Case Study: Fatty Liver

Recently I made a new friend who I am sure will become a lifelong buddy. She is a bubbly personality and has a huge circle of interesting friends. Her name is Delores Esteves.

As a doctor I could not help myself noticing that she displayed signs of a fatty liver as she had very red palms and a roll of fat around her upper abdomen. She also had dark circles under her eyes and a yellowish color in the whites of her eyes (sclera).

She had not come to me as a patient and I was probably being a bit cheeky but I could not resist telling her that she needed to check her liver!

I said to her that I wanted to run some liver tests but she has been so busy she has not had them done. She said to me “but I don’t drink alcohol and I don’t over eat so how could I have a liver problem?” I replied that most people with a fatty liver do not know they have a liver problem and we had to check her liver. I suggested to her that she begin to take Livatone Plus and N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) capsules and vitamin C. She started these supplements and kept going with her usual diet and alcohol free lifestyle.

Around 3 weeks later I noticed that she looked much better – in particular, the redness of her palms was around 50% less and her eyes were much clearer and she looked slimmer around her waist. I commented to her that she looked younger and her figure had improved. She replied “Guess what? I have lost 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) and it has all come off my abdomen”. I asked her if she had changed her diet and she said “No, my diet was good anyway”.

I was pleasantly surprised that she had responded so quickly to my recommendations and I encouraged her to continue.

This woman’s experience illustrates that many people with a fatty liver or dysfunctional liver do not have any idea they have a problem. This is why it is so important to have your liver function checked annually and if you are overweight or fatigued it is a good idea to have an ultrasound scan of your liver.

Many people erroneously think that if they do not drink alcohol that they can never have a liver problem.

Today we see a lot of so called cryptogenic (unexplained or mysterious) liver diseases which can eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver. This can sometimes be explained by food intolerances (such as gluten sensitivity) or over use of medications, but in many cases it is just because people do not give their liver the support it needs.

So who can benefit from taking a liver formula?

In my opinion it is people who –

• Have a chronic viral infection of the liver
• Are using prescription drugs – these must be broken down by the liver and many people are taking several drugs every day, which greatly increases the workload of the liver
• Are using over the counter drugs, especially painkillers or acetaminophen (paracetamol) – these must be broken down by the liver and can be particularly liver toxic, if excessive or daily doses are used. The combination of acetaminophen with coffee is especially toxic for the liver in those with hepatitis B or C.
• Drink ten or more glasses of alcohol a week
• Smoke cigarettes
• Consume sugar, fast foods, chemical food additives and/or microwaved cooked foods
• Live in a major city – where you are exposed to automobile exhausts, factory smog, crowded dirty places, water chlorination, fluoride and heavy metals etc.
• Are over 45 years of age – as you get older the various tubes and ducts leading from and to your liver, as well as the internal liver filter itself, often become dirty and/or clogged. They become laden with unhealthy fats, toxins, gallstones, sludge, hardened tissues and waste products of metabolism
• Drink soda pop and/or diet sodas containing artificial sweeteners, especially the sweetener aspartame – see www.dorway.com
• Are exposed to toxic chemicals and pollutants such as – insecticides, some antiperspirants, solvents, glues, aerosol sprays, some detergents, ammonia, hair dyes, nail varnish etc.
• Have high cholesterol and/or triglycerides
• Have skin problems

There are many other reasons that would make it wise to take a liver tonic on a regular daily basis or at the very least, twice a year for a two month course each time. This is especially true in the 21st century when the world has become increasingly polluted and crowded, and liver infections are increasing.

Your liver processes most of the millions of pounds of toxic chemicals and drugs released into the environment every year. An overload of these toxins can easily wear out your liver and leave you prone to developing a range of health problems.

Be careful with painkillers, especially acetaminophen (paracetamol), which can damage your liver. It is well known that overdosing on this popular painkiller can cause liver damage and death via liver necrosis and acute liver failure. A study, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reported the highest recommended dose of Tylenol® (acetaminophen or paracetamol) can quickly increase liver enzymes in healthy adults. Elevated enzymes are the first sign of liver damage. If you drink alcohol or have kidney problems, the risk of liver damage from paracetamol is increased significantly.

Your liver is under attack 24 hours, 7 days a week, so it’s vital to support its functions and reduce its risk of damage. If you have a clean and unclogged liver, you will have extra years of energetic living to enjoy.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.