Practical Tips to Improve Your Heart and Liver Health That Don't Require Weight Loss

Have you been diagnosed with fatty liver, high cholesterol and high blood sugar? These conditions often go hand in hand. While weight-loss is often promoted as the "be-all, end-all", it's often not the most sustainable approach to improving health. Weight-cycling is associated with an increase in the risk of health conditions including diabetes, heart disease and liver disease. Alternatively, finding sustainable ways to boost nutrition and address other lifestyle factors that impact health (activity, sleep, stress and more) can lead to measurable improvements in metabolic health, including decreased cholesterol, blood sugar and normalized Iiver enzymes. This post offers practical tips to help you improve your heart and liver health through simple, sustainable changes.

A bowl filled with fibre-rich and polyphenol-rich foods to support heart and liver health

Focus on Fibre for Heart and Liver Support

Current research has shown that eating a high fibre diet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions. It’s a powerful intervention for improving your cholesterol and liver enzymes.

One of the ways fibre does this is by having a positive impact on the gut microbiome. Fibre feeds our good bacteria which make compounds that benefit other organs like our heart and liver.

Aim for at least 8-10 g per meal if you can and diversify the fibre options if you are able!

Here are some tips to boost your overall fibre intake.

• Choose whole grains more often.

• Mix beans into rice, salads, soups and stir-frys.

• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables - aim for half your plate at lunch and supper.

• Have nuts/seeds daily - add to snacks, salads, oats, cereals.

Soluble fibre has particular benefits for decreasing LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Oats, barley, psyllium husk, ground flax, chia seeds, beans and various fruits and vegetables provide sources of soluble fibre.

Adding fibre gradually to your diet can prevent digestive discomfort. Remember to increase your fluid when increasing your fibre intake.

Embrace Polyphenol-Rich Foods

Polyphenols are plant compounds with antioxidant properties that have important benefits for liver, heart and gut health. They offer many benefits including feeding our gut bacteria which produce compounds that can reduce inflammation in the body and decrease liver fat. Here are some examples of foods rich in polyphenols:

• Fruits: blueberries, black currants, strawberries, plums, grapes, pomegranates, apples, oranges

• Legumes: black beans, red beans, kidney beans, soy beans

• Vegetables: artichokes, olives, carrots, red cabbage, broccoli, spinach, onion, peppers

• Dark chocolate, coffee, green and black teas

• Herbs and spices: cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, caraway, cumin

• Olives and capers

• Nuts/seeds: pecans, ground flax, walnuts, chestnuts

  
  

If you are someone who enjoys (and tolerates) coffee or tea, try to include 2 cups of coffee per day and/or green or black tea for liver health.

Choose Healthy Fats to Protect Your Heart and Liver

Increasing your intake of foods high in unsaturated fats like fatty fish, nuts, olive oil and avocados have many benefits for liver and heart health. Here are some tips for getting more of these foods in your diet:

• Aim for fatty fish like salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines 2 or more times per week.

• Include nuts and seeds daily - add to a snack, yogurt, oatmeal, cereals and salads.

• Use olive oil in salads, when cooking at lower heat, and for dipping bread.

• Use avocados in sandwiches or as a dip (like guacamole)!

• Limit saturated fats from processed meats and full-fat dairy, which can increase liver fat and heart disease risk.

• Avoid trans fats (partially-hydrogenated oils) which historically were common in shelf-stable products. Health Canada regulations in the past decade have helped reduce them in our food supply.

  
  
  
  

Hydrate Wisely and Limit Alcohol

Choose water most often and consider incorporating green/black teas if you still have room in your 'caffeine budget' for the day. ( Health Canada recommends a maximum daily caffeine intake of 400 mg for adults and 300 mg for women planning to become pregnant, pregnant, or breastfeeding).

• Aim for at least 8 cups of water daily, more if active or in hot climates.

• Limit alcohol - less is better. Current guidelines recommend no more than two drinks per week.

• Limit frequent intake of high sugar drinks.

Incorporate Physical Activity In Ways You Enjoy

Exercise benefits your heart and liver by improving circulation, sleep, strength, mobility and lowering inflammation. It can also have benefits for improving cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and liver health.

• Start with small and realistic goals and pick something you enjoy.

• Consider local programs or supports that can help you learn how to exercise safely and provide community.

• Consider walking after meals for support with decreasing blood sugar and supporting liver health.

• Both cardio and resistance training are important for overall health.

  
  

Regular movement improves insulin sensitivity and liver enzyme levels, supporting long-term organ health.

Manage Stress and Prioritize Sleep

Chronic stress and poor sleep can negatively affect heart and liver health by increasing inflammation and contributing to hormone imbalances.

• Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga.

• Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night.

• Create a bedtime routine and limit screen time before sleep.

  
  

Better stress management and rest support your body's repair processes and reduce risk factors for heart and liver disease.

Avoid Restrictive Diets

While improvements to metabolic health can occur with a decrease in weight, they aren’t guaranteed and they reverse when weight is regained. Weight cycling can actually increase the risk of conditions like heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver. Weight-regain is very likely with most weight-focused diets.

The good news is that metabolic health can be improved, even without a change in the number on the scale. Nutrition and other health promoting behaviours can have benefits independent of weight.

Making sustainable changes like the ones discussed above can be great steps towards better liver and heart health. If you live in Alberta and are looking for practical support and effective nutrition coaching, feel free to reach out. I would love to help you on your journey towards improved metabolic health!