Fatty Liver and other conditions

[Madisons]

Hi all: prediabetic, fatty liver, high blood cholesterol, hypothyroidsm - all combined into a nasty package, oh and perimenopausal too, so welcome osteoporosis/arthritis as well!

Does anyone have some advice on what I should be eating with all my conditions listed above? I've looked online and most sites are all about the meditarrean diet but then I look at what I should be eating and there's legumes and grains in there?? I thought I was doing good when started the low carb, high fat, but then doc says that will make matters worst when it comes to my bad cholesterol and fatty liver situation. Then I've got the hypothyroid to deal with, so no cruciferous veggies and soy/tempeh. He says it's all related, all my conditions above. Great! Now what do i eat? He wants to put me on statins. I fear what I am putting into my body. He didn't even recommend a blood glucose monitor, go figure. Basically, just deal with it, and will check in 4 months. But in the past 6 months, apart from each other, A1c didn't not improve, stayed at 6.1, even though I eliminated all grains, legumes, and fruit. Shouldn't that be a cause of concern that it didn't improve? His theory is that it didn't get worst?? My fasting blood did drop to 5.5 instead of 6.6, but that was probably because i didn't snack in the evening and had supper earlier than my usual late night suppers. I don't even know what I should take care of first, the fatty liver, the prediabetes, cholesterol, or hypothyroid? The GP is no help at all. He said see dietician on my own dime. Anyone else with all these issues? He said I have 6% chance of heart attack due to good cholesterol a bit higher than bad. Wow, how encouraging...not. I am so depressed and anxious and his solution is to push the anti-depressants as a temporary band-aid. The script is sitting in my file at the pharmacy, untouched. The problem here in Canada is that there is a shortage of family doctors, so without him, I have no access to any tests done, or referrals either. I asked for a referral to an Endo, and he says he's my family GP, no need for a specialist. Guess have to wait till I'm a full-blown diabetic, like my mother who is LADA-Type 1. Also, should I ask him for an Anti-Gad, and C-peptide, s well as Insulin bloodwork to be done or is it too early with an A1c of 6.1? I thought the whole idea of these bloods is to get an early start on treating it then waiting till it gets worst? He seems to have overlooked all that, and is pushing all kinds of tests for the liver instead, I am already vaccinated against Hep A & B when I was younger. Any advice or help would greatly be appreciated. thanks in advance everyone, sorry for the vent. I am at times, grasping for air.

 

[bulkbiker]

I thought I was doing good when started the low carb, high fat, but then doc says that will make matters worst when it comes to my bad cholesterol and fatty liver situation.

Your doctor is talking complete nonsense.
Many of us have improved the important cholesterol ratios and reversed fatty liver with a low carb diet.
It will also help a lot with pre diabetes.
Meat. fish, eggs, above ground veg and dairy (if you like it). Base your food around that ditch sugar and stodge and you'll do great and amaze your doc.

 

[Member496333]

Meat. fish, eggs, above ground veg and dairy (if you like it). Base your food around that ditch sugar and stodge and you'll do great and amaze your doc.

Or annoy your doc, depending on their general persuasion

 

[lucylocket61]

Thanks, Brian and Hana for your replies. I read the info on the link you provided, Brian. The advice there seems to be to cut down on fat and lose no more than two pounds a week, which is what I have read elsewhere. My liver function tests were 'within normal bounds', but I have had some discomfort and my GP said it is probably because the liver has to stretch when another fat globule is laid down , to accommodate it, and this is what makes it hurt. That is why I'm a bit nervous about eating 'fatty' foods. Do you eat low carb? Have you ever noticed any pain after eating so-called 'fatty' foods like cheese etc?

What you say about the geese makes a lot of sense, Hana. I also won't eat foie gras, on principle! I'm sure a lot of my own problems, esp the weight problem, have come about because of years of stuffing my face with carbs, that's why I want to try low carb - but I'm scared of my liver hurting!! It sounds pathetic, but having had really bad gallstone attacks (gall bladder now gone, thankfully), I am wary of inducing a similar pain in that general area! Or anywhere else, come to think of it!!
Sue

I have had a fatty liver for probably 20years. I used to get pain around my liver after I had eaten a high carb meal. Since lowering my carb intake I stopped getting the pain/ache there. My liver function tests became normal too. I agree about foie gras and fatty liver causes. It's the carbs.

This is my personal experience over a 20 year period.

 

[TriciaWs]

I was told I had a fatty liver a few years ago, so when I was offered a place on a trial a year after going low carb and eating more fat than I'd done for years I signed up. First step was a scan, and that showed my fatty liver had resolved, so I was excluded!

 

[Madisons]

Hi @Madisons , would you like me to move your post and its replies to a thread of your own?
You posted it as a reaction on a 12 year old thread, where it won't be seen by many.

Yes please do! I just didn't know how to post my own thread. Thank you very much!

 

[Antje77]

Yes please do! I just didn't know how to post my own thread. Thank you very much!

Hi @Madisons , I've made a thread for you.
If you ever want to start a thread, go to 'Forums' and click on the forum you want to post in. A green button saying 'Post New Thread' should appear in the top right.

Also tagging @JoKalsbeek , who was diagnosed with NAFLD and type 2, and has reversed it.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi all: prediabetic, fatty liver, high blood cholesterol, hypothyroidsm - all combined into a nasty package, oh and perimenopausal too, so welcome osteoporosis/arthritis as well!

Does anyone have some advice on what I should be eating with all my conditions listed above? I've looked online and most sites are all about the meditarrean diet but then I look at what I should be eating and there's legumes and grains in there?? I thought I was doing good when started the low carb, high fat, but then doc says that will make matters worst when it comes to my bad cholesterol and fatty liver situation. Then I've got the hypothyroid to deal with, so no cruciferous veggies and soy/tempeh. He says it's all related, all my conditions above. Great! Now what do i eat? He wants to put me on statins. I fear what I am putting into my body. He didn't even recommend a blood glucose monitor, go figure. Basically, just deal with it, and will check in 4 months. But in the past 6 months, apart from each other, A1c didn't not improve, stayed at 6.1, even though I eliminated all grains, legumes, and fruit. Shouldn't that be a cause of concern that it didn't improve? His theory is that it didn't get worst?? My fasting blood did drop to 5.5 instead of 6.6, but that was probably because i didn't snack in the evening and had supper earlier than my usual late night suppers. I don't even know what I should take care of first, the fatty liver, the prediabetes, cholesterol, or hypothyroid? The GP is no help at all. He said see dietician on my own dime. Anyone else with all these issues? He said I have 6% chance of heart attack due to good cholesterol a bit higher than bad. Wow, how encouraging...not. I am so depressed and anxious and his solution is to push the anti-depressants as a temporary band-aid. The script is sitting in my file at the pharmacy, untouched. The problem here in Canada is that there is a shortage of family doctors, so without him, I have no access to any tests done, or referrals either. I asked for a referral to an Endo, and he says he's my family GP, no need for a specialist. Guess have to wait till I'm a full-blown diabetic, like my mother who is LADA-Type 1. Also, should I ask him for an Anti-Gad, and C-peptide, s well as Insulin bloodwork to be done or is it too early with an A1c of 6.1? I thought the whole idea of these bloods is to get an early start on treating it then waiting till it gets worst? He seems to have overlooked all that, and is pushing all kinds of tests for the liver instead, I am already vaccinated against Hep A & B when I was younger. Any advice or help would greatly be appreciated. thanks in advance everyone, sorry for the vent. I am at times, grasping for air.

No need for a dietician, you can get help on here for free. And Dietdoctor.com is a site where you can pay, but don't actually have to to get a lot of free meal ideas. You'll take care of just about everything at once with a low carb, high fat diet, aided by your meter. So you don't really have to pick and choose what to tackle first. Your thyroid'll need help, and I'm assuming you're on additional thyroid hormones for that, but the fatty liver, cholesterol and prediabetes should do fine on the LCHF diet. Things can get a little confusing as there is a Mediterranean diet, and a Mediterranean branch within a LCHF diet, so those two get mushed together sometimes... But the LCHF version doesn't include grains and pulses, just focusses on the meat, dairy, veg and fish. (Same as the Scandinavian diet, which is the heavy on the fish).

My non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was supposed to kill me, but I've had the fat melt off of it in a matter of about two to three months, just by cutting the carbs right down. It was bad, basically... And now you might only be able to see I ever had it through an ultrasound, because my liver function, which was dramatic, has returned to normal values. Used to be so fatty they thought it was one big cancerous mass, and when it turned out it wasn't, I was just told there was nothing they could do about it and they'd see me again when I'd have cirrhosis and needed pain management. Before dying of it. Wonderful. Now it's fine, has been for over 5 years, as are my blood sugars. Nothing one can do, indeed!
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ might help some. I don't know how bad the thyroid's doing, but I managed to get away with cauliflower rice in spite of Hashimoto's. Dunno of that's an option for you though, but spiralised courgette could take its place. And avoid soy products like the plague, they leave a thin layer on the intestines that ruins the uptake of the thyroxine.

Keep a food diary. Check bloods before food and two hours after the first bite, see what happens. If your bloods keep going up in spite of your dietary measures, you might want to get checked for LADA, as it's already present in the family. ANnd if the GP stonewalls you, try getting a different one? Or just tell him how you feel about his unhelpfullness. Maybe offer to pay for the test yourself? But only if the low carb thing doesn't work... Because that'd be a red flag for you not heading for T2 but something else.

You'll be okay, and you are not alone in this.
Jo

 

[Dandelade]

Hi all: prediabetic, fatty liver, high blood cholesterol, hypothyroidsm - all combined into a nasty package, oh and perimenopausal too, so welcome osteoporosis/arthritis as well!

Does anyone have some advice on what I should be eating with all my conditions listed above? I've looked online and most sites are all about the meditarrean diet but then I look at what I should be eating and there's legumes and grains in there?? I thought I was doing good when started the low carb, high fat, but then doc says that will make matters worst when it comes to my bad cholesterol and fatty liver situation. Then I've got the hypothyroid to deal with, so no cruciferous veggies and soy/tempeh. He says it's all related, all my conditions above. Great! Now what do i eat? He wants to put me on statins. I fear what I am putting into my body. He didn't even recommend a blood glucose monitor, go figure. Basically, just deal with it, and will check in 4 months. But in the past 6 months, apart from each other, A1c didn't not improve, stayed at 6.1, even though I eliminated all grains, legumes, and fruit. Shouldn't that be a cause of concern that it didn't improve? His theory is that it didn't get worst?? My fasting blood did drop to 5.5 instead of 6.6, but that was probably because i didn't snack in the evening and had supper earlier than my usual late night suppers. I don't even know what I should take care of first, the fatty liver, the prediabetes, cholesterol, or hypothyroid? The GP is no help at all. He said see dietician on my own dime. Anyone else with all these issues? He said I have 6% chance of heart attack due to good cholesterol a bit higher than bad. Wow, how encouraging...not. I am so depressed and anxious and his solution is to push the anti-depressants as a temporary band-aid. The script is sitting in my file at the pharmacy, untouched. The problem here in Canada is that there is a shortage of family doctors, so without him, I have no access to any tests done, or referrals either. I asked for a referral to an Endo, and he says he's my family GP, no need for a specialist. Guess have to wait till I'm a full-blown diabetic, like my mother who is LADA-Type 1. Also, should I ask him for an Anti-Gad, and C-peptide, s well as Insulin bloodwork to be done or is it too early with an A1c of 6.1? I thought the whole idea of these bloods is to get an early start on treating it then waiting till it gets worst? He seems to have overlooked all that, and is pushing all kinds of tests for the liver instead, I am already vaccinated against Hep A & B when I was younger. Any advice or help would greatly be appreciated. thanks in advance everyone, sorry for the vent. I am at times, grasping for air.

Hi @Madisons, I have some insulin resistance, hypothyroid and high cholesterol too.

It’s my understanding cholesterol will be high if thyroid not optimally treated - somebody recommended another forum to help understanding of thyroid levels and whether you’re optimally treated yet. Lots of lovely support, just like here:
https://healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk/posts#mobile
Personally I’ve decided no on the statins until tsh under 1 (it’s 14.5 now!), even then Im not convinced - do lots of research and type statins into the search here.

I too had a look at diet for hypothyroid and as I was already lchf for insulin resistance had a little cry at yet more suggested restrictions. The good news the biggest suggested change for hypothyroid is gluten free - which I am without thinking. The cruciferous veg and dairy suggestions I’ve just put to one side for now, I can’t cope with more restrictions. I want to first get to an optimum thyroid treatment and if still feel bad when I’m at that point will revisit. No idea if that is the right call and would advocate you to research before you decide!

I found this website helpful in explaining why most people with hypothyroid and insulin resistance do well on low carb but some react badly to keto (and others it helps!):
https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/using-ketogenic-diet-hashimotos/

I totally understand how overwhelming everything can be, but you can do this! Just break up research into little chunks a day and make small changes a week until you get there.

 

[Madisons]

No need for a dietician, you can get help on here for free. And Dietdoctor.com is a site where you can pay, but don't actually have to to get a lot of free meal ideas. You'll take care of just about everything at once with a low carb, high fat diet, aided by your meter. So you don't really have to pick and choose what to tackle first. Your thyroid'll need help, and I'm assuming you're on additional thyroid hormones for that, but the fatty liver, cholesterol and prediabetes should do fine on the LCHF diet. Things can get a little confusing as there is a Mediterranean diet, and a Mediterranean branch within a LCHF diet, so those two get mushed together sometimes... But the LCHF version doesn't include grains and pulses, just focusses on the meat, dairy, veg and fish. (Same as the Scandinavian diet, which is the heavy on the fish).

My non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was supposed to kill me, but I've had the fat melt off of it in a matter of about two to three months, just by cutting the carbs right down. It was bad, basically... And now you might only be able to see I ever had it through an ultrasound, because my liver function, which was dramatic, has returned to normal values. Used to be so fatty they thought it was one big cancerous mass, and when it turned out it wasn't, I was just told there was nothing they could do about it and they'd see me again when I'd have cirrhosis and needed pain management. Before dying of it. Wonderful. Now it's fine, has been for over 5 years, as are my blood sugars. Nothing one can do, indeed!
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ might help some. I don't know how bad the thyroid's doing, but I managed to get away with cauliflower rice in spite of Hashimoto's. Dunno of that's an option for you though, but spiralised courgette could take its place. And avoid soy products like the plague, they leave a thin layer on the intestines that ruins the uptake of the thyroxine.

Keep a food diary. Check bloods before food and two hours after the first bite, see what happens. If your bloods keep going up in spite of your dietary measures, you might want to get checked for LADA, as it's already present in the family. ANnd if the GP stonewalls you, try getting a different one? Or just tell him how you feel about his unhelpfullness. Maybe offer to pay for the test yourself? But only if the low carb thing doesn't work... Because that'd be a red flag for you not heading for T2 but something else.

You'll be okay, and you are not alone in this.
Jo

Hi Jo,
Thanks for the encouragement for the LCHF diet for fatty liver reversal. Everyone tells me, including my GP and nurse, that going High Fat is a big no-no for those with fatty liver and high cholesterol. It would only make numbers worst? That's why I am so confused. And the fact that I am so hungry even after eating a huge portion, which I know, I'm not supposed to do in one seating, the poor pancreas and liver must be going OT with the portions I'm eating. I feel that I'm starving all the time. So drinking water is supposed to fill me up, but I want food, i'm hungry, not thirsty. I am worried that I've got another illness lurking around the corner, besides diabetes, hypo, cholesterol, osteoporosis, perimenopaus, etc... What type of excercise are you doing? I have no motivation. I've lost so much weight from worry and i guess from the prediabetes, but I still need to excercise for the fatty liver, etc...whatever I'm eating is going right to the belly and not anywhere else where i am skin and bones, lost about 10lbs since I cut out grains and fruit. So frustrating. Earlier this evening, I was so stressed that I ate almost half a bag of keto-granola, loaded with saturated fat, and then felt like ****, knowing my fatty liver will be paying for it. I have to work on my portion control, which right now, I have none. I can eat a whole head of broccoli, and I know the fructose in that one serving will be bad for the liver again even though it's supposed to be healthy. Thanks again Jo for always being so helpful and providing so much knowledge to my very stressful, anxious self. Take good care.

 

[zand]

My non diabetic hubby was diagnosed with fatty liver around 2 months ago. The doctor advised him to follow the eatwell plate. I advised him to do LCHF and knowing I had cured my own fatty Iiver with LCHF, he followed my advice.

I prepared his food for him. A month later his ALT liver test had fallen from 123 to 59 and is now classed as borderline.

The key to the eating plan was to add saturated fats to stop him from being hungry. He switched from milk in coffee to double cream. I gave him more fried foods (using lard) and eggs than usual too.

His cholesterol won't be checked for another month. My own total cholesterol fell 2 whole points when I switched back to using saturated fats. Carbs are what cause fatty Iiver, not saturated fats.

I so wish that body fat and dietary fat had different names. It's very confusing.

 

[Lainie71]

Or annoy your doc, depending on their general persuasion

I love to annoy my DN - secretly

 

[Oldvatr]

The LC variant of the Mediterranean diet is called the Pioppi Diet. It is primarily aimed at heart patients but is easily adapted for diabetes. It is supported by Aseem Malhotra who is an eminent cardiologist. The town of Pioppi in Italy is known to have one of the lowest CVD events and mortality.

 

[Madisons]

My non diabetic hubby was diagnosed with fatty liver around 2 months ago. The doctor advised him to follow the eatwell plate. I advised him to do LCHF and knowing I had cured my own fatty Iiver with LCHF, he followed my advice.

I prepared his food for him. A month later his ALT liver test had fallen from 123 to 59 and is now classed as borderline.

The key to the eating plan was to add saturated fats to stop him from being hungry. He switched from milk in coffee to double cream. I gave him more fried foods (using lard) and eggs than usual too.

His cholesterol won't be checked for another month. My own total cholesterol fell 2 whole points when I switched back to using saturated fats. Carbs are what cause fatty Iiver, not saturated fats.

I so wish that body fat and dietary fat had different names. It's very confusing.

Hello!
Thanks for your reply. Could you tell me what you would eat in a typical meal? I am so confused, some liver sites say to avoid ALL and EVERYTHING coconut related as it is bad for the fatty liver, and everything leading to diabetes, and cholesterol. I am eating this Keto granola, full of pecans, almonds, seeds, and coconut flakes in coconut butter and oil. The bad thing I noticed in it was inulin (blue agave) which is terrible for fatty liver as it is pure fructose. If I'm eating this, it will surely be overkill for my fatty liver, even though they say inulin doesn't raise blood sugars quickly, so safe for prediabetes. Everything seems to contradict each other and I am still terrified of eating anything for fear of attacking one organ but ok for the other. Like legumes are great for the fatty liver, but killer for prediabetes. I also love avocados, is that going to kill me too? Thanks for your feedback on menu suggestions!

 

[Oldvatr]

Inulin is indee a fructan, i.e. contains fructose chains of molecules. It is often added to processed foods hence being listed on the granola packet. But the quantity wil normally be small. Looking at the research I posted earlier into fructose,it only becomes a problem when there is an excess. I.e. obesity, with fat cells filled up by earlier diet intake of high calories over long time period, and then a current diet of high carb +_high fructose meals so that when the fructose gets converted into lipids by the liver as normal., then there is nowhere to store it sensibly, so it gets stored non sensibly i,e, in the liver and pancreas. if you are low carbing or low calorie then it should not be a problem.

The coconut is despised because it is a medium chain fat which is one of the easiest for our bodies to metabolize so is perceived to become body fat faster than other oils and fats, This is only true in that the body loses less energy using it than breaking down other length chained fats. Or in using unsat fats to build up energy stores for future use, So coconut oil tends to increase the SFA levels in the blood, which is considered to be bad. The fact that our body likes SFA;s because they are more efficient to store and use no one seems to have considered. If our diet has no sat fat intake, then the liver creates it anyway, the fat in our blood is not dietary fat in the same way our cars would not run very well on crude oil.