Anything I can do immediately to relieve liver?

[daigo1]

I have not touched alcohol (except once in high school and I didn't even get drunk since it was half a can of beer), but I have had a disgusting diet the past 5-10 years. I basically survived on processed junk foods and energy drinks daily, without ever eating a single vegetable. I might as well have been an alcoholic the entire time because I feel like it's the equivalent of what I've done to my body so far. This is a real wake up call for me and it's turned me into a hypochondriac and all I've done is search the worst illnesses possible related to the liver since I've been having some constant minor pain in my liver area for the past week or so. I thought it was just a stomach ache but after a week of self-research I think it is my liver so I made an appointment with my primary care physician but she is booked until next March so the next best thing I can do is go to an urgent care facility but they all seem to be booked as well with Covid testing. I haven't had any symptoms that warrant a visit to the emergency room yet (aside from minor nausea without vomiting and decreased appetite even though I still get hungry), but is there anything I can do besides change my diet for immediate relief to my liver? Like somehow let it relax and not work as much to let it regenerate? Like for example if I stopped eating completely for the next 1 or 2 days, would that make it worse or would that give my liver some time to rest since it's not processing any foods?

[AyrshireK]

Having not been a drinker and your diet being as it has been the most likely scenario is you have non alcohol related fatty liver disease which is the fastest growing liver ailment in the western world and now exceeding that caused by alcohol in many countries.There are no quick fixes but it can be reversed in many cases with an improvement in diet and exercise regime.

Until you get to see your doctor for tests there is excellent information about NAFLD on the British Liver Trust main website at:- britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Don't fall for any marketing of alternative remedies or so called quick fix cleanses, herbal remedies etc. They are unproven and can exacerbate problems as well as hit you big style in the wallet.

Energy drinks are a horrendous thing for your liver and there are well publicised incidences of these causing major health issues so you need to omit these things from your intake list a.s.a.p.

Make the lifestyle changes and you'll be doing your liver a whole lot of good.

Katie

[daigo1 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you. I have been eating like a vegan the past week and spent a fortune on organic natural foods and only drinking water because I'm so terrified of ingesting anything else. I understand changes won't happen overnight but the pain hasn't been getting better after a week so I'm a little terrified it could be something more serious. I don't mind being patient for improvement years down the line, but the immediate pain is what's giving me anxiety. Moreso the unknown; if my diagnosis is that this pain is normal and I have to deal with it for months down the line, so be it. But right now I have no idea if it's normal or not so I'm pretty scared

[Laura009 in reply to daigo1]

Hi Daigo. You don't need to change your diet so radically. Just avoid fatty sugary and processed food. Eat pleanty of fresh fruit and veg AND lean white meats and fish. Yes drink plenty of water 8 glasses per day but drink tea and coffee too. Get regular daily exercise, stop worrying and over time your pain will go.All the best

Laura

[Hidden]

Hi,

You have has some excellent replies from our members on this thread.

Eating a balanced nutritional diet and gently exercise will benefit your liver function.

I'm thinking you must not be in the UK as even though our GP's are hard to access right now, there would not be a wait until March. Hopefully you can get to see a doctor sooner and have some tests, liver blood test and an imaging test, such as an ultrasound scan.

Take care and do not google, it won't help and will only make your anxiety worse.

Best wishes.