Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease – Causes, Symptoms, and Natural Remedies

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an extremely common condition affecting up to 30% of adults and 10% of children in the US. It occurs when excess fat accumulates in the liver, often due to insulin resistance. Left untreated, NAFLD can progress to more serious liver damage and increase the risk of many chronic diseases. Fortunately, lifestyle and dietary changes can reverse fatty liver before it leads to fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and even liver cancer. Let’s take a closer look at what causes fatty liver, how to know if you have it, and evidence-based natural remedies to resolve it.

What Is Fatty Liver Disease?

NAFLD develops when too much fat builds up in liver cells. This fat causes inflammation and impairs your liver’s ability to function properly. It disrupts metabolism and detoxification capacities.

There are two main types of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease:

Simple Fatty Liver – Excess fat with no liver damage. Reversible through lifestyle changes.

Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) – Fatty liver with inflammation and liver cell damage. Can advance to cirrhosis and liver failure if not treated.

Up to 25% of people with NAFLD develop NASH. Thankfully, implementing diet and other natural remedies early on can prevent its progression to permanent liver damage.

What Causes Fatty Liver Disease?

The central cause of NAFLD is insulin resistance – when cells stop responding normally to the hormone insulin. This drives fat accumulation in the liver and subsequent inflammation.

Main Causes of Insulin Resistance and Fatty Liver:

• Excess sugar and refined carbohydrate intake – Fructose is especially harmful
• Obesity – Visceral belly fat secretes hormones that promote liver fat storage
• Sedentary lifestyle – Lack of exercise worsens insulin sensitivity
• Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes – Elevated insulin promotes liver fat buildup
• Dysbiosis in gut bacteria – Imbalances in gut flora impact liver health
• Sleep deprivation – Lack of sleep disrupts metabolism and weight regulation

Additionally, certain medications like steroids and genetic factors can increase NAFLD risk. Ethnicity affects risk as well, with Hispanics having the highest rates of fatty liver disease.

Signs You May Have Fatty Liver Disease

Often fatty liver causes no overt symptoms in early stages. Later, symptoms may include:

• Fatigue and malaise
• Upper right abdominal discomfort
• Enlarged liver
• Unexplained weight loss
• Jaundice (yellow skin)
• Spider-like blood vessels on skin
• Itchy skin
• Darkening skin in creases of palms

Since NAFLD rarely causes distinct symptoms, getting tested is important if you have risk factors. Let’s explore some ways doctors can screen for fatty liver.

Diagnostic Tests for Fatty Liver Disease

• Liver enzyme tests – Mild elevations in ALT, AST, GGT may indicate NAFLD.
• Liver ultrasound – Shows fat deposits and damage in the liver.
• MRI and CT scans – Quantify the amount of liver fat content.
• Fibroscan – Special ultrasound assesses liver stiffness to detect advanced fibrosis.
• Liver biopsy – Removal of tissue sample examining fat, inflammation and scarring. Invasive procedure.

Work with your doctor if screening shows potential fatty liver disease. Catching it early and taking action helps reverse it before permanent damage sets in.

Top 10 Natural Remedies for Fatty Liver Disease

The key to reversing fatty liver lies in reducing insulin resistance through dietary adjustments, weight loss, exercise, stress management, gut health repair and targeted supplementation.

1. Eliminate Added Sugars and Refined Carbohydrates

Excess fructose (like from added sugars) strongly promotes NAFLD. Cut out soda, candy, baked goods, and other sugar sources. Also avoid refined grains which spike insulin.

2. Increase Healthy Fats, Reduce Bad Fats

Enjoy more anti-inflammatory fats – olive oil, nuts, avocado, salmon. Limit inflammatory omega-6 oils like vegetable, soybean and canola oils.

3. Load Up on Liver Supporting Foods

Cruciferous veggies, garlic, onion, berries, turmeric, ginger, leafy greens, grapefruit and green tea protect the liver.

4. Take Milk Thistle and other Herbal Supplements

Milk thistle, turmeric, dandelion, and artichoke extracts help detoxify the liver and reduce inflammation.

5. Optimize Gut Health with Probiotics and Prebiotics

Repairing gut flora improves insulin sensitivity and promotes liver health. Consume fermented foods and a diverse fiber-rich diet.

6. Make Time for Daily Exercise

All types of exercise improve insulin sensitivity. Aim for 150 minutes per week to aid in weight loss and prevent fatty liver progression.

7. Add NAC and Other Key Supplements

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), vitamin E, magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, B vitamins, and alpha lipoic acid support liver function.

8. Try Intermittent Fasting

Periodic fasting gives your liver a break from processing food, reduces insulin resistance, and stimulates cellular repair.

9. Destress with Meditation, Yoga, or Walks

Chronic stress drives cortisol production which inhibits liver detoxification and worsens NAFLD.

10. Lose Extra Weight and Keep It Off

Gradual weight loss of just 3-5% body weight can significantly reduce liver fat and inflammation to reverse NAFLD.

Using several of these methods together provides the best shot at reversing fatty liver disease before it advances. Work with a functional medicine practitioner for optimal results.

Sample Fatty Liver Reversing 7-Day Meal Plan

Adjusting your eating pattern is critical to halt NAFLD progression. Here is a sample 1-week fatty liver fighting meal plan:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Breakfast	Greek yogurt with berries and almonds	Veggie omelet	Leftover salmon with kale and avocado	Berry smoothie with hemp seeds, oats, almond milk	Smoked salmon and avocado toast	Tofu veggie scramble	Full fat cottage cheese with raspberries and pumpkin seeds
Lunch	Massaged kale salad with chickpeas, beets, olive oil lemon dressing	Leftover baked salmon over greens	Turkey burger with sweet potato fries	Tuna salad stuffed tomato	Leftover chicken and veggie soup	Grilled chicken caesar salad	Egg salad lettuce wraps with side of fruit
Dinner	Sheet pan chicken fajitas with onions, peppers, avocado, cabbage	Curried shrimp skillet with cauliflower rice	Beef and veggie stir fry with ginger sauce	Baked cod with quinoa and roasted broccoli	Zoodles with turkey meatballs	Grass-fed bison burger with oven fries	Veggie and hummus wrap with carrot sticks
Snacks	Unflavored nuts	Apple with nut butter	Veggies with guacamole	Leftover salmon	Hardboiled eggs	Berries with whipped cream	Cucumber slices

This meal plan limits sugar, refined carbs and starches while incorporating fatty fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, colorful produce, probiotics and herbal teas to fight fatty liver holistically.

The Bottom Line on Reversing Fatty Liver Disease

NAFLD is an extremely prevalent condition tied to poor diet and lifestyle habits. Thankfully, adjustments to your eating pattern, activity levels, sleep, and stress can resolve fatty liver before it progresses to permanent damage.

Commit to sustainable changes and take advantage of natural remedies to reverse fatty liver and restore your liver health. Your entire body will reap the benefits of improved detoxification and metabolic function.