A lot of people think that coffee may be harmful.  Recent research has shown that if is protective of liver health and an important part of the diet for anyone dealing with most liver diseases.

For anyone interested in the coffee research here is a link

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26556483

It is interesting that there is a difference between filtered and unfiltered coffee. Not all types of coffee may be beneficial in liver disease. Numerous studies have shown a hepatoprotective role for filtered coffee, and a potentially deleterious effect for unfiltered coffee. It was postulated that this difference is due to the presence of kahweol and cafestol, which are caffeine diterpenes that are released from ground coffee beans but removed by paper filters. Moreover, another study found that espresso coffee had no beneficial effect on liver disease, particularly in NAFLD. Here is a link to that information.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/827617_3

Monsanto's-roundup-linked-fatty-liver-disease/

The concern over wide spread chemicals such as RoundUp continues.  Of interest to this community is evidence that very low levels can cause fatty liver disease.  You can read about the research at the link.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23329830

Fatty acids are essential components of the dynamic lipid metabolism in cells. Fatty acids can also signal to intracellular pathways to trigger a broad range of cellular responses. Oleic acid is an abundant monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid that impinges on different biological processes, but the mechanisms of action are not completely understood.

What does this mean to you? Fatigue is a major problem for many.  Part of that complex problem is how well your cells use the fuel available to them.  Olive oil is mostly oleic acid so as part of your diet it helps your cells function efficiently.

For those who have followed my musings along the way, I thought you might find some value in an update. A brief review. I happen to be under the care of a hepatologist who began his career in Europe. There is a lot of discussion of the so called mediteranian diet which includes olive oil but the standards of care are silent on the use of olive oil as a primary component of treating fibrotic liver disease. In my journal I've provided fairly detailed descriptions of my personal diet which includes 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil per day.

So, I've been doing this for a year now and it is fair to ask if there are any results. I'm happy to report that I recently had my second Fibroscan test. The results, in 2015 my reading was 21.5 well into the cirrhotic range. Today it is 14.3 near the bottom of the stage 4 range..

Most primary care doctors find it relatively easy to talk with their patients about topics like depression or cancer. Yet many shy away from talking about nutrition, or find it difficult to do. Avoiding that conversation is costly.

For someone with diabetes, it may mean the difference between losing a foot or keeping it. For someone with heart disease, that conversation could free them from workplace disability or empower them to work harder. For someone who is steadily gaining weight, it could save them from gastric bypass surgery or from a lifetime of medications to treat obesity and weight-related complications.

 Many people blame lack of willpower for gaining weight. According to the University of Chicago, consumers say that willpower is their No. 1 barrier to weight loss. Americans spend $60 billion each year on diet and diet aids, but aren’t much slimmer for it. Close to 70 percent of adults are overweight or obese. Sixty percent are on diets.

An article by Agustina Saenz, MD

https://www.statnews.com/2016/11/17/nutrition-doctors-patients/

Depressed?  Take one skydiving granny and call me in the morning.

My mother was diagnosed with lung cancer.  Her response "I want to go skydiving" a personal story about dealing with chronic and terminal illness.

https://youtu.be/iG17sLXxQIU

The Philadelphia Enquirer picked up the story and did a nice article in their health section.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/diagnosis-cancer/How-a-skydiving-granny-gave-him-a-new-perspective-on-terminal-illness.html

This article in the Stanford Medicine blog Scope, talks about a personal journey to stop the progression of cirrhosis through lifestyle changes of diet and exercise.

http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2016/12/20/the-beast-in-my-belly-living-with-a-chronic-liver-disease/

people with NASH usually have no symptoms. It’s estimated that roughly 2 percent to 5 percent of adults in the United States have the disease, and that another 10 percent to 20 percent may have its milder cousin, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, according to the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. NASH is expected to become the most frequent reason for liver transplants by 2020.

https://www.statnews.com/2016/10/06/stealthy-liver-disease/

The local newspaper wanted to do a story about liver disease and came along on a visit with my hepatologist.  This is a link to their article.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865644704/Silent-killer-Doctors-battling-liver-disease-that-threatens-one-fifth-of-adults.html

As an analytical tool the GE MRI elastography was a vital tool in understanding my particular liver disease.  GE wrote a story about it and published it in their magazine GE Reports

http://www.gereports.com/this-mri-imaging-technique-helped-clinicians-unmask-silent-liver-disease/

On the morning of December 23, 2010, after having my gall bladder removed, I was shown a picture of my liver and told I had a stage 4 liver cirrhosis. It was a powerful and frightening moment – one that is seared into my memory. And one that began more than a half-decade of tests, misdiagnoses, and, eventually, lifestyle changes.