[ad_1]
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in the United States and affects 80 to 100 million people. Although NAFLD is not necessarily a problem in itself, it significantly increases your risk of serious diseases, including liver failure and cancer. The good news is that you can make positive changes to your diet and activities to dramatically reduce the effects of NAFLD or prevent it altogether. It is important to know the risks and take steps to reduce them. This is not over yet!
About NAFLD
Non-alcoholic fatty liver occurs because excess fat is stored in the liver, which is not caused by alcohol. This is a common condition that affects up to 40% of American adults. For most of these people, their NAFLD is considered simple in that there is fat in the liver but no inflammation or damage to the cells. However, for 25% of people with NAFLD, their fatty liver will turn into nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) where liver cells are damaged and the liver inflamed – also called hepatitis. All types of NAFLD are more common among people suffering from obesity and obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and / or high triglyceride levels. In fact, the percentage of obese people who also have a NAFLD is close to 90%, so there is a close connection between the two. Everyone can have NAFLD, but it is more common among women, people over 55 and Hispanics.
Risks of NAFLD
Obesity is commonly listed among the risk factors for various cancers. It is worth noting that a study presented at The 2018 Liver Meeting showed that increased cancer risk is almost solely related to NAFLD rather than to obesity alone. In the study, obese patients with NAFLD were significantly more exposed to cancer than obese people without NAFLD. In addition, people with NAFLD were 91% more likely than others to get cancer. This was especially true in gastrointestinal cancers such as liver, pancreas, colon and stomach. The risks of these gastrointestinal cancers appeared at an earlier age and, in the case of colon cancer, the greatest increase was observed in men with ANS.
Cirrhosis is a major concern of NAFLD, next to cancer. Cirrhosis is an advanced scarring that affects the liver while it is trying to stop inflammation. Over time, as inflammation continues, scars become more prevalent in the liver, which can lead to serious complications. These possible conditions include swelling or rupture of the veins, fluid accumulation in the abdomen, confusion and somnolence or liver failure. Twenty percent of people with NAFLD will develop cirrhosis.
Reduce risks
Although there is no direct treatment for NAFLD, there are things you can do to prevent the disease and reduce its severity if you have it. Having found the link between obesity and NAFLD, it will not be surprising that the majority of NAFLD remedies are the same as those for achieving a healthy weight. Diet and exercise are the main ingredients of NAFLD prevention. A diet rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals is important. Most of these substances come from plant-based foods, whole grains and healthy fats.
To speed up weight loss, reduce foods high in fats and sugars, including alcohol and carbohydrates. Find ways to stay active by introducing an exercise program (check with your doctor first if you have not done any exercise) and choose as many activity options as you can. possible – park further from the door, take the stairs, skip the restaurant and go for a walk.
If you would like more information on how NAFLD increases your risk of gastrointestinal problems, or if you need help managing your weight, make an appointment with your health care provider as soon as possible. aujourd & # 39; hui. Whether you know how to suffer from NAFLD or suspect that it may be, it can help you develop a plan to reduce or prevent the risks of NAFLD.
Sameer Islam, MD is a board-certified gastroenterologist and hepatologist who practices at Southwest Gastroenterology in Lubbock, Texas. For an appointment, do not hesitate to contact his office at 806-761-0747. You can get more information on his web page (www.sameerislam.com) where you can also subscribe to his monthly newsletter. He also has a weekly Facebook Live show on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. CST.
Source link
