What is fatty liver?
Fatty liver, or steatosis, is a term that describes the build-up of excess fat in the liver. While it’s normal to have some fat in your liver for its regular functioning, when fat makes up at least 5% of the liver its termed as fatty liver. Fatty liver can be a completely benign (Not harmful) condition and usually does not lead to liver damage. However, once there is a build-up of simple fat, the liver becomes vulnerable to further injury, which may result in inflammation and scarring of the liver according to Nutritionist in Malabar Hill Dietician in Malabar Hill Mumbai Geetanjali Mengi.
Causes of fatty liver include:
Alcoholism- Most common cause
Obesity
hyperglycemia, or high levels of fats in the blood
Diabetes
Genetic inheritance
Rapid weight loss
Side effect of certain medications, including aspirin, steroids, tamoxifen, and tetracycline.
Treatment:
There isn’t a medication or surgery to treat fatty liver. Lifestyle modifications like-
Limiting or avoiding alcoholic beverages
Managing your cholesterol
Losing weight
Controlling your blood sugar
Avoiding high amount of fatty and sugary foods
Dietary modification-Increasing fibre like fruits and vegetables, Whole grain cereals, sprouts
Exercising- 45-60 minutes at least 4-5 days/week