Now that I no longer have hepatitis C, you would think that I wouldn’t have to ever worry about getting another liver disease. Sadly, there is. Many are unaware of a common liver condition called fatty liver disease.  Sometimes referred to as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), this silent epidemic is now the most common liver condition in the United States. Fatty liver disease is as it sounds, a disease caused by a fat-filled liver. Left unchecked, this largely lifestyle-related illness can cause cirrhosis.

Everything you need to know about fatty liver disease is in Skinny Liver by Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD with Ibrahim Hanouneh, MD. Skinny Liver is more than a book about fatty liver disease; it is a comprehensive book about regaining health and staying that way. Kirkpatrick’s nutrition expertise, combined with Hanouneh’s experience treating liver disease, bring together a wealth of knowledge about how to prevent or reverse fatty liver disease.

Some studies estimate that up to 30 percent of Americans have fatty liver disease.  However, I recommend Skinny Liver to everyone, even if you haven’t been diagnosed with fatty liver. Everyone has a liver, and presumably, everyone wants to have one that works well.  

This book is simple to read and offers something for everyone.  Skinny Liver hooked me in the introduction, written by one of my favorite health experts, Michael Roizen, MD. The book opens with the most understandable explanation of the liver that I have ever read. The liver detoxification process is demystified. The book takes readers on a journey through the body, showing how the liver connects to the rest of us. Fatty liver disease is explained, and with it, there is solid information about related health problems. 

The heart (or should I say liver) of this book is the nutrition information. Kirkpatrick shows what food and drink can do to us. She touches on all aspects of health, showing the importance of sleep, exercise, and making healthy lifestyle choices. The authors don’t lecture, they invite and encourage. Skinny Liver is one of those books that just makes me say, “Yes, I want to do this, and I want to start today.” And then it shows you how.

There are food plans, recipes and pictures of yoga moves. Tips are sprinkled throughout the book, including how to control cravings and help you stay on track. Quite frankly, Skinny Liver is so comprehensive, it addresses all the basics we need for total health, not just liver health.

When I was a nurse at Stanford Medical Center, I longed for a book that had everything that I wished my patients could know about how to stay healthy. I thought I’d write that book some day, but now I don’t have to. I highly recommend Skinny Liver to everyone.

 

Skinny Liver is available in Hep’s bookstore. Want to know more about fatty liver disease? Click here to learn more about this condition that responds well to modifications in diet along with exercise. Then go take a nice long walk.