#127: Fatty Liver Disease with Dr. Vanessa Mendez
“The good news is that we can reverse fatty liver [disease].” -Dr. Vanessa Mendez
Dr. Vanessa Mendez struggled with cystic acne that was so bad that she had to resort to taking accutane, a powerful acne medication that can have toxic effects on the liver. Although treatments for her acne would usually help, nothing provided a long-lasting cure. She finally became frustrated enough that she started to do more research into lifestyle changes that might provide her natural improvement. She discovered an anti-inflammatory diet and it gave her great results. However, she was young and college life took her diet in a different direction. When she re-discovered plant-based nutrition again this time it not only impacted her health but also her husband.
Now Dr. Mendez is a successful gastroenterologist and she is passionate about helping people with their gut issues. But she knows first-hand the power of nutrition and lifestyle and helps her patients focus on lifestyle changes in their pursuit of wellness. In this episode of Veggie Doctor Radio, we focus on fatty liver disease and the effect of plant-based nutrition.
We discuss:
Her plant-based journey and the health effects on herself and her husband
Why she is so passionate about educating on social media
Why Latinos are becoming more interested in plant-based diets
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, what it is, what causes it and how to diagnose it
How to prevent and potentially reverse fatty liver disease
Other metabolic aberrations usually seen along with fatty liver disease
What she wishes more people knew
The personal habit she is most proud of
Did you LOVE this special episode of Veggie Doctor Radio? PLEASE share it with someone who you think could benefit from this information!
Dr. Vanessa Mendez
More about my honored guest:
Doctor Méndez is a double board certified gastroenterologist and internist. She specializes in digestive disorders, which include liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and nutrition based-disorders, such as obesity and constipation. Her approach to patients and their diseases is holistic and comprehensive; her goal is not just to treat the symptoms, but to get to the root cause of an ailment and provide lasting relief. She provides an evidence-based approach to her practice and focuses on lifestyle changes first to promote wellness.
Dr. Méndez attended Harvard University, where she obtained a B.A. in Latin American Studies, with a minor in pre-medicine. From there, she began her medical training at the ACGME accredited Universidad Central del Caribe in Puerto Rico, completed her Residency in Internal Medicine at University of Miami/ Jackson Memorial Hospital, and her Fellowship in Gastroenterology at Tulane Medical Center in New Orleans. She has also trained in Epidemiology through Florida International University, and in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University.
She was awarded a visiting fellowship at the Mayo Clinic through the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation where she received special training in inflammatory bowel diseases. She has also helped lead multiple fund-raising walks to raise awareness for Crohn's and Colitis in the Miami area. She was awarded Physician Champion at the Takes Steps Walk 2019 for the GastroHealth Team.
Dr. Mendez is a bilingual internationally speaker in the area of Digestive diseases, gut microbiome development and Inflammatory bowel diseases.
She is available nationally and internationally for virtual consultations with a team of registered dietitian, autoimmune experts and primary care providers. To learn more subscribe to her website drvanessamendez.com
You can learn more at: @plantbasedgutdoc
The information on this blog, website and podcast is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to replace careful evaluation and treatment. If you have concerns about your or your child’s eating, nutrition or growth, consult a doctor.
Call to Action —> Be patient, kind and loving to yourself - focus on what you are doing well.
Did you know that my book is out and available to purchase? Purchase via Amazon or Barnes&Noble.
Have you signed up to get weekly goodies from me? Sign up now and get the FREE download Five Simple Steps to Raising a Healthy Eater Without Stress.
P.S. I love receiving your reviews! It's a special way to let me know how much you love this podcast and my book. Thank you so much for giving a bit of your time to provide feedback on these platforms ♡:
Leave a Podcast review
Leave an Amazon review