Just Diagnosed with Fatty Liver? Here Is what to Do!

Being diagnosed with fatty liver was my wake-up call: I was shocked and scared, and I started crying as soon as I got home, convinced that I was going to die prematurely.

But after my initial shock, I decided it was time to take action – I would never go out without a fight. So fight I did.

I started learning about fatty liver, I changed the way I eat and live (and it wasn’t easy!), but I did it – I managed to reverse my fatty liver in 18 months!

You can do the same – and this is what I’m going to help you with in today’s article: tell you everything you should do after being diagnosed, once the initial shock is gone and you’re ready to fight to regain your health. Let’s begin!

Quick Look: First Steps to Take

I will get into the details, but for a quick summary of what you should do, check out the list below:

• Don’t panic! While serious, fatty liver disease is common and curable (we call it “reversible”).
• Educate yourself. Solid information from reputable sources (doctors and former patients who have reversed their condition) is a must: there is plenty of bad and fake advice out there from people who have NO IDEA how to treat this and/or have never dealt with a fatty liver.
• Tweak your diet. Most likely, big changes are required – and this is probably the most important step you must take to heal your fatty liver.
• Move more. If you were a complete couch potato like I was, any bit of activity would help a lot. Steadily increase the amount of effort you’re putting in until you exercise at least 3 times a week (ideally daily).
• Manage stress and sleep. Yes, they matter and are extremely important for your success.
• Stay in touch with your doctor. Regular checkups keep you on track and are a must.

We’ll go in depth below, but first, I wanted to let you know about my book on reversing fatty liver disease:

From Fatty Liver to Healthy Liver is the book I published after many years of learning about this condition. I was diagnosed with a fatty liver, I reversed it, and ever since I’ve been helping people reverse their condition as well.

If you want all my experience in an easy-to-read format (and with great reviews – just check them on the book’s page), do yourself a favor and check out my book here (also available as an ebook on all platforms out there).

With these basics addressed, let’s get into the details and make you an expert when it comes to dealing with NAFLD!

1. Educate yourself about fatty liver

Being diagnosed with NAFLD (now called MASLD) forced me to confront the unhealthy lifestyle choices I was making – poor eating habits, no exercise, lack of sleep & plenty of stress. I had to fix all these to regain my health. Most likely, you are in a similar boat.

Back when I started, I knew nothing about this disease. To make things even worse, the first doctor I worked with – the one who diagnosed me – told me that it’s a condition that can only be managed and never cured. The best possible outcome, according to her, was to hope it won’t evolve into something worse.

I was 30 at that time, with a newborn by my side. Hearing that was absolutely horrible, as you can imagine.

Fortunately, I decided to do my own research, and now I am happy that I did. I wanted to know why I was sick and if there was any hope of getting cured. That’s how I learned that fatty liver disease is caused by an excessive buildup of fat in the liver, usually due to poor diet and lifestyle choices. And, most importantly, that it can be reversed.

So, learning more (EVERYTHING, I’d dare to say) about your condition is the first important step after being diagnosed. It will feel overwhelming at first, but you’re already on the right track and, believe it or not, ahead of most people with a fatty liver.

There are plenty of free resources out there, as well as books dedicated to reversing NAFLD. Below are some of my recommendations for your first reads. Go through them all, spend time learning, and you’ve already won half the battle.

• From Fatty Liver to Healthy Liver – the book I published to help others reverse their condition.
• Reverse your Fatty Liver by Jonathan Mizel & Susan Peters
• What is Fatty Liver Disease?
• Learn about the stages of a fatty liver.
• Symptoms of fatty liver disease.
• Is fatty liver life threatening?
• How long does it take to reverse a fatty liver?
• A list of the best books about healing a fatty liver.

This might seem like a lot to take in at once, so bookmark this article and return here regularly to check new articles and resources once you’re done with the first few. To sum things up:

• Fatty liver develops gradually, often after years of poor diet, too little exercise, and/or metabolic problems.
• Most people have “non-alcoholic fatty liver disease” (NAFLD), which means it’s not caused by heavy drinking, although alcohol is still harmful and should be stopped after diagnosis.
• Some cases progress to NASH, fibrosis, or even cirrhosis, which are more serious forms that need specialist care.

PS: Please share this epic article with anybody you know with NAFLD – it helps me tremendously, and I know, therefore, that all the hard work that I put behind this project doesn’t go unnoticed.

2. Change your diet

Now that you know the basics, you have to change your diet. There’s no other way around it. You will have to cut out all (or most) processed and junk foods, fast food, sweet snacks, foods high in saturated fat, foods with added sugar, and alcohol.

I did it (it wasn’t easy), and instead I focused on eating whole, nutritious foods. I started eating more fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats like avocado and nuts. Smaller portions, too.

I also made sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and help my body flush out toxins. This alone helped me lose plenty of weight, and I am sure it was the most important step I took in reversing my fatty liver.

Because let me tell you an important thing: there’s no magic pill for fatty liver (aka medicine). A proper diet and lifestyle changes are the foundation of treatment. There are some supplements that might help, but these should never replace lifestyle changes. In other words – it’s up to you to find the power of will to get this done!

With these in mind, check out the most important diet-related articles on the Fatty Liver Diary website (and remember to use the search bar for anything in particular – I cover A LOT more than the recommendations below):

• The fatty liver diet that I followed to reverse my NAFLD.
• Foods to avoid or stop eating.
• Stop drinking alcohol if you have a fatty liver.
• Fatty liver and sugar consumption, and the best sugar alternatives for NAFLD.
• What fruits to eat with a fatty liver.
• Best bread for fatty liver.
• Fatty liver-friendly recipe ideas.
• Everything about juicing and fatty liver disease.
• Learn more about milk thistle and fatty liver disease (and also check out my recommended ones).
• Best vitamin supplements for reversing fatty liver.

I repeat: the changes that you make to your diet are probably the most important step you can take in reversing fatty liver disease, and never rely solely on supplements.

Fortunately, multiple approaches work, and you will see that the diet itself is not too restrictive. You will slowly, but surely, get to love it!

3. Start exercising!

Exercising is also an important part of your plan to reverse your condition. I only started to exercise some 6 months after being diagnosed, as I was losing a lot of weight anyway, and my health was improving – I didn’t want to lose weight too fast.

But when I hit the wall and stopped losing weight solely from dieting (this will eventually happen to you too), I started exercising to get in shape and also to help me lose the final set of pounds that had to be lost.

I started slowly, because I was far from fit. I began with light exercise like walking, slow running, and gradually increased the intensity over time. As long as you don’t force yourself too much (without slacking too much either), you’re on the right path. It’s not easy, but it has to be done.

There are a few articles about exercising that you should read here on the Fatty Liver Diary website:

• Lifestyle changes to make for reversing fatty liver disease
• How can running/jogging help your condition?
• Cycling for reversing NALFD.
• How to stay motivated to keep losing weight.
• Stop Smoking/Vaping if you have a fatty liver.

Remember: regular exercise not only helps burn excess fat (including liver fat) but also improves insulin sensitivity, which can help reduce inflammation in the liver.

And you will feel more energetic overall. I still exercise (usually jogging) today, so many years after reversing my fatty liver – I naturally turned from a couch potato into a person that loves to exercise, and I feel better than ever because of that.

4. Manage Stress & Sleep

When I look back, I realize stress and lack of sleep were quietly ruining my health. Stress hormones can push your body to store more fat and sabotage your best efforts.

Also, when you’re stressed and tired, it’s difficult for you to find the motivation to eat healthy or exercise, which are THE most important things when it comes to keeping your liver’s health in check.

I am sure that my work on reducing stress was key in my journey to get healthy again. I made sure to learn how to meditate, prioritize relaxation and good sleep, as well as self-care.

Stay close to your loved ones, go outside and enjoy nature, do things that you enjoy doing (as long as they promote healthy habits)… there are plenty of ways to manage stress, so find what works for you and do it.

You can read more about fatty liver and stress here.

I listened to many of the Huberman Lab podcast episodes (especially the first ever episodes he did on sleep and anxiety/stress), and it has helped me tremendously to learn how to manage stress, rest well, and regain my health, so I highly recommend it.

5. Monitor your progress

Regular checkups with your healthcare provider are essential for monitoring your progress. I personally visited my hepatologist every 6 months after being diagnosed, then switched to yearly visits after reversing it.

Make sure to discuss this with your doctor and go for the regular checkups as often as they recommend you to. They may also recommend additional blood tests, imaging tests, or other diagnostic tests to monitor your condition.

This is a great motivator to keep you on track: seeing that all the trouble you’re going through actually has an effect on your health and it works, will give you the power you need to keep doing it.

Yes, it will be difficult at times, especially in the first few weeks, but you will get used to your new way of living, and you will love the person you’ll become. Just stick with the plan, even when it feels like progress is slow. Plateaus happen, but as long as you’re trending in the right direction, you’re winning.

Conclusion

You might feel scared, anxious, guilty, or even a little ashamed after getting this diagnosis. I sure did, but that didn’t stop me – on the contrary, it gave me fuel to reverse my condition. Consider your diagnosis a minor setback – setbacks happen.

If you find yourself stuck in those feelings, though, reach out to a friend, support group, or counselor. There’s no shame in asking for help, especially when it comes to you becoming a better, healthier person.

You’re already on the right track by simply going through this whole article – and hopefully reading at least those I’ve linked to from it.

By eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, avoiding alcohol, and getting regular checkups, you can improve your liver health and reverse fatty liver. I did it, and many other people I know have done it as well.

Just stick to your plan and do it too!