtain specialist dietary advice from your GP/ liver specialist in the first instance. Your GP can also refer you to a registered dietitian for more guidance.

With regards to Complementary & Alternative Medicines;

The British Liver Trust does not recommend the use of homeopathic or herbal remedies for those with any liver problems as these have to be processed by the liver and can actually damage the liver and lead to severe illness.

More research needs to be done on the use and safety of such remedies and therapies.

Milk-thistle (also known as Silybum marianum) is an over-the-counter supplement, which some people believe can be beneficial to people with liver disease. Some laboratory studies have shown the herbs active components (silymarin) have a positive effect on liver cells. However, milk-thistle is not licensed as a medicine and so studies into its effectiveness in the body have been limited, with conflicting results. There is not currently enough evidence to prove or disprove any beneficial effects on the liver. Milk-thistle may lower blood sugar levels and people with diabetes or hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) should use caution. If you are thinking of using milk-thistle, it is a good idea to discuss this with your doctor.

If you have any concerns about any prescribed medication or are considering using complementary or alternative remedies &/or therapies always discuss this with your doctor.

We hope this is helpful,

Warm wishes,

Rebecca