Don't Call My Liver Fat!
By Amy Campbell
Isn't there enough to contend with having diabetes? You need to take care of your eyes, feet, heart… Now you have to worry about your liver? Well, yes. Fatty liver disease may be something you're not all that familiar with, but if you have Type 2 diabetes, it's a good idea to know about this. Hence this week's posting!
Liver 101
Let's back up for a minute and talk about your liver. The liver is one of the largest organs in the body, weighing about three pounds. It's located in the right upper abdomen, below the diaphragm. It's pretty amazing what the liver does, if you stop and think about it. Here's a brief run-down:
• Detoxifies harmful substances
• Produces proteins that help blood to clot
• Breaks down fat for energy
• Makes bile (which is needed for fat breakdown)
• Helps keep blood glucose levels constant
• Metabolizes protein
• Stores vitamins and minerals
Given all that the liver does, you can see why it's so important to keep it in shape.
Fatty liver disease
The actual name of this condition is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, for short. This is a condition in which extra fat builds up in liver cells, and, as the name implies, it's not due to drinking alcohol (that's a whole other issue). The liver normally contains some fat, but if more than 5% to 10% of the liver's weight is due to fat, you've got a fatty liver.
Who gets NAFLD? It's most common in people who:
• Are overweight or obese...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - Category: Diabetes Authors: Amy Campbell Source Type: blogs
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