Rod is a 41 year old man who came to see me for help with his liver. He had recently been diagnosed with stage 1 cirrhosis of the liver. Rod drinks alcohol very infrequently, and it’s usually beer. This diagnosis left him quite shocked. Rod had an uncle who died from liver damage, but he was a heavy drinker. Thus Rod thought that it could never happen to him.

I explained to Rod that cirrhosis of the liver can occur in people who have had a fatty liver and been a type 2 diabetic for a number of years. Fatty liver is common. People with type 2 diabetes are more prone to developing an aggressive form of fatty liver that can progress to cirrhosis.

Many people aren’t aware they have a liver problem. These are the symptoms Rod experienced:

  • Fatigue, especially after meals
  • Feeling excessively hot at times, and getting flashes of heat in his face
  • Indigestion, abdominal bloating and reflux
  • Occasional diarrhea after an oily restaurant meal
  • Occasional nausea that came on at random times of the day.

Rod’s doctor had put him on metformin to lower his blood sugar, and he was also taking medication to lower his blood pressure. Rod loved carbohydrate-rich foods. He lived for pizza. He also ate a lot of junk food in the evenings while sitting on the sofa and watching television. Rod has a very stressful job and that’s his way of relaxing. He knows it’s not good for his health, but eating while watching TV is the only way he knows how to relax.

My recommendations for my patient

  • Magnesium is essential for Rod. It is wonderful for reducing stress and tension, and improving blood sugar control. I asked Rod to take a teaspoon of Magnesium Ultra Potent powder with his evening meal each day. Many of my patients find that magnesium greatly reduces sugar cravings.
  • Metformin had reduced Rod’s blood sugar significantly, but it was still too high. I asked Rod to follow the lower carbohydrate eating plan in my book Diabetes Type 2: You Can Reverse It. It is very important for Rod to eat adequate protein and healthy fats, as they are very satiating and will help to tame his carbohydrate cravings. The herbs and nutrients in Glicemic Balance capsules also help to stabilize blood sugar, and therefore make sticking to a healthy diet easier. Berberine capsules help to reduce elevated blood sugar as well as elevated blood cholesterol, and help with weight loss from the torso. Berberine also reduces scar tissue formation in the liver, thus should help with the cirrhosis.
  • The indigestion Rod experienced is indicative of an imbalance between good and bad gut bugs. I asked him to take one BactoClear capsule with each meal to reduce the levels of harmful bacteria, yeast and parasites in his gut.
  • It is important to improve the health of Rod’s liver and arrest the progression of cirrhosis. The herbs in Livatone help to support the health of liver cells and the herb St Mary’s thistle can even help to regenerate damaged liver cells. The liver performs more jobs in your body than any other organ, therefore when it is functioning poorly this can have a profoundly detrimental effect on overall well-being, energy levels and even mood.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.