Your Health

An unripe apple a day, can keep the fat away!

W. Gifford-Jones MD & Diana Gifford-Jones

November 19, 2020

BY W. GIFFORD- JONES MD & DIANA GIFFORD-JONES

Worried about having too many alcoholic drinks during the coronavirus pandemic? Think you’re on the way to liver cirrhosis? If so, think again and wonder whether you are instead developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It can lead to cirrhosis and possibly liver cancer. A report from the University of California says NAFLD is now the most common liver disorder in North America. So how do unripe apples decrease the risk of this growing threat?

Today, it’s estimated that worldwide 25% of adults have NAFLD. And if you are obese, nine out of ten obese people, suffer from this condition. Researchers report that between 2000 and 2010 liver cancer associated with NAFLD soared tenfold. The result? It’s fast becoming the major reason for liver transplant.

NAFLD has little or no symptoms. Some liver fat is normal. But when fat passes the 5-10% level, it’s considered a fatty liver.

Apple-shaped people who store fat around the waist are more likely to develop NAFLD than those who are pear-shaped and accumulate fat around the hips. And those who have Type 2 diabetes are also more prone to NAFLD.

The problem is that the accumulation of fat in the liver and other abdominal organs, known as visceral fat, is accompanied by inflammation. This can cause scar tissue leading to cirrhosis and sometimes liver cancer.

The first sign of NAFLD is when blood tests show abnormal liver function. Other tests such as an MRI or liver biopsy can confirm the diagnosis.

What a tragedy that so many people suffer from NAFLD when it’s a lifestyle disease that could be avoided. Remember the Gifford-Jones Law that one problem leads to another and another. In this case obesity leads to increased visceral fat, then to cirrhosis and possibly liver malignancy. It’s a terrible price to pay for consuming too many calories.

So, what can you do? The best decision is to purchase a scale and step on it daily. This means also getting smart about reducing calories and exercising. According to the American Gastroenterology Association, losing one to two pounds a week along with regular exercise is the answer. This will help to lower liver enzymes, decreasing fatty deposits in the liver.

Using prescription drugs to fight obesity is akin to flashing a roll of bills before a lawyer. There’s a good chance you’ll live to regret it. So, what are your options for natural remedies? Look for products like AppleSlim that harness the power of apple polyphenols and other micronutrients to attack visceral fat around the liver and other abdominal organs. Visceral fat is more dangerous than the fat that gathers directly under the skin. It increases the risk of: diabetes, stroke, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. You want a solution that focuses on this kind of fat.

Researchers in Japan have shown that polyphenols extracted from unripe green apples harvested in Central Asia reduced visceral fat by 9% over twelve weeks in overweight patients compared to a similar group treated with a placebo pill. How does it work? Apple polyphenols block the enzymes that break down fats and glucose allowing them to pass more easily through your body.

Decreasing the amount of visceral abdominal fat has several benefits. Epidemiological studies confirm that polyphenols do promote longevity. Moreover, if you ever require an abdominal operation, having less abdominal fat surrounding the internal organs is a great help for surgeons and decreases the risk.

We all want to live longer and healthier. So, keep alcohol in moderation, don’t overeat, and let apples help your liver.

Newsletter Signup

Stay in the loop with exclusive news, stories, and insights—delivered straight to your inbox. No fluff, just real content that matters. Sign up today!

In this article:#LatestPost

Up Next:

When it comes to natural supplements, how do you assess what you need?

Don't Miss:

”When white folks catch a cold, black folks get pneumonia!”

Written By W. Gifford-Jones MD & Diana Gifford-Jones

Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, MD is a graduate of the University of Toronto and the Harvard Medical School. He trained in general surgery at Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University and in Gynecology at Harvard. His storied medical career began as a general practitioner, ship’s surgeon, and hotel doctor. For more than 40 years, he specialized in gynecology, devoting his practice to the formative issues of women’s health. In 1975, he launched his weekly medical column that has been published by national and local Canadian and U.S. newspapers. Today, the readership remains over seven million. His advice contains a solid dose of common sense and he never sits on the fence with controversial issues. He is the author of nine books including, “The Healthy Barmaid”, his autobiography “You’re Going To Do What?”, “What I Learned as a Medical Journalist”, and “90+ How I Got There!” Many years ago, he was successful in a fight to legalize heroin to help ease the pain of terminal cancer patients. His foundation at that time donated $500,000 to establish the Gifford-Jones Professorship in Pain Control and Palliative Care at the University of Toronto Medical School. At 93 years of age he rappelled from the top of Toronto’s City Hall (30 stories) to raise funds for children with a life-threatening disease through the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Diana Gifford-Jones, the daughter of W. Gifford-Jones, MD, Diana has extensive global experience in health and healthcare policy. Diana is Special Advisor with The Aga Khan University, which operates 2 quaternary care hospitals and numerous secondary hospitals, medical centres, pharmacies, and laboratories in South Asia and Africa. She worked for ten years in the Human Development sectors at the World Bank, including health policy and economics, nutrition, and population health. For over a decade at The Conference Board of Canada, she managed four health-related executive networks, including the Roundtable on Socio-Economic Determinants of Health, the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, the Canadian Centre for Environmental Health, and the Centre for Health System Design and Management. Her master’s degree in public policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government included coursework at Harvard Medical School. She is also a graduate of Wellesley College. She has extensive experience with Canadian universities, including at Carleton University, where she was the Executive Director of the Global Academy. She lived and worked in Japan for four years and speaks Japanese fluently. Diana has the designation as a certified Chartered Director from The Directors College, a joint venture of The Conference Board of Canada and McMaster University. She has recently published a book on the natural health philosophy of W. Gifford-Jones, called No Nonsense Health – Naturally!

Click to comment