I thought I should post my notes taken from the Plant Based Nutrition Conference on NonAlcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. This is a huge problem in our North American culture. Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, MBA gave this lecture in September 2022. When fat exceeds 5 % of the liver you are diagnosed with fatty liver disease. 1 in 3 people in the US have fatty liver. The # 1 factor is weight management. Sugar sweetened beverages increase the risk of developing a fatty liver; having 1 cup a week increases the risk by 14%. Having 1-6 cups/ week increases the risk by 26%; >7 cups/week increases risk by 53%. Fatty liver develops because of the extra calories consumed not the sugar itself or the fructose but the extra calories consumed from sugar sweetened beverages. It is associated with gut dysbiosis. Fructose increases NAFLD because of extra calories. It is entirely reversible by lifestyle. NASH is not reversible. Saturated fat increases NAFLD more than sugar or fructose.
Intermittent fasting can help prevent chronic disease by influencing the microbiome, decreasing body weight, decreasing liver enzymes AST and ALT. Periodic fasting even one day a month can help. Or doing five days fasting per month. You could do water only or veg/fruit juice- 500 calories a day. Fasting for 8.5 days decreased liver fat by 30%. Time restricted eating involves 16 hours of fasting. 6 hour eating window is the sweet spot. People that ate 2 meals/day vs 6 meals/day- decreased fasting plasma glucose, decreased fatty liver disease by 21%, decreased c-peptide, depression improved, hunger improved.
Vegan diet decreases liver fat 39%; increases the thermic effect of food by 14%. In conclusion, you can prevent NAFLD by weight management. Saturated fat increases fatty liver by more than sugar or fructose. Diet and exercise decrease body weight and decrease AST. Intermittent fasting can prevent and treat chronic disease including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity; intermittent fasting has profound effects on our metabolism, fat and glucose metabolism and influences our microbiome. IF reduces body weight , AST and ALT. Keto diets can increase lipids and liver enzymes. Fasting one day/month can decrease liver fat and reduce Covid mortality.
Low fat Vegan diets increase energy expenditure. Increases the thermic effect (the amount of energy that you release from the body in terms of heat). Eating 2 meals/day better than 6 meals/day to increase insulin sensitivity; fatty liver decreases. Plant based eating is magic in terms of lowering oxidative stress. The spice ginger reduces oxidative stress and reduces liver fat. The spices turmeric and black cumin seed reduce oxidative stress and liver fat. Eating a vegan diet- the quality is high. Plant based diets decrease liver fat by 34% in 6 weeks. Plant based diets address root causes of NAFLD by addressing insulin resistance, obesity, hyperlipidemia and inflammatory cytokines. Eating more beans, lentils, and peas in your diet is a start. To learn more about eating a plant based diet, please book an appointment with me at Parallel Wellness. Kind regards, Dr. Vinge 4032321283
Reference: Lecture given by Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, MBA at the Plant Based Nutrition Conference in Palm Springs, California September 2022