Hi, I’m Joanne.
For 27 years I was a court reporter in Tulsa. My job was to write down exactly what people said, word for word, and never dress it up. That habit is the whole reason this site exists.
At 56, a routine checkup came back with my ALT circled and an ultrasound note I had to look up: mild fatty liver. I barely drink. A glass of wine at Thanksgiving, maybe. My doctor said to lose some weight and come back in six months, and that was the plan.
Six months is a long time to sit with a word like that.
So I did what I know how to do. I read. Studies, supplement labels, the questions people ask on Reddit at two in the morning. I kept it all in a spiral notebook, the same way I used to keep a transcript.
A year later my husband Tom got the same news, with the hard belly he swore was “just the beer.” It wasn’t. Now the notebook has two sides, and so does this site.
What this site is
The Lighter Liver is that notebook, cleaned up. You’ll find what to eat, what to stop, what actually helps, and my honest read on the products people ask me about. When I recommend something, I’ve gone through its label line by line, and I’ll tell you what’s in it and what isn’t.
What this site isn’t
I’m not a doctor, a nurse or a dietitian, and nothing here replaces your own care. I’m someone who got the same note you did and decided to understand it. When I explain a study, I link it. When I don’t know something, I say so.
How I keep it honest
- I write in plain English and explain a medical word the first time I use it.
- I never promise that a product will fix your liver. I tell you what’s in it, what the research says about those ingredients, and what the guarantee covers.
- Some links on this site are affiliate links. You can read exactly how that works on the affiliate disclosure page, and how I research on the editorial policy page.
If something here helped you, or if I got something wrong, I want to hear it. You can reach me on the contact page.
Joanne