Daily Mirror - 03.03.2020

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HEALTH Edited by AMY PACKER

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NEXT MONDAY: OUR LIFETIME GUIDE TO KEEPING YOUR CHOLESTEROL IN CHECK

look after your liver

PART TWO

YOu

R

heA

lTh

in your

hands

The simple

changes to

ensure your

liver lasts

a lifetime

In part two of our exclusive health guide, Pat Hagan explains how diet and

lifestyle changes can cut your risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Lose 10% of your

body weight

Keeping liver disease at bay doesn’t

necessarily mean a complete body

transformation.

In fact, experts say if you are overweight,

shedding just 10% of your overall body

weight gives liver function a significant

boost and may help reverse non-alcoholic

fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

The same simple approach has also

been found to help prevent Type 2

diabetes – which is also heavily diet-

related.

This means somebody who weighs 14

stone would need to shed one

stone 5lb to reverse the early

stages of NAFLD.

The British Liver Trust says:

“There is evidence that gradual

weight loss, coupled with increased

exercise, can reduce the amount of

fat in your liver.”

Cut down on red

meat intake

Some research suggests eating too much

red meat can increase the accumulation

of fat in the liver.

One study from the Netherlands,

published in the journal Gut, analysed

food surveys and liver scans from nearly

4,000 adults and revealed those

consuming the highest levels of animal

protein from red meat were 54% more

likely to develop NAFLD than those eating

it now and then. Crucially, the findings

were not related to overall calorie intake.

This means it wasn’t how much

volunteers were eating overall that

increased their risk – just the fact that

they were having red meat regularly.

Scientists say stick to eating red meat

just once or twice a week and instead

increase your intake of vegetables,

wholegrains and healthy fats.

Go swimming

regularly

Exercise is a

great way to keep

the liver healthy –

but what’s the

best type?

One study

involving mice

found swimming may be very effective

at keeping fatty liver disease at bay.

Scientists fed the rodents a high-fat

diet and then monitored whether

regular swimming protected against

the build-up of harmful fats. Mice

allowed to swim regularly had

significantly lower liver fat levels than

those not given access to the water.

Other research shows people who

swim two to three times a week have

healthier livers. Dancing and hill

walking had similar benefits.

Add garlic to

your cooking

Garlic contains numerous health-

boosting compounds – one of which

is called S-allylmercaptocysteine.

In tests, this has been found to

protect the liver against diet-related

damage. One study at the University

of Hong Kong discovered rats with

NAFLD suffered less injury to the

liver, had lower levels of liver fat and

reduced inflammation when they

were injected with the garlic

compound. Scientists said it appears

to shield the liver against the worst

of the damage caused by

NAFLD and added: “Garlic

and its derivatives

could be considered

as a potent

supplement.”

Tuck into oily fish

Oily fish such as salmon and

sardines can lower fat levels in your

liver if they are consumed on a fairly

regular basis – at least a couple of

times a week. That’s because they

are rich in health-boosting omega-3

fatty acids.

A 2016 study pooled data from 10

different investigations into omega-3

and liver problems.

It revealed that those who were

eating the healthy fats regularly had

lower levels of harmful fats in the

liver, while at the same time bolstering

levels of HDL – the good type of

cholesterol that helps protect against

heart disease.

Let broccoli be

your friend

The popular green vegetable may be

just what you need to stop the advance

of fatty liver disease. Research suggests

it not only helps to prevent the build-up

of fat in the organ but may even reduce

the risk of liver cancer.

A 2016 study in the Journal of

Nutrition found long-term consumption

of broccoli halted the accumulation of

dangerous fat. The study, carried out in

mice, found the veg blocked the

production of triglycerides (harmful

fats) in the liver. Triglycerides, which

also contribute to heart disease, can

increase the risk of liver scarring and

failure. A serving several times a week is

most likely to help.

Get

more

sleep

It’s not just diet

and exercise that

can help keep the

liver healthy. Some research suggests

getting proper amounts of rest is also

crucial.

A recent study in Taiwan, involving

more than 30,000 men and women,

found those suffering with common

sleep disorders like insomnia,

sleepwalking or teeth grinding,

were nearly 80% more at risk of

fatty liver disease than others getting

a good night’s sleep.

The most likely explanation is that

broken sleep interferes with eating

habits and increases snacking

behaviour during the day – leading to

fatty deposits in the liver.

Sip green tea

Using tea for medicinal

purposes is a practice that

goes back thousands of

years and research

published in the World Journal of

Gastroenterology suggests the liver is

one of the organs most likely to benefit.

Green tea contains several

antioxidants, such as catechin, which

may help improve fatty liver disease.

But you may have to drink a fairly

large amount – the study found there

was only a notable difference if you

drank five to 10 cups of green tea a day.

CAFE

SOCIETY

Drinking three

cups of coffee

a day is good

for your liver