Fatty Liver

We live in a fast-paced world, where there is no shortage of information.  Even with all the knowledge and supplements available, many people still struggle to maintain lasting wellness. As life becomes complex, so do our diseases.  

Could liver health be the missing piece in optimising wellness?

The Greeks believed that the liver, rather than the heart or brain, was the “seat of life, the soul, emotions and intelligence.”  This idea was rooted in their understanding of the body and its connection to the mind and spirit, where they viewed the liver as the “essence of being.”

Liver Basics

The liver is the heaviest organ of the body and has over 500 functions.  Detoxification is the most well-known of its roles.  Hormone regulation, maintaining the immune system, balancing blood clotting, bile production, metabolism of nutrients, storage of vitamins, minerals and glycogen, and cholesterol synthesis are some of its other roles.  

When the liver cells become damaged, they are replaced by fat cells, resulting in the under-functioning of the liver. This is known as Fatty Liver Disease, which is divided into NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and AFLD (alcoholic fatty liver disease.)

Globally, 1 in 4 people have fatty liver disease - and this figure is increasing. Recent statistics show that 50% of South African adults are overweight or obese and the prevalence of NAFLD in this group is between 50 to 85%.  

Children as young at 12 are now getting fatty liver too, with extreme cases needing a liver transplant. Sixty to 80% of diabetics will have some sort of fatty liver. 

The alarming concern is that 20% of lean people may also have a fatty liver but because they are thin, this gets missed easily.  This is known as TOFI (thin on the outside, fat on the inside), where the fat is around the organs rather than just under the skin. People who are lean and have NAFLD exhibit similar cardiovascular and cancer-related mortality compared to obese NAFLD individuals, plus they have an increased risk for all-cause mortality.

There are many grades of fatty liver, but the key point to keep in mind is that, up to the point of cirrhosis, the liver is able to regenerate itself back to 100%.   

Since there is no single pill for fatty liver, doctors hope to treat it by telling their patients to “eat well and exercise.”  This isn’t effective because the liver is often bombarded by “multiple parallel hits” that have a negative compounding effect on the body. 

Inflammation, adiposity, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, endotoxaemia, and immune cell activation are some of the “parallel hits” that need to be addressed.  An integrative, functional medicine approach will yield the best results. These practitioners also ensure that the blood results are within the optimal range, and not just in  the reference range. 

The majority of people with fatty liver will present with no obvious symptoms, but will have a myriad of non-specific symptoms. Sleep disturbances between 12 am and 3 am could be a clue that the liver is under strain. Emotions like anger, hate, and fear are signs that the liver may be burdened.

Treatment modalities range from herbal medication, nutrition, sleep optimisation, stress management, and toxic load reduction to regulation of the nervous system, movement, lymphatic and fascia support, and photobiomodulation. 

By focusing on our liver health, all other diseases get better. By optimising the liver detoxification pathways, we land up creating space in our body that can be filled with love, wisdom, knowledge, and life force energy. This leads to a deeper connection with ourselves and others. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr Hema Kalan is an integrative doctor who aims to treat the root cause of illness rather than just focusing on the symptoms. She is passionate about preventing disease and optimising well-being.  She partners with the individual to co-create their health and empowers them with the tools they need to create resilience, balance, and the restoration of health.