My Liver Health Journey

***I want to start out by saying I am not a Health Coach, nor a Health/Medical Practitioner, and I do not claim to be. These results are from my own experience. Anything that I suggest I use but would caution anyone to do their own research and talk to their own doctor to determine if these are products or steps you would like to take before doing so. Some supplements may affect current medications you may be taking.***

Please bear with, as this is a longer post than I would typically write, but there is so much to share about liver health, and this is the tip of the iceberg. If you are interested in how to heal your liver please read through, and I encourage you to try what I’ve suggested.

I feel led to share with you my experience and journey to reversing my Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Not many people know about the health of their liver and the damaging effects it can have on a person’s body when their liver is not healthy. I’ve read various articles and studies that state around 25% of adults have a Fatty Liver! Not to mention the rapid increase of children and adolescences that also have it. How do that many people have Fatty Liver, but no one is talking about it?! I had heard of it, but didn’t know much about it. And many people who think of fatty liver or cirrhosis of the liver relate it to alcoholism. The truth is your liver can be damaged by far more than alcohol. I am going to share my story from the perspective of a non-alcoholic fatty liver, since I do not drink and it did not contribute to my poor liver health.

The liver is such a fascinating organ. It has several “jobs”. And when I say several, I mean nearly 500 functions! It filters our blood from toxins, such as drugs, plastics, chemicals, and other harmful substances. It aids in digestion. It makes and stores vitamins and minerals. It produces protein, cholesterol, and hormones. It regulates energy and plays a major role in how our body stores and processes fat. The list continues. With such a vital organ we should pay more attention to it than we do. There are different stages of liver disease. In the case of NAFLD, it can be healed and functioning can be reversed. Over the last eight months through research and taking different vitamins, supplements, and changing my diet, I have learned how critical it is to understand liver function and health. I want to be a better steward to my body and as I learn and grow, I want to share with others along this journey.

Last May, for my dear mother’s Mother’s Day, I got to spend time with her in the ER. A few days before we had gone to the movies to indulge in what most movie goers indulge in, popcorn! It’s one of those things that you KNOW is horrible to eat, but your hand can’t help but dig into throughout the movie, and you don’t realize how much you ate until the lights turn on and see the empty bucket. The days in-between I had horrible cramps and pains in my side that would come and go. The day I went to the ER I had other non-related symptoms that sent me there. The tests all came back normal, but my liver was inflamed, and the enzymes were elevated. That could have been because my body/liver was fighting a virus. After a month I had specific blood work to test my liver function. The results came back that I had Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver. Now not to bash my doctor’s office (because I love my doctor’s office and drive over an hour to keep my doctor), but I received a phone call that said my liver was elevated and to cut sugar and fatty foods from my diet and to have my liver tested again after six months. By the time I had received the phone call I had already begun my research. Sometimes it blows my mind that medical doctors don’t provide very much as to how to get better or provide much knowledge to their patients about their diagnoses. I could go on about what my thoughts and opinions are about the topic, but I digress. So, I continue my research and began cutting things out and adding things in. This is mostly what I want to share in this blog post. Hopefully you’ll be able to find trusted resources and learn about the liver and all its functions, more specifically to relate to the symptoms that you may be experiencing. If I hadn’t had the blood work and CT scan in the ER I may not have been diagnosed with NAFLD. I didn’t really have symptoms, most people don’t. In hindsight I would say that I did have some symptoms, but I wasn’t experiencing anything debilitating. Of course, the pains in my side, where my liver is, ultimately showed its head. One thing I had been experiencing but didn’t attribute it to was weight gain. I’ve struggled with my weight most of my life. This time seemed a little different. I would cut sugar, change my diet, try working out, eat more often to boast my metabolism, and so on. But I couldn’t seem to lose weight, I was actually gaining weight. How discouraging is it to try to lose weight but find you’re still gaining?! When the liver isn’t functioning properly, it cannot process fat properly, leading to more build up on the liver and in the mid-section. Because the liver is responsible for breaking down fat and turning it into energy, it is unable to do so when it is overwhelmed and not functioning properly. Once the liver begins to heal, it will be able to start breaking down these stored fat cells again, allowing weight loss efforts to become more effective.

I am here to say, after the 6 months I have had my bloodwork redone. The results show that my liver function and enzymes are back in normal range!! What a relief!!! I had a feeling that what I was doing was helping because I have started to feel better, and I’ve been about to lose about 20 pounds. It’s a slow process, but such a relief to finally see the scale going down instead of up despite my efforts. I am going to continue the routine and supplements I take. But now I feel I can start adding exercise into my routine that I need to help lose more weight, as well as build my core strength back up.

Through my research I wanted to find natural ways to heal and cleanse my liver. This included what to implement and what to quit. In this section I’d like to share some of those things. Diet is a huge factor when it comes to healing your liver. Diet is also a huge factor as to why your liver may not be functioning properly. Another major change I made was taking different supplements daily. I found this to be the most helpful implement I made to help reverse my NAFLD.

Here are some things to stay away from or greatly reduce:

• Number one culprit SUGAR! Sugar is addictive, and they processed it to be. Natural sugars are one thing, but most sugars we find in foods are additives and processed in a factory. Ugh, it’s so hard to quit sugar! I’ve struggled and I still do. But I have found fasting from sugar can be easier when it is tied to something else, like a devotional or accountability partner. Many of us have the knowledge about sugar and how harmful it is to our bodies. I encourage you to research the effects of sugar and read up on some truths about it. When you start looking at the labels and finding it disguised under a different name, you’ll notice how much your intake is.
• Processed foods. If it doesn’t come straight from the farm, most likely it is processed in some way, or it’s been injected or covered with some sort of preservative.
• Alcohol. Though you may not have gotten NAFLD from alcohol, it is not good to consume if you are trying to reverse your fatty liver.
• Toxins. They are found everywhere! In our clothes, plastic wrapped around our food if not in it, in our detergents, in most of your beauty products, in the water, and in the air. Toxins are everywhere. It’s nearly impossible to avoid toxins in today’s world, but thankfully when our liver functions well it is able to filter a lot of it for us.
• And dare I say, medications?! If it’s medicine, shouldn’t it be good for our bodies? Unless it is a natural herb, vitamin or mineral, any and all of the medications that we take can effect the health of our liver. You may be like me that I don’t take many prescriptions and don’t have a habit of using over-the-counter medications, but people who are on a large amount of medications can eventually lead to having complications with their liver.

Some things I’ve found to be specifically beneficial to adding to your diet:

Of course, creating a healthy balanced diet is going to be beneficial, however, the list above are specific foods that can help detox and may target helping the liver. There are many other to find beneficial as well.

Supplements

I’d like to spend a little more time on this section that I want to share with you the supplements that I started taking and am still continuing to take. It took me a while to do the research of which supplements to take and then which brand I would buy, so I wanted to provide these to you to help save you the time. Many of these can be taken for other health reasons, but I’m focusing solely for the liver. All of the products I’m sharing are ones that I am taking based off of my opinion in a quality product. I made sure all supplements were 3rd party tested, and non GMO. I also try to stick with ones that are natural. I don’t take synthetic supplements. Any supplement can be researched further to learn more about what each of them do.

• The first and foremost supplement I take is Milk Thistle with Dandelion. If I were to only take one, this is the supplement I would take. The milk thistle is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that can help protect your liver from toxins. It can also regenerate the liver. I chose to take is with dandelion because it reduces stress on the liver, reduces fat stored on the liver, increases bile flow, along with many other benefits. Here is a link to Amazon where you can find the product that I buy.
• Omega 3 Fish oil is not only good for liver health but has so many other benefits that makes choosing this supplement a “no-brainer”. For the liver, omega-3 it can help repair liver damage, reduce inflation, and help with lowering triglycerides. Omega 3 oil can be found in oily fish, like salmon and tuna. I’ve tried to eat more fish over the last few months, but it isn’t a staple in my diet, so taking omega 3 in a supplement is the best way for me to take it. Also, the supplement will provide higher levels than what you can consume. The supplement I chose to take is by Sports Research. I chose this product because they offer a triple strength and doesn’t have a fishy smell after taking it. I do have to say I noticed when I first started taking it my underarm sweat smelt different, but not any longer. I will continue to take this supplement, even after I’m no longer supplementing for liver health. Here is the link!
• The next supplement I found to help with liver health is Phosphatidylcholine. PC helps reduce liver inflammation, improving liver function, helps repair, and can prevent fatty liver. It is a natural source of choline, which our liver produces to help regulate fat metabolism. It also plays a role in metabolizing cholesterol. This would also be a good supplement to take if you struggle with lowering your cholesterol. It helps produce bile as well, which is needed to aid in digestion. Here is a link to the PC that I’ve chosen to take.
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine is another supplement that I take. It helps reduce liver fat and improves liver enzymes. Another way it helps the liver is by helping it convert fat into energy to the mitochondria. (Which is another interesting topic.) The mitochondria within our cells, produce energy, if you feel run down often the mitochondria may not be receiving all it needs. Carnitine is also great for brain health. Here is the link!
• CoQ10 is a great supplement to take, not only for your liver but also has a lot of benefits for heart health. CoQ10 also helps with the production of energy in the mitochondria. Many people who take statin drugs are suggested to take CoQ10 as it depletes our body of it. The way it can help our liver is through reducing inflammation and liver damage, improving liver enzyme levels. Many people take different medications that damage our liver, such as Tylenol. Coq10 can help reverse that damage. I’ve bought a couple different brands of CoQ10. The last one I purchased has more added to the formula that I found has other benefits. There are several brands that sell it, but keep an eye out for quality of the product you chose. This is the current CoQ10 that I am taking.
• The last supplement that I’m going to mention is Berberine. Berberine isn’t typically thought about for liver health but helps the liver by reducing liver fat. It may be more popular from reducing blood sugar, which is helpful for those with insulant resistance. Berberine lowers inflammation within the gut. It also kills harmful bacteria while encouraging healthy bacteria to grow. Taking probiotics are encouraged to take as well to support liver health in the same way. I buy berberine straight from the company Nature’s Sunshine, along with the other vitamins and minerals I take, including the probiotics. Here is the link for the Berberine and here is the one for the probiotic.
• One last thing I’d like to mention, that’s not technically a supplement, but its a natural way to detox your liver, is through castor oil packs. I tried it a few times and noticed a difference from just the couple times that I used it. I haven’t used it enough for the full benefits. I would like to write a whole separate post on castor oil, its benefits, and how to use it. When I do, I will update and share the link here. But for now, I’d like to share the castor oil I have purchased to use. Again, I’m looking for good quality products, especially if we are detoxing our bodies. Here is the link. I am sure there are many other supplements that are beneficial to improving liver health. If there is something you have taken or come across, please feel free to comment and share.

I would like to reiterate not to start any of these supplements without running it past your doctor. Some herbs and supplements can interact with medications. Please be advised that some of these that I have mentioned may not be the best solution for you. I am not a professional. These are just products I have decided to take and have found to help in my journey.

Encouragement

As you may be starting this journey for yourself, I want to encourage you, that you are capable and with determination and grace you’ll be able to reverse the health of your liver. There may be days and times that you don’t believe it’s working or that it’s doing any good but be patient and keep on trucking! Find some accountability, a partner of someone going through/has gone through it as well. As a Life Coach. my services provide accountability, as well. The thing about the liver is you cannot see it. You don’t know exactly how well your efforts are working or what you need more or less of. But if you’re persistent you will begin to notice a difference in the way you feel and through additional testing. When I saw the results from my follow up bloodwork, it gave me a great sense of accomplishment. I’m still learning and wanting to continue on this path that I started to get and keep my liver healthy.

There is a lot more research and information regarding the liver, its functions, diseases, and how to improve its function. This is just a little of what I was able to find beneficial. It is always my hope and prayer that I would be able to encourage and help others through experiences I have had, this being another. Please feel free to reach out if you’d like some encouragement or would like to share your experience with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver.

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