Just wondering if anyone who has a serious amount of weight to lose and began w/high cholesterol, has had abnormal liver enzyme readings when their blood was drawn and if low carbing has had either a postiive or negative effect re same?

My tests were "off" and I talked to a friend who happens to be a gastoenterologist for his opinion. He's thinking they reflect a fatty liver and that weight loss and lowering cholesterol through nutrition and exercise should improve things.

I know the liver filters the blood and whatever we put in our body as far as chemicals, meds, etc...effects the liver. How does "fatty liver" effect you, if you have it? T

I think it makes the liver less able to filter.

But be assured, your fatty liver was probably caused by excess carbohydrate consumption and not your low carb diet. They're starting to find fatty liver in children these days! Because of all the crap they're eating.

Pate foie gras is duck or goose liver that has been intentionally diseased by feeding them oodles of starches.

Nothing in your post to indicate that you drink, or don't drink, alcohol, so I'm just tossing one more factoid out into virtual space here.

Fatty livers are in trouble, and you want to make life as easy as possible for them, and the first stop along that path is no alcohol or recreational pharmaceuticals, ditto cigarettes, and then as little exposure to other nasties as possible. What exactly constitutes "other nasties" depends on your environment, but consider your exposure to chemicals throughout your day. Maybe you can live without air freshener? Don't know.

There are a couple of books, but not many, about liver disease you can get from the library. They talk about fatty liver, but I was looking for other information and don't remember the details. It's not something you want to ignore. One problem with the liver is that you can lose something like 75% of its function before you have blatant symptoms, so maybe it's a very good thing these blood tests indicated it's time for some life adjustments.

Agreed, LC is good for most of what ails you and controlling insulin is the first step in controlling LOTS of problems in the body. If you're not already "whole foods" LC, now would be a really good time to drop the frankenfoods and get a bit closer to the original food product.

Good luck.

I rarely drink alcohol (maybe 1 to 3x a year, for ex. a cup of eggnog w/rum during the holiday or a glass of wine or beer....VERY rarely....prob not enough to effect my liver...though maybe considering the blood test even that is not wise at this point. For just one month last summer I drank about 1/2 a bottle of beer several times a week when my dh would come home after work. That was unusual though and I quit because I don't like the way alcohol makes me feel and I also don't need the weight gain.). I don't smoke and don't take drugs...even got myself off of the blood pressure meds. I do sometimes take baby aspirin and again, once in a very blue moon (like now as I have a swollen ankle that is difficult to walk on from spraining it) I'll take two ibuprofens....Since the liver test I decided its prob not good to do the baby aspirin either.

The only thing I "take" is calcium/mag/D, folic acid and a multivitamin/mineral and sometimes C.

Other than that I drink mostly water/tea/herb tea/lemon juice in water.

I normally eat ocean fish/chicken/poultry and some beef or lamb.
I'm wondering if I should cut out the eggs and the small amount of butter...do those effect the liver negatively???
I usually cook in olive oil.

Vegetables: lower carb greens such as spinach, romaine lettuce, bokchoy, broccolli, cabbage
onions and garlic

Fruit: rarely strawberries, grape tomatoes on my salad, avocado, cucumber

That's pretty much it besides eating (moderate amounts of) raw walnuts/almonds/pecans/hazlenuts/brazilnuts/sesame seed/sunflowerseed.
I also have flaxseed to help w/cholesterol/bp and regularity.

Last week I made some sf jello and drank some sf pop, but that too is something rare...I went for almost a yr w/out the stuff and just did because I got bored sitting here w/my ouchy ankle and wanted something different to eat and drink. Again, that's easy to cut out since I'm not regularly using it.

Thats about it!!! I don't use cleaning products that have a lot of chemicals. I usually use baking soda, salt, white vinegar, dish soap and soaps and laundry detergents that are unscented or mild. I am allergic to scented products so I am careful about whats in the house. I don't use air fresheners, rarely use fabric softener (white vinegar softens clothes w/out the smell) and my whole family knows not to where cologne or aftershave ditto for me and perfume! I do sometimes use vanilla or cinammon scented candles as they don't seem to bother me...and hand lotion that is mildly scented but I can change that if it can be part of the problem.
Does "fatty liver" mean I should cut down on naturally occuring fats in meats too???? Terry

In short, no, but you need to get the book.

If you're living that clean already, and that sounds like a pretty clean life, then the liver problem is probably not coming from what you're eating today. (Don't know how long you've been eating these foods...)

Dr. Melissa Palmer's Guide To Hepatitis and Liver Disease is the book I was thinking about, and if you find it on Amazon, there are links to similar books. I don't remember much about fatty liver but I don't think it's coming from your eggs and butter, unless there's something genetic that runs in your family.

Good luck.

Thanks Carver. I'll see if I can find it at the library.

I've been lcing for several years....unfortunately NOT consistently. I've tended to eat carbs and dairy again during stressful periods. I've lost some weight but have lots more to lose. Except for a very brief period in my early twenties when I would join friends after work, for a drink. I've been mostly a tea totaler before and since that time.
The smoking lasted about three months, till I saw myself in a mirror looking like a little girl wanting to act grownup! I became a Christian in my late twenties and drinking alcohol and smoking didn't draw me anymore. I want to take care of this body God gave me.

The doctor friend I referred to indicated he thought my abnormal enzymes MIGHT be from a fatty liver since I am overweight and have high cholesterol.
My "real" doctor also threw the possibility of gall bladder concerns into the mix.

My friend agreed w/me that rather than see a specialist and have more testing done, since I am being careful with what I eat I should give it some more time to correct itself. If it is a fatty liver, weight loss and lowered cholesterol should improve things.

T

Fatty liver is not a good thing, and it can be due to alcohol abuse, having diabetes, or simply being overweight. Fatty liver if left untreated can turn into something more serious.
Massive weight loss may cause enzyme to be "off " temporary but to to Dx with fatty liver you need liver ulstrasound at least. Enzymes can go up due to some medications and even BCP. Liver has amazing ability to regenerate, so if you enzymes are elevated, stay away from the booze and eat less red meat (harder on liver) and dairy, more vegetable, lemon juice, EVOO, fish, some fruit. Milk Thistle, dandelion, turmeric, and other herbal supplements are good too.
HTH

If anyone else is interested in liver health and how different foods effect the liver and promote healing, in addition to how a liver can become a "fatty liver" check out this site on nutrition for dogs. I have read that fasting regularly can cause a fatty liver and I tend to do that:
http://b-naturals.com/Apr2004.php

I learned that I can make things easier on my liver by avoiding red meats (because of ammonia) and being sure to eat enough protein but not too much... Fish and chicken are good choices and reducing fat content so the liver doesn't have to work as hard is also recommended. It also says that oatmeal and flaxseed are helpful in absorbing ammonia from eating protein which would help the liver heal. I already use flaxseed and I may add a small portion of oatmeal, watching how it effects my bp etc adding carbs.

"Carbohydrate metabolism may become severely deranged in dogs with liver disease, resulting either in glucose intolerance or inability to maintain normal plasma glucose levels." It then goes on to explain that a small amount of complex carbs helps liver function because of the ammonia absorption.

I was reading it to brush up on feeding my dogs raw foods and was happy to discover this. BTW their health has improved and Ida, who used to have chronic skin infections because of allergies, is now almost 100% after just doing this since early December.

Terry

I too have NASH...Mine is caused by insulin resistance ..the best thing to do is low carb because it helps all cells react to insulin better..it won't happen over night and they have had some success with diabetic meds..I am using water soluble cinnamon as it has also been shown it increase cells sensitivity to insulin..
Your liver is storing fat instead of processing it and your goal is to reteach your liver dispose of fat properly...
I take cinnamon,dandelion,milk thistle and ginger(helps other herbs absorb better)
Unity

Unity have you tweeked low carb in anyway to make it more conducive to healing your liver? Just wanting to know in addition to the herbs and cinammon if you've had any tangible results from the following or from other "tweeks"....

Also, I've read on one website that is put out by the medical community re liver health that one shouldn't take supplements in some cases...because of course they have to filter through the liver....I normally take calcium/D/mag for osteoperosis and a multi v/min and folic acid. Wise or not from what you've learned?

Have you lessened the beef meals since beef and red meats form more ammonia for the liver to contend with?

Have you increased your low carb veggies in favor of smaller portions of protein?

Are raw nuts such as almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds a help or hindrance to the liver?

Is tofu ok or is animal protein a better choice?

Do you still eat eggs? How many a day?

Have you chosen to use olive oil and go easy on fatty cuts of meat? Have you eliminated fatty dairy and butter but included lowfat cottage cheese?

Do you have anything in the form of a serving of complex carbs, as they've suggested oatmeal/flaxseed to help the liver process ammonia? I have had cinammon on the oatmeal recently.

I've also included a small to medium tart apple as I've read apples are good for the liver. In your opinion, and from your own exp is that too much carb along w/the small serving of oatmeal/flax, for a liver that is in need of rebuilding itself? How low carb are you on an average day?

Do you allow yourself peanut butter or is that kind of fat too much for a struggling liver to handle?

Have you tried the "liver flush" of drinking olive oil and lemon juice? If so, what's your exp been? It appears to have a strong following but I'm wondering if there is any real scientific basis for doing this.

What does NASH stand for? I hope its not too obvious becasue I'm trying to figure it out and can't!

Thanks for your input! Terry

Those are all good. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) taken in water and lecithin are also good.

I haven't been restarted long enough to do any tweeking yet..I restarted lo carb 2 weeks ago
I have been taking the herbs for 3 months and they not given me back pains or made me nauseous.. which happens when I eat something my liver struggles with..but I have not had a blood test done since Oct. although I saw the Gastro. last week. He did not have a problem with my herbs. Do not take iron unless your Doctor tells you to..


Beef,more than 6 oz makes me nauseous..and I LOVE beef..sometimes just thinking about it makes me feel sick..maybe that is why I have struggled to go lo carb for so many months..
artichoke is good for the liver as is anything in the cabbage family..
I avoid ANY AND ALL UN fomented soy!!!!
If it has been formented
Miso
Tamari
Natto
Tempeh
Doenjang
it is REALLY good for you..if has not been fomented it is REALLY bad for you..in asia countries they always use fomented soy

I eat nuts when I feel like it but that is not often
I have no problems from eggs and will have up to 7 a day...I have found that I really like pickled eggs

I try to use as much animal fats as I can and I feel much better when I do..I don't like cottage cheese..and heavy cream makes me feel yuck..(I do like it but I don't think my liver does)
I don't like oatmeal..never have..and I don't eat flax..no reason
the cinnamon you use in the kitchen is different than the one you want to take in pills..you want to buy WATER soluble cinnamon so read the lables..


I have had cravings for apples(not a normal craving for me) so I think my liver likes them but I try to limit them and have them in the morning when the body handles sugar better..the lower or more spread out my carbs the better I feel
I have not done the liver flush as I have 3 sons that I homeschool and I work at night..oh and 1 bathroom..so I do not have a day I can sit on the toilet..
Oh and I don't like peanut butter...

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
I may be farther along than you..But I do have these tips.. AVOID aspertame and MSG ,they started makeing me REALLY ill and it is not easy to stop aspertame and will give you withdrawal symptoms ..splenda is ok in small amounts .. and MSG is in everything
lastly it will take 7-14 months to heal and will be left with some scars but it can work right agian if we aviod as many fake stuff(chemicals)as we can.
and the only thing the gastro said to me is I HAD to walk 5 times a week for at least a half hour
Unity

What is nonalcoholic steatohepatitis?
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is described as inflammation of the liver associated with the accumulation of fat in the liver. It differs from the simple accumulation of fat in the liver (fatty liver, or hepatic steatosis) in that the inflammation causes damage to the liver cells while simple fatty liver probably does not. NASH is not connected with other causes of chronic liver disease, including hepatitis B and C viruses, autoimmune disorders, alcohol, drug toxicity, and the accumulation of copper (Wilson’s Disease) or iron (hemochromatosis).

What causes NASH?
There is no known specific cause of NASH. In the past, the typical NASH patient was described as a middle-aged, obese woman with excess sugar in the blood, which may have been caused by diabetes mellitus. The patient may have had excess fat in the blood. However, it has recently been reported that patients with NASH do not always fit this description. One study included men, as well as women, who were not overweight, did not suffer from diabetes mellitus, and did not have excess lipids (fat) in their blood. Another group diagnosed with NASH was composed of children between nine and 16 years old. Most of the children were overweight, but only a few had diabetes mellitus.

What causes fatty liver?
Fat may accumulate in the liver with extreme weight gain or diabetes mellitus. Fatty liver can also occur with poor diet and certain illnesses, such as tuberculosis, intestinal bypass surgery for obesity, and certain drugs such as corticosteroids, or in the setting of heavy alcohol use. A patient has fatty liver when the fat makes up at least 10% of the liver. Eating fatty food by itself does not produce a fatty liver

all of this has been cut and pasted from the The American Liver Foundation (ALF)

Unity thank you for the wealth of info you shared!

I don't have nausea as you do. I have for many yrs had a "comes and goes" mystery pain to the right of my navel that no doctor seems concerned with.

I do tend to have the "clay colored" bms that are associated w/liver concerns and tend to "go" more often than most people.

My body is very resistant to losing weight...spose that a fatty liver might contribute to that? And my blood sugars tested on the high side but w/low carbing I brought them down to "acceptable non diabetic level"

Is tofu considered fermented soy?

My gastoenterologist friend kindly reviewed my doctor's blood work results and said just from looking, he's thinking the abnormal levels are prob a result of fatty liver and high cholesterol which should right themselves as I continue to lose weight SLOWLY with the foods I'm now eating. He's a friend so I believe that if he was concerned that the levels were extremely off, he would have encouraged me to see a specialist but he thinks that eating right should help.
Thanks again...keep in touch so we can encourage each other if you'd like to!

Terry

most definitely

they do make it but I believe it is had to find..you could try to find Tempeh

I would love to...it is hard to find someone who shares my concerns and feels like do..
Do you have the chronic fatigue that I do??