You’ve probably heard a lot about how important it is to take care of your liver.  This is very true, as the liver plays such an integral role in maintaining our overall health.  “But what exactly does the liver do that’s so important?”, you ask.  Here are some very important functions that our liver performs:

– It helps to maintain hormonal balance.
– It produces bile, to help assist in digestion.
– It screens and detoxifies potentially harmful toxins.
– It produces cholesterol.
– It plays an integral role in fat breakdown or storage.
– It helps to regulate blood sugar levels.

As you can see, your liver is very important!  Unfortunately, our modern lifestyle and dietary habits makes our liver less able to perform all of these functions optimally.  In some cases, the liver cells can start to accumulate too much fat, leading to a medical condition known as “Fatty Liver Disease”.

When we hear about Fatty Liver Disease we typically associate this with chronic heavy alcohol use; however, many cases of Fatty Liver Disease are not due to alcohol intake, and this is known as “Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease” or “NAFLD”.  Fatty Liver Disease is fairly prevalent, affecting up to 25% of the population.

Since Fatty Liver Disease is largely ignored and untreated by your doctor, many people assume that it does not have any real impact on their health.  This couldn’t be further from the truth – just because it is not affecting your health acutely, doesn’t mean it will not affect your health long-term.  Here is a list of symptoms one might experience with fatty liver disease:

– Fatigue
– Weight Gain
– Abdominal Discomfort
– Gas, Bloating, and Poor Digestion

In addition to these, there may be a reduced ability to eliminate toxins, balance hormones, maintain adequate digestion, and regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Since NAFLD is strongly associated with obesity, we will often implement dietary measures to help you reach a healthy weight.  In addition to this, we will often get our patients started on a thorough detoxification plan to help eliminate toxins that may be impairing liver function.  We will also utilize dietary supplements, herbal medicines, and IV (intravenous) nutrient therapy to reduce inflammation, increase antioxidants, and protect and heal the liver cells.  This naturopathic approach can help many people with Fatty Liver Disease see an improvement in their symptoms and prevent long-term health issues.

Yours in health,

Dr. Michael Morsillo, H.B.Sc., N.D.
Newmarket Naturopathic Doctor
16655 Yonge Street, Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844 ext. 135
dr.morsillo@gmail.com
www.drmorsillo.com