One of the best things a liver-affected Alpha can do for their health is pay close attention to their diet. A healthy, balanced diet can support liver health by helping to prevent excess weight gain, provide extra support for liver function, and avoid preventable liver damage. Read on to learn more and find diet and nutrition tips for Alpha-1 liver health right from the Big Fat Reference Guide. 

Maintain a Healthy Weight

The single largest risk to an Alpha’s liver is a condition called the metabolic syndrome that is associated with being overweight. Fat accumulates in liver cells causing a “fatty liver”, a medical condition associated with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (abbreviated NASH). The risk factors for NASH include obesity, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, diabetes, and hypertension. Treatment for these conditions in Alphas is important.

A healthy diet can prevent excess weight gain and help keep your body running to the best of its ability. Read on to learn about how to create a healthy diet and use nutrition labels to make informed choices at mealtime.

Eat a Balanced Diet

Building a healthier eating style can help you avoid becoming overweight or obese and reduce your risk of developing additional conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. All food and beverage choices matter – focus on variety, amount, and nutrition.

  • Focus on making healthy food and beverage choices from all five food groups including fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy to get the nutrients you need.
  • Eat the right amount of calories for your body based on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level.
  • Choose an eating style low in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.

Below are daily recommended serving sizes for each major food group based on a 2,000 calorie diet:

Grains

  • Eat whole-grain cereals, bread, crackers, rice, or pasta.
  • 1 ounce is about 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of cereal, or a half-cup of cooked rice, cereal, or pasta.
  • The daily serving recommendation is 6 ounces.

Vegetables

  • Eat more dark green veggies like broccoli and more orange vegetables like carrots.
  • Eat more dry beans and peas like pinto beans and lentils.
  • The daily serving recommendation is 2.5 cups.

Fruits

  • Eat a variety of fresh whole fruits and avoid juices with added sugars.
  • Frozen fruit, canned, and dried fruits can also be healthy options but try to avoid varieties with added sugars.
  • The daily serving recommendation is 2 cups.

Dairy

  • Choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, and other milk products.
  • If you don’t or can’t consume milk, choose lactose-free products or calcium-fortified foods or beverages.
  • The daily serving recommendation is 3 cups.

Protein

  • Choose low-fat or lean meats, poultry, and fish. Avoid extra calories by baking, broiling, or grilling.
  • Vary your protein intake – make sure to also include plant-based sources like beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.
  • The daily serving recommendation is 5.5 ounces.

Get Enough Fiber

Fiber is the carbohydrate part of the plant that human digestive enzymes cannot break down. Dietary fibers are found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. Fiber helps to maintain normal bowel function and prevent constipation. A high fiber diet also may help to prevent diverticulosis and obesity.

Be sure to increase fiber in your diet gradually to avoid flatulence (gassiness) and drink an adequate amount of fluids. Eat at least two servings of fresh fruit and three servings of vegetables every day. Choose whole-grain crackers and high fiber cereals. Your total dietary intake of fiber should be between 20-35 grams per day. An example of what to eat in one day to help you get enough fiber includes: eating 1 cup of all-bran cereal for breakfast, a sandwich with two slices of whole-grain bread and 1 medium apple for lunch, and 1 cup of peas, dried beans, or lentils at dinner.

Avoid Dehydration 

Water is essential to the body. Drinking plain water may be your best source of fluid. Fruit and vegetable juices (without added sugars), coconut water, and electrolyte drinks are also good sources. Milk is also a good source of fluid, with the added benefit of providing many healthy nutrients. Check with your healthcare provider or nutritionist to find out the amount of fluid that you should drink each day.

Lose Weight Safely 

If your goal is to lose weight, avoid fad diets and focus on making small changes to your diet in order to create an overall healthier eating style. Below are tips to help you begin to transform your diet for weight loss:

  • Reach for fruits and vegetables.
  • Devote half of your plate at each meal to fruits and vegetables.
  • Eat whole fruits.
  • Vary your veggies. Aim to incorporate a large variety of vegetables into your diet to keep meals interesting and to maintain a good balance of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
  • Make half your grains whole grains. Replacing processed carbohydrates with whole grains will help you cut out unnecessary sugar and up your fiber content.
  • Move to low-fat and fat-free dairy.
  • Vary your protein intake. If you’re used to eating red meat with every meal, try incorporating poultry, fish, or plant-based protein into your diet.
  • Eat and drink the right amount for you. Don’t overeat or severely undereat – try your best to stay within the recommended range of daily calories based on your BMI and your goals.

Talk to your doctor about your weight loss goals before making any major changes to your diet. They can help you determine your optimal calorie range for weight loss to ensure you’re staying within healthy limits.

Eat to Support Liver Health

The liver is a powerhouse organ that is responsible for processing all of the carbohydrates, protein, and fats that you eat, as well as creating certain fats and proteins your body needs. Help your liver function at its best by choosing foods that provide vital nutrients your liver needs and avoiding foods that can lead to further liver damage.

Liver Superfoods 

 

  • Oatmeal: The fiber in oatmeal helps aid digestive function.
  • Beans: High in protein and fiber, beans are a great low-fat way to get essential nutrients.
  • Soy: Soy products like tofu contain high amounts of the protein β-conglycinin which has been shown to help lower triglyceride levels and possibly protect against visceral fat buildup.
  • Berries: Dark berries like blueberries, cranberries, and raspberries contain polyphenols which are antioxidants that may help protect the liver from damage.
  • Grapes: The high level of antioxidants in whole grapes may help prevent damage to the liver.
  • Fatty fish: Fish like salmon, sardines, and tuna contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which may help reduce liver fat, boost protective HDL cholesterol, and lower triglyceride levels.
  • Sunflower seeds: Sunflowers seeds are high in the antioxidant vitamin E which is used to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
  • Turmeric: Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory that has been shown to reduce levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the body, two enzymes that are known to be abnormally high in people with fatty liver disease.
  • Nuts: A diet rich in nuts like walnuts and almonds has been found to reduce inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress, and may even help those with fatty liver disease improve liver function.

Foods to Avoid 

When assessing a nutrition label and looking at daily values, keep in mind that daily values of 5 percent or less are considered low while daily values of 20 percent or more are often considered high. Foods to avoid include:

  • Fatty foods: Fried foods, full-fat dairy products, processed meats, and butter.
  • Foods high in sugar: Desserts like cakes, pastries, and cookies, along with sodas, and refined carbs like white bread, bagels, pasta, and most packaged snacks.
  • Foods high in salt: Smoked, cured, or canned meats, frozen meals, canned entrees, salted nuts, and chips. Too much salt in your diet can increase your risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. For a healthy individual, no more than 2300 mg of sodium is recommended per day, but those with high blood pressure should consume no more than 1500 mg. Consult your doctor to find out how much sodium is recommended for you.

To find diet recommendations based on specific liver conditions like cirrhosis, hepatitis B, and more, visit liverfoundation.org. Always consult your physician before making any major changes to your diet.

Avoid Preventable Liver Injury 

Liver-affected Alphas should do their best to avoid consuming alcohol and certain drugs and supplements that may affect liver function.

Avoid alcohol

Most liver specialists would recommend no alcohol or at least very minimal intake for any individual with Alpha-1 whether or not there is any evidence of liver damage. Alcohol also deposits fat in the liver and, in excess, can cause inflammation and scarring of the liver. Therefore, alcohol is additive to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in the risk for cirrhosis. In the absence of NASH, alcohol use should be limited to modest consumption.

There is considerable debate around the amount of alcohol that can be safely consumed by Alphas. The American Liver Foundation defines excessive alcohol consumption as any amount greater than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

For Alphas who do have existing liver damage, it is recommended to abstain from drinking alcohol altogether. It is important that you speak to your doctor about your individual risk.

Pay close attention to drugs and supplements

Other agents that are inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin can also cause damage to the liver. Among these are solvents, toxic alkaloids, pollutants, dietary supplements, and prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

ZZ Alphas that have liver damage from something else, such as a virus (hepatitis) are also thought to have a greater chance of developing chronic liver disease as an adult. Carriers of one “Z” gene are also at a higher risk of chronic liver disease than the general population.

Almost every drug has, at one time or another, been implicated as a potential cause of liver damage. The widely-used pain medication acetaminophen (Tylenol) is one such drug. Acetaminophen is generally safe when taken as prescribed. However, when taken in excessive doses all at once, acetaminophen can cause severe damage to the liver. In individuals who regularly consume alcohol in excessive amounts, acetaminophen can be toxic at lower doses.

Recent studies on alpha-1 deficient liver cells in culture have shown that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs are more toxic to liver cells than acetaminophen (Tylenol). Examples of NSAID medications include Advil (ibuprofen), Aleve (naproxen), and aspirin. There are many combination medications over the counter that contain this medication class, so you should read the labels of pain relief medications and, if you take them, use them in moderation.

Always consult your doctor to discuss the medications that are best for you.

Talk to Your Doctor 

All Alphas should discuss diet and nutrition with their healthcare provider as part of their initial treatment plan, and periodically if and when their health status changes. Following the treatment plan outlined by your physician and checking in regularly when symptoms change or new symptoms arise can help keep your health in check. If you are currently on a nutrition plan recommended by your doctor, make sure to consult them before making any changes or additions.

If you’re a lung-affected Alpha, check out our Diet and Nutrition Guide for Alpha-1 Lung Health.

Sources:
https://bfrg.alphanet.org/s/article/4-4-4-understanding-nutrition-facts-labels
https://bfrg.alphanet.org/s/article/4-4-2-myplate-from-the-usda
https://bfrg.alphanet.org/s/article/7-3-2-other-liver-conditions-that-can-impact-alphas
https://bfrg.alphanet.org/s/article/9-3-3-appendix-a-6–body-composition-measurements
https://subscriber.alphanet.org/s/article/7-6-1-unanswered-questions
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323915
https://liverfoundation.org/for-patients/about-the-liver/health-wellness/nutrition/#1504047395929-de1cffa1-ccf5
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-foods-for-your-liver
https://www.healthline.com/health/fatty-liver-diet#_noHeaderPrefixedContentm