High-fat food damages the liver

A low-fat diet supports a healthy liver

11/18/2011

Most people believe that only alcohol can harm the liver. But even fatty foods can lead to serious liver disease, such as Dr. med. Wolfgang Wesiack from the Medical Association of German internists on the occasion of the Sunday German Liver Day said. Permanently high-fat food can lead to a so-called fatty liver.

In addition to alcohol, fatty food damages the liver to a great extent. This is indicated by the internist Wolfgang Wesiack from the Berufsverband Deutscher Internisten on the occasion of the German Liver Day on Sunday (20 November). On the other hand, those who pay attention to a balanced, low-fat and healthy diet actively prevents liver disease. People who consume fatty foods predominantly damage the organ permanently. This can then be a „non-alcoholic fatty liver arise“, as the doctor warned. Not all fats, however, are harmful. The waiver of saturated fatty acids from animal fats is in the opinion of the internist beneficial. In contrast, the consumption of unsaturated fatty acids promotes the health of the liver. The positive fats (omega-3 fatty acids) can be found mainly in high-quality vegetable oils and marine fish. Especially omega-3 fat is contained in salmon, olive oil or nuts, for example.

Low-fat diet and active exercise stop fatty liver
Patients already suffering from fatty liver (steatohepatitis) can stop and even reverse the process of a fatty liver. Although the disease (with no signs of liver inflammation) has only a low level of disease, it already shows an early sign of a metabolic syndrome. To treat a fatty liver, Wesiack advises a significant reduction in calorie intake, no alcohol to drink and sufficient exercise (endurance sports) to provide. Anyone who changes his lifestyle accordingly can set in motion a reversible process. In addition, sufferers should be vaccinated against the viral diseases hepatitis A and B. This reduces the risk that the liver may become inflamed. Liver inflammation can result in irreversible liver cirrhosis and fatal liver failure. In Germany, around ten million people suffer from fatty liver. In addition to alcohol habit, high-calorie food is the main cause of the development of a fatty liver.

In the naturopathy there are further indications how a liver detoxification can be carried out. In addition to a fasting cure detoxification can be supported with numerous medicinal plants. (Sb)

Picture: Thomas Weiss