Do not overlook the risk of belly fat
So many people assume an expanding waistline is simply part of getting older. They blame the extra padding around their waist on a busy lifestyle, having kids, or lack of exercise. And while these factors may contribute to belly fat, it is important to understand anyone at any age can safely and naturally lose their belly fat.
The reason I want you to know the facts on belly fat and how to lose it safely and naturally, comes down to two keywords: healthy liver. Belly fat can be connected to an accumulation of visceral fat around your liver and other organs, putting your liver and whole-body health under stress.
When your liver is overloaded, it cannot focus on metabolizing carbohydrates and fat, removing toxins from your blood, and building protein so you can put on lean muscle. These three liver functions make it possible for you to lose weight, maintain a healthy slim, and sexy waistline, and prevent a buildup of both visceral and belly fat.
While people of all shapes and sizes can have too much visceral fat around their organs, we know people with belly fat typically have dangerous levels of visceral fat. I really want you to understand the health risks of visceral fat and belly fat, so please think carefully about this excerpt from a WebMD.com article about The Risks of Belly Fat:
“This visceral fat in your middle makes toxins that affect the way your body works, says Samuel Dagogo-Jack, MD, president of the American Diabetes Association. Among them are chemicals called cytokines that boost your chance of heart disease and make your body less sensitive to insulin, which can bring on diabetes.
Cytokines also cause inflammation, which can lead to certain cancers, says Eric Jacobs PhD, a researcher at the American Cancer Society. In recent years, he says, scientists have uncovered links between belly fat and cancers of the colon, esophagus, and pancreas.”
Unfortunately, so many people do not associate their belly fat with health side effects including high blood sugar, fatty liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Losing your belly fat is about more than looking fantastic – it’s critical to maintaining good health and reducing avoidable health risks.
What is belly fat?
Belly fat is the fat you can and cannot see around your waistline. There are two types of belly fat:
- Subcutaneous Fat: is the fat visible just below your skin. You can grab this fat with your hands and see it under your clothes.
- Visceral Fat: is the hidden fat located deep inside your abdomen, wrapping around and filling the spaces in between your vital organs, including your liver. You can have high levels of visceral fat with a normal body mass index (BMI).
When we’re talking about liver and whole-body health, you do not want extra visceral fat. Visceral fat creates an inflammatory response, increasing your risks of high blood sugar, insulin resistance, toxic build-up, fatty liver disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
In addition to these serious health impacts, visceral fat makes it very difficult for you to lose the belly fat you can see and feel. This can be extremely frustrating when you’re hitting the gym, doing your core workout, getting in your 10,000 steps, and eating lots of fruits and vegetables yet still see no physical improvements. No one wants to put in all that work in the gym and look in the mirror and be disappointed.
Because belly fat can be difficult to lose, many people assume it’s part of getting older and don’t realize the serious health impacts. This is exactly why belly fat is called the “silent killer”. Most people are shocked to learn the extra love handles or paunch have increased their risk for serious disease. Many people mistakenly dismiss belly fat as something small or an annoyance all the while not realizing the adverse effects could cause death.
You can be living a healthy lifestyle, have a normal range BMI, and still have extra belly fat you cannot lose. This is where I return to my all-important two words: healthy liver. If your liver is overloaded with toxins, you cannot burn calories properly and you’re at risk for developing fatty liver disease. A fatty liver cleanse can help kickstart your metabolism and allow your liver to heal, making it much easier for you to lose belly fat and reduce your risk of developing fatty liver disease.
The link between belly fat and your health
I want you to stop reading, dig out your measuring tape, stand up tall, breathe out (do not suck in your stomach) and measure your waistline just above your hip bones. A measurement of 40 inches or higher for men and 35 inches or higher for women signals you likely have too much belly fat.
This visible belly fat combined with the visceral fat you cannot see can add up to numerous health complications and risks. As these studies highlight, there is no denying the link between belly fat and your health:
- Coronary heart disease incidence in women by waist circumference within categories of body mass index: this 20-year study showed a direct link with the development of coronary heart disease and an increase in waist size.
- General and Abdominal Adiposity and Risk of Death in Europe: a study of over 350,000 European men and women concluded having a large waistline almost doubles the risk of dying early, even with a normal bodyweight.
- Correlation of fatty liver and abdominal fat distribution using a simple fat computed tomography protocol: this study concluded a higher than acceptable level of fat in the liver is directly correlated with belly fat and showed visceral fat is strongly associated with fatty liver disease.
When you have too much belly fat and visceral fat, your liver cannot function correctly. When your liver is not working properly, this creates numerous internal side effects impairing the function of other key organs including your lungs, heart, pancreas, and brain.
To put it bluntly – you cannot overlook the health risks of belly fat. When you lose the belly fat, your liver is able to heal, reducing the strain on the rest of your organs. This adds up to reducing your risk of lifestyle-associated health conditions and making it much easier for you to achieve a flat tummy and trim waistline.
How to lose belly fat safely and naturally
To lose belly fat safely and naturally, follow this healthy liver diet, exercise, and lifestyle advice:
- Eat foods high in soluble fiber. Foods high in soluble fiber include avocados, beans, large flake oats, berries, apples, and strawberries. The soluble fiber in these foods absorbs water which slows down your digestion, giving you a longer feeling of fullness. Research shows an increase in soluble fiber can reduce belly fat. Try to incorporate these top liver superfoods into your diet to give your liver the extra support it needs.
- Stop or limit alcohol. Alcohol is proven to contribute to numerous liver health problems, making it impossible for your liver to function correctly.
- Manage your stress levels. When you’re stressed your body creates extra cortisol or stress hormone. Higher cortisol levels are associated with difficulties in losing weight, an increase in appetite, and higher belly fat levels. To help ease your stress levels, make time for yourself, such as going for a walk, reading a book, or relaxing with your favorite television program.
- Move Your Body. Any type of movement – dancing, yoga, walking, cycling, or swimming helps fire up your metabolism, gets you sweating, burns calories, builds muscle, and helps relieve stress. As an extra bonus, exercise keeps your digestive system working properly so your body is able to naturally eliminate waste and toxins. Find something you enjoy and get your sweat on.
- Get More Sleep. When you’re sleeping your body is able to recover from the stress of your day. As you’re sleeping your body is healing injuries, building muscle, digesting food, and letting your brain recharge. To top it off, when you’re low on sleep, your body creates more cortisol and this stress hormone is directly connected with weight gain.
- Detox or Cleanse Your Liver. A healthy liver is key to your ability to lose belly fat. Make sure you follow a safe and natural liver cleanse like Liver Focus and sign-up for my Flat Tummy Movement mailing list for my extra tips on how to lose belly fat and keep a flat tummy.
Above all else – do not stress about losing belly fat. Stress causes so many hidden problems, making it even harder to lose belly fat.
Follow the basics of a healthy lifestyle and your liver will take care of you, making it easier to lose belly fat and lower your risk of developing health complications. Eat the rainbow, move your body, rest, laugh, and use only natural and proven liver supplements.
