Michelle Lai - The Liver Healing Diet: The MDs Nutritional Plan to Eliminate Toxins, Reverse Fatty Liver Disease and Promote Good Health

Text copyright 2015 Michelle Lai and Asha R. Kasaraneni. Design and concept copyright 2015 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the Internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Published in the U.S. by:

Ulysses Press

P.O. Box 3440

Berkeley, CA 94703

www.ulyssespress.com

A Hollan Publishing Inc. Concept

ISBN13: 978-1-61243-473-5

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014952009

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Acquisitions Editor: Keith Riegert

Project Editor: Alice Riegert

Managing Editor: Claire Chun

Editor: Susan Lang

Proofreader: Lauren Harrison

Index: Sayre Van Young

Front cover design: Matthew Howen

Interior design: what!design @ whatweb.com

Production: Jake Flaherty

Cover artwork: top photo Steph Stevens, bottom photo Brian Thompson

Interior artwork: page 9 GRei/shutterstock.com; page 10 Alila Medical Media/shutterstock.com; page 13 Designua/shutterstock.com

NOTE TO READERS: This book has been written and published strictly for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical advice or to be any form of medical treatment. You should always consult with your physician before altering or changing any aspect of your medical treatment. Do not stop or change any prescription medications without the guidance and advice of your physician. Any use of the information in this book is made on the readers good judgment and is the readers sole responsibility. This book is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition and is not a substitute for a physician.

This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked brands or other products mentioned within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in ingredient lists and elsewhere in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The authors and publishers encourage readers to patronize the quality brands mentioned and pictured in this book.

This book is dedicated to Sammi and her soon-to-arrive little sister who have become my biggest motivation for living and staying healthy.

Michelle Lai

To Sriya and her sibling who will be here in a few months. You are the reason why I push myself every day, make good choices, and want to live a healthy, fulfilled lifefor the hope that you will also follow your dreams and know that you can do anything you set your mind to!

Asha R. Kasaraneni

TABLE OF CONTENTS

More than 30 million adults in the United States live with chronic liver disease. If youre reading this, youre probably concerned about your own or a loved ones liver health. Whether the problem is mild dysfunction, hepatitis C, non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseor any other liver issuesby opening this book you are on the right path. The first step to a healthy liver is knowledge, and youll find everything you need to know in these pages.

The most common cause of chronic liver disease in the United States is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition in which fat is deposited in the liver cells, most often as a result of excess weight. An estimated 30 million Americans have NAFLD, which translates into about 1 of every 4 adults and 1 of every 10 children. Many of these cases go undiagnosed as the vast majority of people with NAFLD do not have symptoms until they develop advanced cirrhosis. This problem is not limited to U.S. borders. There is a worldwide epidemic of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease driven by rising obesity rates globally.

Which leads us to why we wanted to write this book. We met while working together in Boston at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centers liver transplant center, caring for patients with chronic liver disease. Michelle is a hepatologist there, working one-on-one with patients who suffer from liver disease as well as researching non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Asha is a registered dietitian and certified nutrition support clinician specializing in liver health. Between the two of us, we have more than 19 years of hands-on experience in the treatment of liver disease. In all of our years of research and study, we have found that proper nutrition is key to healthy liver function. And so, on a daily basis we counsel our patients on how the liver functions, how it becomes damaged, and how lifestyle changes can make a world of difference to help heal the liver.

While liver dysfunction may seem daunting, there are simple modifications you can make in your daily life to improve your livers health. In Part 1 of this book, we break down the components of a healthy liver and provide information on liver diseases and dysfunctions. We focus primarily on NAFLD but give you the information you need if you find yourself with a different liver disease or dysfunction. In Part 2, we recognize that the liver is resilient and can repair itself if you detoxify it and move forward with a healthy lifestyle. We share some easy and delicious liver-healthy recipes in Part 3 that will help you implement some of the principles discussed in this book. And in the Appendix, youll find some helpful worksheets and resources.

The good news is that certain types of liver disease are reversible with a healthier diet, exercise, and weight loss. Early intervention is critical before the damage becomes irreversible. This book will help you on the path to adopting a healthy lifestyle to heal your liver. Heres to a new beginning!

Michelle and Asha

The liver is one of the most important organs in the body, so keeping it at optimal wellness is fundamental for overall good health. But its hard to gauge whether your liver is in good shape or not because you cant see it and you cant feel it; it doesnt offer any obvious feedback. When you eat something good, does your liver feel good? When you drink something bad for your liver, like alcohol, does your liver start to hurt? But if you learn a little bit about the liver, you can understand what puts a strain on it and what helps heal it.

In this section, we talk about some of the vital functions of the liver, what the liver does for your body, and the crucial roles it plays in your everyday life. This will help you understand what can go wrong when your liver is sick and injured. Then we detail various liver ailments and disorderswhat they are, how they occur, and how you can prevent them.

Its important to understand your liver function in order to see what daily occurrences in your life might be damaging it. So lets have a look.

A healthy liver is crucial for a healthy life. One of the hardest working organs, the liver performs more than 500 vital functions to keep the body running smoothly. Here are some of the things your liver does:

Acts as the main food processing system in your body.

Stores and regulates energy and vital nutrients.

Breaks down and excretes toxic matter that finds its way into your body through the food you eat and the air you breathe.

Produces essential proteins that your body uses to function.

In essence, your liver is a processing plant, storage facility, filtering station, and productive factory, all rolled into one. You have only one liver. If your liver is sick and unable to perform its vital functions, the rest of your body cannot work properly. So, just as you carefully maintain your car to keep it running smoothly over time, you need to take good care of your liver so it continues working well. Lets take a closer look at the liver and its functions.