Also known as the miracle root, Turmeric is often referred to as the ‘golden spice’ found in India and many parts of Asia. We’ve all heard of its amazing benefits on the human body but here, we will focus mainly on how it “cures” a Fatty Liver. This will be the first of a four-part series featuring Turmeric, Apple Cider Vinegar, Green Tea, and Milk Thistle.
The Fatty Liver – Unknowingly more common regardless of age.
The Liver functions as the true detoxifier in the body. It identifies and removes toxins and harmful chemicals you may have ingested or inhaled. Most people take the liver for granted yet it is one of the most hardworking organs in the body and the second largest, breaking down fats, oils, and especially alcohol. Unlike the gallbladder which can be removed yet allows us to live, the liver is a vital organ that is very hard to replace.
The Fatty Liver, or hepatic steatosis, happens when there is an abnormal buildup of fat in the liver. Not many people are aware of having a fatty liver and its effects on the body. Some doctors even take it lightly as something not urgent or anything of concern. But, having a fatty liver causes more harm than good as it slows down your digestive system thereby affecting the gallbladder in the process. It can go undetected until it’s too late resulting in liver cirrhosis (scarred liver tissue from large amounts of fat content). It can affect people as young as sixteen years old from poor diet habits and alcohol consumption.
Certainly, the best ways of reversing a fatty liver is a lifestyle change. Exercise and eating proper food is a no-brainer and of course necessary. Here are some things to do to heal your liver:
- Limit or avoid beverages containing alcohol
- Maintain healthy cholesterol levels and reducing your intake of sugars and saturated fats (beware of any ingredient that says Sucrose, Fructose or Corn Syrup)
- Attain a healthy weight according to your height
- Checking on your blood sugar levels
During the early stages, you can reverse fatty liver disease when you reduce or eliminate junk food and foods high in sugar and bad fats from your meals. Balance is the key, and remember the basic rule, “too much of anything is never good”. So choosing healthier food such as fruits, vegetables (preferably organic), whole grains, and healthy fats commonly found in nuts and avocados and instead of red meats, opt for lean proteins like chicken, turkey, and fish also avoiding sweetened drinks like juices and sodas is definitely the way to go.
As earlier mentioned, a fatty liver can go undetected until it’s too late. To know if you have one, you can have yourself checked through ultrasound, CT or MRI scan, or to be more accurate, a liver biopsy. If after your check-up you find out you have a fatty liver, fret not, it is actually reversible. Though it may take some time, here is where we learn how Turmeric aids the fatty liver in its reversing process into becoming normal.
Turmeric has positive and negative effects, but the general rule is everything in moderation. There are a number of ways to ingest turmeric to help reverse the fatty liver. It can be mixed with various dishes or if you opt for the powder form, taken as a tea. Without further ado, here are four ways it can aid in your healing process:
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It has anti-inflammatory properties
Since the liver gets inflamed through the excessive amounts of fat, turmeric can reduce the inflammation with its main property called curcumin. Paired with piperine found in black pepper, you can have better absorption of these elements thereby giving better and faster aid to the liver.
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It can relieve abdominal pain
Quite a number of people and even doctors have shared their good experience with turmeric as a pain reliever especially those suffering from arthritis. Some fatty liver can cause abdominal pain, so turmeric can also help relieve this.
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Turmeric may help prevent liver cancer
If left unchecked and continues to persist, fatty liver can escalate dangerously to liver disease, cirrhosis, or even cancer. Though it varies from person to person, the risks are the same and ultimately resulting in death. Turmeric has been lauded as of late and recent studies have shown that it can prevent abnormal growths in cells — having anti-inflammatory properties, this can certainly be the main factor.
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It can aid your stomach’s digestion
Turmeric not only adds delicious flavor to food but also plays an important role in helping digest the food. This can aid people with fatty liver because having fatty liver slows down your body’s ability to digest food and breaking down enzymes. Consuming turmeric, with its antioxidant properties, will contribute to healthy digestion.
Stay tuned to the second part of our series! We’ll link it here soon. If you’re ready to add Turmeric to your diet today, check out our Top 3 Best Turmeric Supplements list below.
Our Top 3 Best Turmeric Supplements on the Market Today
If you’re interested in adding this “super supplement” to your daily diet, see our picks below for the top 3 Best Turmeric supplements on the market today. There are literally hundreds of choices but these 3 have been highly recommended by nutrition and medical specialists.
1MD Advanced Turmeric Curcumin X285
No “additives.” All natural, and made in the USA in an FDA-approved facility. Also highly endorsed by a prolific cardiologist, Dr. Michael Fenster, who says, “As a Board Certified Cardiologist, I stand behind 1MD’s Advanced Turmeric Curcumin x285 formula which combines two clinically studied, patented ingredients, Longvida® Turmeric Curcumin, and WokVel® Boswellia Serrata, both clinically shown to boost systemic health.”
Solgar Turmeric Root Extract
Our value pick, this Turmeric extract from Solgar provides about 80% as much turmeric extract as a typical supplement on the market at half the cost! The ingredients are straightforward – 400 mg of turmeric extract per capsule, and notably, no black pepper extract like many of the competitors.
Lumen Naturals Turmeric Curcumin 1200
This supplement from Lumen Naturals is a great choice for those seeking a high dosage of straight turmeric root extract, combined with a few boosters of additional bioactive compounds. Each cellulose (i.e vegan) capsule provides 600 mg of pure turmeric root extract alongside 50 mg of highly purified curcuminoids, the primary bioactive compounds in turmeric root and 5 mg of BioPerine, which is a proprietary black pepper extract preparation.