Insulin Resistance and Fatty Liver

[MickieB]

Hello,

I'm in a bit of muddle at the moment and would greatly appreciate any advice/tips anyone can offer on the best ways to reduce insulin resistance and tackle fatty liver?!
Basically, I'm really struggling with the symptoms of insulin resistance at the moment - constant fatigue, irritability, mood swings and huge cravings and hunger.
And I think my liver is going absolutely crazy at the moment - I always get BG spikes around 4am-ish and constantly wake up multiple times in the early hours drenched in sweat (sorry for the TMI!), and I always get huge hunger urges throughout the night when I wake up. (And yet when I test my BG it's high not the 3am dip/hypo normal people get).
I'm desperately trying keto and IF (one meal a day) - but even 15g carbs from just high-fibre veggies will still cause a BG increase of 2...
Is the problem the fact it's 15g of carbs in one go which will prevent me getting into ketosis?
But which would be better - fasting for essentially 22 hours a day to try and drive down insulin levels or reducing the carbs in that one meal even further?
But I'm just concerned about how few vegetables/fibre etc. I'd be getting if I minimised carbs even more as I need to try and fix my inflamed liver etc. too and just restricting veg won't be doing that any good?!
Any advice would be HUGELY welcomed!!

Thanks!

Hello…I came on here some time ago with prediabetes. I seemed to turn it around but I still felt wrong/unwell. I was told I was no longer in the diabetes ranges…basically go home, there’s nothing wrong. In desperation I approached a private GP. He carried out a whole host of tests and diagnosed IR and the start of fatty-liver! He advised that I eat low/no carbs, lower my fat intake (not low fat processed foods), and increase my proteins. Basically high protein/low carb and fat. My body won’t use up my excess fat if I’m eating fat. It’s difficult but I work at it.
It was also suggested I work up to, maybe, a five day fast. I’ve not tried that yet.
Anyway, all of this was after a proper diagnosis, I’m on a cocktail of prescribed supplements based on my body’s needs, and I’ll be reviewed after six months.
You need a diagnosis and advice. NHS is unlikely to help much…think of how much carbs they suggest for a diabetic!
Try DietDoctor.com

Hello,

I'm in a bit of muddle at the moment and would greatly appreciate any advice/tips anyone can offer on the best ways to reduce insulin resistance and tackle fatty liver?!
Basically, I'm really struggling with the symptoms of insulin resistance at the moment - constant fatigue, irritability, mood swings and huge cravings and hunger.
And I think my liver is going absolutely crazy at the moment - I always get BG spikes around 4am-ish and constantly wake up multiple times in the early hours drenched in sweat (sorry for the TMI!), and I always get huge hunger urges throughout the night when I wake up. (And yet when I test my BG it's high not the 3am dip/hypo normal people get).
I'm desperately trying keto and IF (one meal a day) - but even 15g carbs from just high-fibre veggies will still cause a BG increase of 2...
Is the problem the fact it's 15g of carbs in one go which will prevent me getting into ketosis?
But which would be better - fasting for essentially 22 hours a day to try and drive down insulin levels or reducing the carbs in that one meal even further?
But I'm just concerned about how few vegetables/fibre etc. I'd be getting if I minimised carbs even more as I need to try and fix my inflamed liver etc. too and just restricting veg won't be doing that any good?!
Any advice would be HUGELY welcomed!!

Thanks!

 

[NicoleC1971]

Hello,

I'm in a bit of muddle at the moment and would greatly appreciate any advice/tips anyone can offer on the best ways to reduce insulin resistance and tackle fatty liver?!
Basically, I'm really struggling with the symptoms of insulin resistance at the moment - constant fatigue, irritability, mood swings and huge cravings and hunger.
And I think my liver is going absolutely crazy at the moment - I always get BG spikes around 4am-ish and constantly wake up multiple times in the early hours drenched in sweat (sorry for the TMI!), and I always get huge hunger urges throughout the night when I wake up. (And yet when I test my BG it's high not the 3am dip/hypo normal people get).
I'm desperately trying keto and IF (one meal a day) - but even 15g carbs from just high-fibre veggies will still cause a BG increase of 2...
Is the problem the fact it's 15g of carbs in one go which will prevent me getting into ketosis?
But which would be better - fasting for essentially 22 hours a day to try and drive down insulin levels or reducing the carbs in that one meal even further?
But I'm just concerned about how few vegetables/fibre etc. I'd be getting if I minimised carbs even more as I need to try and fix my inflamed liver etc. too and just restricting veg won't be doing that any good?!
Any advice would be HUGELY welcomed!!

Thanks!

I'd say don't worry about a spike of 2 from those veggies. It is more likely in fact that your liver has chucked this out via the mechanism of glucagon stimulating a glucose release.
If this is your first week or 2 of low carb then the symptoms may just be about changing your fuel supply from glucose to fat.
If it isn't then these symptoms sound wrong. It shouldn't be that hard so why the urgency and the intensity?
Ho

 

[SteadyAim]

Thank you for this!
It does seem from pretty much everything I read at the moment that keto seems to be the best way to tackle both my BG and liver issues.

I think part of my problem is I'm trying to be too restrictive with my diet - keto cuts out all carbs, for my liver (and weight) I'm trying to cut out saturated fats (but taking omega 3 supplements for the 'good fats' to help my liver), but also wanting to help the liver with an anti-inflammatory diet with suggests no diary (at least in the initial stage to give it a good detox) And to top it off I've been veggie for pretty much all my life also so I've got no meat protein sources....

I wouldn't worry about saturated fats, there are studies suggesting sat fat is good for the liver. I suggest you make sure you're getting lots of protein, that's very important for health. As a veggie, that suggests plenty of eggs and dairy as well as plant sources like lentils. Have you tried counting up how many g of protein you generally eat per day?
Choline is important for the liver as well, best source of choline in the diet - eggs, good idea to eat eggs most days.