Ivan saw a physiotherapist to help him manage the injury and he was improving, but he noticed that his hands were becoming increasingly stiff and sore. He couldn’t clench his fists and found it impossible to open jars. A previous knee injury he incurred 6 years ago began hurting again.

His local doctor recommended over the counter pain killers that Ivan picked up from the pharmacy. They did help reduce the pain and stiffness approximately 50 percent but Ivan’s wife kept insisting he go back to his doctor and request some blood tests. Ivan worked in sales and spent a lot of time driving. He found that his knee and hands became a lot sorer after making long trips.

The blood test result showed normal levels of C-reactive protein but elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This meant there was inflammation in Ivan’s body. Rheumatoid factor was checked and was mildly elevated. Ivan’s blood level of vitamin B12 was low, so I recommended he take a supplement.

Ivan saw a rheumatologist who put him on Prednisone and Methotrexate. They did work but Ivan was uncomfortable with potential long term side effects and sought an alternative treatment at my clinic.

My recommendations for my patient

• Ivan’s most recent blood test showed elevated liver enzymes. This was most likely due to the Methotrexate. I gave him my liver tonic Livatone Plus to help protect his liver cells and help damaged liver cells to regenerate. Liver inflammation typically produces fatigue, thus the liver tonic should lift his energy as well.
• Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. That means Ivan’s own immune system was attacking his joints. Certain foods can irritate the immune system of people with rheumatoid arthritis, leading to auto-antibody production. These include gluten, dairy products, legumes and nightshade vegetables. I asked Ivan to follow the eating plan in the book Healing Autoimmune Disease: A plan to help your immune system and reduce inflammation. His diet was pretty good already. Ivan had lost 18 pounds soon after he was diagnosed with arthritis, in an effort to improve his health and try to reduce the joint pain.
• Serrapeptase is a natural enzyme that fights inflammation in the body. It works like Pac Man, eating up swelling and debris in places it shouldn’t be. It is excellent at helping to relieve joint pain.
• As with all my patients, I checked Ivan’s blood level of vitamin D. It was low. Not surprising, since he has fair skin and stays out of the sun, and works long hours so doesn’t really get the time to go outside. Vitamin D and selenium both help to reduce inflammation and reduce auto-antibody production in autoimmune disease, therefore I asked Ivan to take supplements.

I plan to see Ivan again in 5 weeks to check on his response and determine our next step.

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

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 medium beets, peeled
• 1 large carrot, peeled
• 1 handful parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 small cucumber, sliced

Method

Grate the beets and carrot either with a grater or food processor.  Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Serve.

If your liver enzymes are found to be elevated on a blood test for liver function then this test should be repeated by 6 weeks.

Common causes of elevated liver enzymes include –

• Fatty liver
• Excess alcohol causing alcoholic liver disease
• Early cirrhosis
• Viral hepatitis
• Hemachromatosis (hereditary iron overload)
• Drug side effects on the liver – the most common drug culprits are statins (cholesterol lowering drugs), analgesics, Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), antibiotics, anti-epileptics, and immune-suppressant drugs. NSAIDs are available over the counter and will soon require a warning that they can be liver toxic and prolonged use is not advised. Also it is good to remember that acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) can be very liver toxic.

Elevations of the liver enzyme GGT (gamma glutamyltransferase usually indicate alcohol or drug side effects.

Elevations of ALT or AST (alanine amino transferase or aspartate aminotransferase) usually indicate inflammation due to hepatitis, toxic injury from drugs or iron overload.

Elevations of ALP (alkaline phosphatase) may indicate slow bile flow or infiltration of the liver with cancer. ALP may also come from the bone.

If liver enzymes remain elevated over several months, further tests must be done and these include, blood iron studies, hepatitis virus tests, blood copper levels, auto-antibody levels and an ultrasound of the liver. A Fibroscan of the liver can be done to check for cirrhosis and in some cases a liver biopsy may be needed. It is wise to also consult a liver specialist (hepatologist).

Elevated liver enzymes indicate inflammation of liver cells and thus damage to liver cells. It is important to stop this inflammation to prevent cirrhosis of the liver.

Essential nutrients to support healthy liver function and to reduce liver inflammation include –

• NAC
• Selenium
• A comprehensive liver formula such as Livatone Plus which contains activated B vitamins to increase methylation
• A raw juice to heal the liver can be made from kale, cabbage, mint, parsley, lime, lemon, orange, carrots and ginger
• The diet should be high in fruits and vegetables and easily digested protein such as bone broth, grass fed red meat, nuts and seeds. Avoid sugar and processed foods containing trans-fats.
• If you have autoimmune liver disease such as autoimmune hepatitis, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC) or Sclerosing Cholangitis it is vital to follow a gluten free diet.

If liver disease is picked up early, and before end stage cirrhosis sets in, it is usually possible to reverse it and restore a healthy liver.

Of all the organs in the body, the liver is most able to regenerate itself

Reference

BMJ 2001; 322:276-78

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

It is especially helpful in younger people who are not obese. These people are typically not thought to be at risk of fatty liver disease.

Researchers have found there is a strong association between blood levels of uric acid and fatty liver. Uric acid is normally elevated in people with gout. Smaller elevations in uric acid can also indicate a person has a fatty liver, even if the level isn’t high enough to cause gout.

Scientists conducted a prospective cohort study to check the association between blood uric acid levels and the risk of non alcoholic fatty liver disease in young adults under 45 years of age. None of the participants had a fatty liver at the start of the study and none of them were obese. The study ran for nearly 10 years.

Fasting uric acid levels were measured at the start, and then participants were divided into four groups, based on how much their uric acid level rose during the duration of the study. Liver health was determined using fasting abdominal ultrasound scans, with follow up conducted every 2 years.

Results found that as blood uric acid level rose, so did the accumulation of fat inside the liver. The study authors made the following statement:

“The increase of serum uric acid within the physiological range, even if it doesn’t reach the level of hyperuricemia, will impose a significant burden on the occurrence of non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Therefore, further research is needed to determine at what level serum uric acid should be ultimately controlled to be beneficial to the human body.”

Why does fatty liver raise uric acid?

Fatty liver disease occurs when excess fat accumulates in the liver. This can lead to inflammation, scarring, and eventually liver failure in some people. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is usually caused by metabolic syndrome, obesity, and insulin resistance. Gut dysbiosis (overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria in the intestines) is often a contributing factor as well.

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis caused by the build up of uric acid crystals in joints. The build up leads to intense pain, swelling, and redness in the affected area. Gout most commonly affects the joint at the base of the big toe but can involve other joints as well. Ankles are often affected.

A person is more likely to develop gout if they suffer with obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, and if their diet is high in sugar or alcohol.

Both fatty liver and elevated uric acid are associated with insulin resistance, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Uric acid can contribute to the development and progression of fatty liver by promoting oxidative stress, inflammation, and scarring inside the liver.

Solutions to manage uric acid and fatty liver

The same healthy diet and lifestyle strategies can help reduce the risk of both conditions because they address the underlying insulin resistance.

• Minimise or avoid alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of gout. Beer is the worst type of alcohol, followed by spirits and wine.
• Sugar reduces your body’s ability to excrete uric acid. Fructose is the specific sugar most strongly linked with gout. That’s because in order to use it for energy, your liver must first convert the fructose to glucose. This process creates uric acid. That means it’s important to avoid foods that contain sugar, high fructose corn syrup or fructose. Consuming too much carbohydrate in general will also make you more prone to gout. That means it’s best to reduce your intake of bread, pasta, breakfast cereals and any food that is made of flour. This is an effective way to lose weight too and there’s an eating plan plus recipes in the book called I Can’t Lose Weight and I Don’t Know Why. Glicemic Balance capsules contain herbs and nutrients designed to stabilize your blood sugar level. This means you’ll have less hunger and fewer cravings for carbs.
• Caffeine reduces your body’s ability to excrete uric acid. Therefore it’s important to cut down on coffee, tea, energy drinks and other sources of caffeine if you are prone to elevated uric acid.
• Celery helps to clear uric acid from your body and eating lots of it can shorten the duration of a gout attack. Celery is a natural diuretic and supports healthy kidney function. You can include celery in raw vegetable juices, eat it raw in salads or cooked in soups. The book Raw Juices Can Save Your Life contains a vast array of healthy raw juice recipes.
• Have a blood test and ultrasound scan of your liver to check if you have a fatty liver. Often there are no symptoms, but having a fatty liver increases the risk of a lot of different health problems, especially a heart attack or stroke. See the book Fatty Liver: You Can Reverse It for practical tips on how to reverse fatty liver. My liver tonic Livatone Plus helps to make your liver more efficient at burning fat. This means it can help clear the fat out of a fatty liver and enable weight loss from other parts of the body as well.

Reference

Reference

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

Lyndsey was 5 foot, eight inches tall and she weighed 208 pounds. That gave her a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 31 and only just put her into the obese category. Lyndsey had recently retired. She had a lot of hobbies that kept her active throughout the day; she enjoyed gardening and bike riding, and she walked to the nearby shopping center most days instead of driving. She definitely didn’t sit and watch television most of the day like some of her slim friends did, therefore was very puzzled as to why she still couldn’t lose any weight.

Consultations with a local doctor and dietitian diagnosed her with a very slow metabolism, so the recommendation was to eat very small portions of food. Anyone can lose some weight by eating very little, but who wants to spend the rest of their life feeling hungry? Instead, I wanted to find out why Lyndsey couldn’t lose weight.

After Lyndsey had completed the thorough questionnaire I gave her, I noticed that she only had a bowel movement every three or four days. That was the first clue for her very slow metabolic rate. A sluggish bowel indicates a sluggish liver, as the liver produces bile which has a gentle laxative effect. Ideally Lyndsey would have a bowel movement every day; the fact that she wasn’t achieving this gave me clues to the health of her liver. Constipated people almost always do not lose weight easily. It is vitally important to get your bowels moving if you wish to lose weight. A complication was the fact that Lyndsey had her gallbladder removed 6 years ago. Initially she experienced chronic diarrhea, but in recent years she was constipated. The function of the gallbladder is to store and concentrate bile. This meant Lyndsey was missing out on the laxative effect of bile, and she also wasn’t absorbing essential fatty acids well enough. This caused dry skin and dry eyes. I asked Lyndsey to take one ox bile capsule with each meal.

Most mornings Lyndsey ate gluten free cereal for breakfast with soy milk. For lunch she ate a wrap made of regular wheat flour. Her evening meal was always healthy and comprised of some kind of protein and vegetables. Gluten and milk typically gave Lyndsey reflux and abdominal bloating, so she tried to minimize her intake of these foods. Lyndsey asked her doctor to order a blood test before she came to see me. I noticed that her thyroid hormone levels were not ideal. She was in the grey zone; her thyroid gland was beginning to struggle but her hormone levels were not yet low enough to be diagnosed with an under active thyroid gland. This is called subclinical hypothyroidism and is incredibly common. So many of my patients have a thyroid gland problem yet are not receiving adequate help for it. The sluggish thyroid function was contributing to Lyndsey’s sluggish bowel function and it was making weight loss very difficult.

I arranged another blood test for Lyndsey called thyroid antibodies, because I wanted to see what was responsible for her under active thyroid function. The test was positive, which means Lyndsey had the earliest stages of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. We had to work on improving her immune system before it did too much damage to her thyroid gland and she was left with permanent hypothyroidism.

What I did for my patient

• I asked Lyndsey to completely remove gluten from her diet. This was essential in order to stop the production of thyroid antibodies, which cause destruction to the thyroid gland. There is no such thing as a low gluten diet; she had to remove all traces of it. Lyndsey could make a protein powder smoothie using whey protein for breakfast. It is quick, easy and very filling. It should also help to make weight loss easier and faster.
• I gave Lyndsey my liver tonic Livatone in order to improve the ability of her liver to burn fat, and also to encourage bile production, which helped her sluggish bowel.
• I gave Lyndsey Thyroid Health capsules in order to support her struggling thyroid gland. These capsules contain everything the thyroid gland needs to produce normal levels of hormones, and the nutrients in these capsules improve the health of the tissue in the thyroid gland. The Vitamin D and selenium in particular in these capsules help to reduce thyroid antibody production. The iodine encourages healthy hormone levels and can speed up a sluggish metabolism.

For more information about overcoming thyroid conditions, see the book Your Thyroid Problems Solved.

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

A recent international study involving more than 1300 people with biopsy diagnosed fatty liver disease showed almost one in seven of them was lean, as defined by a BMI under 25. All those people had non alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is also called metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). The metabolic dysfunction is insulin resistance, and slim looking people can be insulin resistant.

Over the long term, fatty liver can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Interestingly, the research showed that being slim did not protect against one of those consequences. This is a worry because slim people are less likely to be motivated to change their diet to heal their liver, as weight loss is the usual instigator for diet change.

Of all the lean patients with a fatty liver in this study, they were more likely to be younger men, with an average age of 45 years. The author of the study said “These observations, supported by the results of a recent and comprehensive meta-analysis, suggest that a BMI-driven approach to detecting patients with MAFLD can be misleading and should be reconsidered as metabolic derangements can arise independent of obesity and in the absence of intervention patients’ liver-related prognosis ultimately depends on the degree of liver damage.”

Fatty liver often goes hand in hand with type 2 diabetes, and it’s definitely also possible to be a slim diabetic. This highlights the fact that BMI (Body Mass Index) is not the most reliable way to assess a patient’s weight. Waist circumference and hip to waist ratio are better, as they focus more on fat around the torso, which is the danger spot for fatty liver.

Fatty liver is reversible in almost all cases. Here are my recommendations on how to do that:

Conventional or orthodox medicine has no specific therapy or drug treatment to reverse a fatty liver. Indeed, several drugs such as cholesterol lowering drugs and pain killers can make a fatty liver worse. There is much that can be done through diet and lifestyle to reverse a fatty liver although this process usually takes between six to 12 months. Sugar and carbohydrate rich foods such as bread, pasta, cakes, cookies, donuts, muffins, refined and processed cereals and packaged snack foods such as pretzels, chips and crackers must be minimized in the diet or eliminated altogether.

The diet needs to be based on plenty of vegetables along with protein such as seafood, poultry, eggs and red meat (preferably grass-fed), or a protein powder. Fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes and healthy fats should also be included in the diet.

It can be extremely difficult to start a new healthy eating regime. That’s why I wrote the book Fatty Liver: You Can Reverse It. I give you a precise step by step plan on how to restore the health of your liver.

To support your liver function, I recommend Livatone Plus which has a proven track record as a liver protector and restorer. This means it helps liver cells to repair themselves and this hastens the reversal of fatty liver. Livatone Plus also improves the fat burning functions of the liver. Livatone Plus is the world’s leading liver formula and has been used for over 20 years by holistic doctors and naturopaths. Selenium is very important for those with liver inflammation due to infections. A number of infections can adversely affect the liver and cause fat accumulation; these include hepatitis, mononucleosis and cytomegalovirus.

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

Reference: BMI ‘misleading’ in detecting metabolic fatty liver disease • The Medical Republic

Thirty five pounds overweight and carrying the majority of her excess weight over her abdomen, Maree had been trying unsuccessfully to lose weight for the last eight years.  She noticed some mild discomfort over the right upper part of her abdomen after rich meals or after consuming alcohol.

Maree contracted Epstein Barr virus 7 months ago, and although she was over the worst symptoms, she still felt incredibly exhausted and after dinner each evening all she wanted to do was sit on the sofa, watch a bit of television and then go to bed.  However, no matter how much she slept, she still didn’t feel refreshed and energetic the next day.

Maree didn’t receive much help from her doctor.  She told her not to worry about the fatty liver and encouraged her to lose weight, and then her liver would fix itself.  The problem was Maree found weight loss almost impossible; she had to almost starve herself just to lose 5 pounds.  It just wasn’t worth the tremendous effort, and going on a diet always made her even more exhausted.

My Recommendations

The first thing I did was put Maree on my Selenomune Designer Energy capsules.  This formula is rich in selenium and other minerals that support energy production in the body.  I refer to selenium as a viral birth control pill because it has the ability to inhibit the replication and spread of viruses in the body.  People who are selenium deficient are more prone to picking up viral infections, and they remain sick for longer because their body has a much harder time killing the virus.

I also gave Maree my liver tonic called Livatone Plus.  It provides the nutrients her liver needed in order to burn fat more efficiently.  This would speed up the reversal of her fatty liver.  Livatone Plus contains the herb St Mary’s Thistle, which has the ability to restore compromised, inflamed liver cells. Once the health of her liver improves, she will be able to burn fat more efficiently from everywhere on her body, and finally lose weight.

I also gave Maree an NAC supplement. NAC stands for n-acetyl cysteine and it is used by the liver for glutathione production. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and it reduces excessive inflammation in the body.

When it came to her diet, Maree had been eating a lot of bread, crackers and pasta.  She said she needed to eat a lot of those foods because they are quick and easy to prepare and they give her some energy.  It’s true that they are fast to prepare, but these foods are all digested into sugar and the liver uses the sugar to create fat.  Fat is then stored inside the liver and other parts of the body.  Sugar and carbohydrate rich foods do provide you with a quick burst of energy when you really need it, but as soon as your blood sugar drops again, you’ll be tired, sleepy and craving sugar again.

I asked Maree to follow the eating plan in my book Fatty Liver: You Can Reverse It.  It is lower in carbohydrate and higher in protein and healthy fats, and will help her to lose weight and clear the fatty liver.  I allowed Maree to have small amounts of rice in the first month, because she didn’t feel like she could cut all grains from her diet initially.

I have been seeing Maree for 3 months and so far she has lost 22 pounds.  She is feeling far more energetic and now has refreshing sleep.  I will order another ultrasound scan of her liver in 3 months time to check on her liver’s progress.  Fatty liver usually takes between 6 months and 2 years to clear, so we may have to wait a little longer.

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

In most cases liver damage can be assessed with a simple blood test called a liver function test.  This test measures levels of 4 different enzymes present in liver cells.  These enzymes are:

• AST (aspartate aminotransferase).  The normal range is 5-45 U/L
• ALT (alanine aminotransferase).  The normal range is 5-45 U/L
• AP (alkaline phosphatase).  The normal range is 30-120 U/L.  AP is sometimes raised in non-liver related conditions.
• GGT (gamma glutamyl transpeptidase).  The normal range is 5-35 U/L

These enzymes belong in your liver cells, where they carry out a range of important functions.  If your liver cells become damaged, the enzymes leak into your bloodstream and give an elevated reading on a blood test.

If you have recently finished a course of antibiotics, or you have been taking them long term, it is vitally important to ask your doctor for a liver function test to check on the health of your liver.

Besides antibiotics, a number of other medications also have the potential to cause liver inflammation; these include:

• Anticonvulsants, such as drugs used to treat epilepsy.
• Oral antifungal medication.
• Cholesterol lowering drugs called statins.
• Acetaminophen (paracetamol).
• Lithium
• Isotretinoin (Accutane or Roaccutane) used to treat severe acne.

Taking one of these medications places you at increased risk of liver injury; however taking two or more of these medications at the same time increases the risk substantially.

Ideally you would not need to take these medications at all, or for long because you maintain a healthy lifestyle.  However, unfortunately sometimes it is unavoidable and you must take one or more of these medications.  You can reduce the risk of your liver being harmed by following an appropriate liver friendly diet, such as found in The Liver Cleansing Diet book. My Liver Tonic is also available to support liver health.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common liver condition in the western world. It affects at least a third of U.S. adults. Many don’t know they have it. A fatty liver can’t detoxify your body or brain from toxins that can cause physical or mental illness.

How the liver affects mental health

Anxiety, depression, mood swings, poor memory, sleep impairment, angry outburst and personality changes are all more likely in those with a fatty liver. Unfortunately not many people are aware of this fact.

Your liver works 24 hours a day to remove toxins from your bloodstream before they have a chance to harm your health. It also stores many essential vitamins and minerals and breaks down medicines, alcohol, and other substances.

Modern living can overwhelm the liver. Too much insulin, alcohol, fructose, or food additives can cause a person to develop invasive fat inside the liver tissue. A healthy liver only contains trace quantities of fat.

Early signs of liver disease can include elevated triglycerides or ferritin, elevated liver enzymes on a blood test, or fat visible on an MRI or ultrasound. In the early to moderate stages, fatty liver is entirely reversible. In some individuals, liver fat levels slowly progress, leading to fibrosis and even cirrhosis. As liver disease progresses, mental health declines.

A compromised liver cannot prevent toxins in the blood from reaching the brain and wreaking havoc on a range of critical brain functions. Concentration, memory, mood stability, and the ability to handle stress can be impaired when toxins begin accumulating in the brain.

How to improve your liver and your mood

• Ask your doctor for a blood test and an ultrasound scan of your liver. It is vital to know how healthy this critical organ is. If you know you have a fatty liver, the eating guide in my book Fatty Liver: You Can Reverse It should help you, along with my powerful liver tonic Livatone Plus.
• Cut down on or eliminate sugar and flour from your diet. These foods cause fluctuating blood sugar levels, fluctuating energy levels and mood swings. Ensuring you have a stable blood sugar level throughout the day is one of the most important ways to improve your mood. Getting rid of sugar and high carb foods will help. The herbs and nutrients in Glicemic Balance are specifically designed to keep your blood sugar even, and prevent a crash. They are also wonderful for reducing hunger and cravings.
•  Drink eight to ten glasses of water, or herbal tea each day. Drinking more water will make you eat less food, have less sugar cravings and it will improve your ability to concentrate.
•  Fill up on protein. The neurotransmitters your brain produces that make you feel happy, calm and alert are all made from protein. Good sources of protein are fish, eggs, poultry, red meat, nuts, seeds and legumes. Tyrosine is a type of protein that helps your brain to manufacture adequate quantities of the feel-good chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine.
• Magnesium is the most important mineral for the nervous system and muscles. I often refer to magnesium as “the great relaxer”. Having high levels of stress hormones in your body causes you to lose magnesium in your urine. If you are magnesium deficient you are likely to overreact to minor stressful episodes.
• Limit alcohol consumption. If you are prone to depression alcohol will make it worse. Don’t drink alcohol every day, and when you do drink women should limit themselves to two standard drinks and men four standard drinks.
• Limit caffeine. People who consume a lot of caffeine have high levels of stress hormones in their bloodstream. Limit coffee to two cups per day. Drink more tea, especially green tea. If you are prone to anxiety, caffeine is not great for you.

By making small and simple changes to your diet you can reduce feelings of anxiety or depression and achieve a more stable mood. And it won’t just be your mind that benefits, the rest of your body will too. There is much more information in my book Help for Depression and Anxiety.

Reference:

Soto-Angona Ó, Anmella G, Valdés-Florido MJ, De Uribe-Viloria N, Carvalho AF, Penninx BWJH, Berk M. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as a neglected metabolic companion of psychiatric disorders: common pathways and future approaches. BMC Med. 2020 Oct 1;18(1)

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