Hello, I was recently diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. Looking for help from others that have this condition. Mixed messages online on how to eat. Not sure what to eat at this point. Any advice greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Diet advice for Cirrhosis : Hello, I was... - British Liver Trust
Diet advice for Cirrhosis
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CaliGirl888
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It totally depends on what has caused your cirrhosis and what stage it is at as to how you need to eat. I.e. someone suffering from Non Alcohol Related Fatty Liver Disease caused cirrhosis which is in a compensated state may still needs to lose weight & therefore has different dietary needs to someone with more advanced cirrhosis who might be losing muscle mass and needs high carbs, high protein.
Best advice would be to try and get to see a liver specialist dietician who can give you the correct dietary plan for your stage of disease.
Katie
Hi Katie,
I had no symptoms. I don’t drink, never even had a beer in my life. I have never been obese or had weight issues. I have always been active and even joined a gym 2 years ago.
But 4 family members came down with cancer this past year so I ask my doctor to check my organs. He new I generally eat well - salmon, boneless skinless chicken breast, nuts, fruits , vegetables, and bought organic everything. He said I had nothing to worry about but to ease my mind he was kind enough to order an ultrasound. It came back I have cirrhosis of the liver. My doctor was absolutely as socked as I was. He referred me to Mayo. I have an appointment at Mayo with a hepatology doctor but not until next month. I wanted to see what I could do while I wait for my appointment. I will make an appointment at Mayo with a dietitian. Thank you for your advice.
Hey Caligirl. Sorry to hear about your diagnoses but you couldn’t be in better hands than Mayo. I go there every 6 months to see the hepatologist. The dietician I saw was great but she was pushing the vegetarian life. That is not for me. Shoot me a message if you want to hear my experience at Mayo for the last two years. They are great and we are very lucky to have them. Hopefully by the time you see them the hepatologist will run the mre and tell you it was just inflammation, not cirrhosis.
Hi Pushthrough,
Thank you for your positive reply. Mayo can’t get me in until December 1st, so there is some anxiety while waiting for appointment.
I would love to hear about your experience with Mayo and the dietitian. Also, could I ask what your diet consist of? Still studying and learning on what I should eat. Any suggestions on snacks too? Thank you again for your reply.
Lot of poor advice out there. What works for me is zero sugar zero fruit zero grains zero simple carbohydrates. High protein, zero seed oils, healthy animal fats. My vegetables are non starchy steamed or fermented, I can eat dairy so it’s full fat and yogurts I make.
Unfortunately it was too late to reverse my liver, never had a clue I had NASH then cirrhosis. Upside still compensated & metabolically better than I have ever been in my life. Nutrition is Key for me, also fitness.
Thank you for the great information. I had no clue either I had cirrhosis. Can you give me an example of how you get your high protein and animal fat daily. I am exercising daily. Just want to make sure I am eating right so I don’t burn my muscles. Thank you again for your reply.
Six years of daily study on my part. I am 66 & had been obese & was muscle wasting. Was 410 pounds of broken biology. Six years later 215 pounds & have put some muscle back. I cycle fat loss & protein synthesis in 3-4 month blocks. I track exercise activities, protein totals shooting for 140g day, right for my size & goals unless I am dropping body fat. Animal fats & avocados, olive oil for cellular health, energy & tripping my GALLBLADDER to avoid stone growth. I also track & cycle supplements & useful medications. Everything I do is metabolically protective. Blood tests 2-3 times year. My protein & gut needs needs require high fat yogurts based on bacterial strains from web sites & books. Meat seafood, eggs, cream, butter, whey protein, casein, essential aminos, BCAA, & Leucine is added to every protein meal. I am still alive & getting younger in function after decades of getting older broken. I never track calories which are a made up fiction, not a body process. More healthy everyday. Good luck to you study hard! 🙏
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I myself was diagnosed with cirrhosis and I got referred to a Dietitian Specialist who advised me on what I should eat and drink and what to avoid I.e too much salt intake and fatty foods. Also plenty of exercise was recommended and if your diagnosis is through alcohol intake then you must stop drinking completely. Your GP or Liver Specialist should be able to help you with more information.
Zero alcohol is essential whatever the cause of cirrhosis whether NAFLD NASH or autoimmune causes.
Thank you for your reply. I don’t drink so no alcohol will be easy. Figuring out what to eat is the hard part for me.
Thank you for your reply. I am watching my salt intake and exercising daily, never been a drinker. I will make an appointment with the dietitian.
Hi there, best advice is to seek help from a dietician. Cirrhosis will affect everyone differently depending on how your liver is fighting it. Your dietician will take many things into consideration ie weight, blood tests etc. Remember no matter what caused it Cirrhosis is Cirrhosis( sever scaring of the liver). This will make processing most any toxin difficult. Also if one of your symptoms is ascites, watch your salt intake. Just listen to the professionals and you should do fine. God bless.
Thank you, Juneblue! I will be making an appointment with the dietitian.
Yes, once they know the condition of your liver they can help with dieting. Depending on how it’s functioning will depend on the diet. But it sounds like if you do indeed have cirrhosis you are very well compensated. In general it’s essential to avoid salt and sugar and high fat food. Which sounds like you already do. I’m compensated and supposed to eat under 2grams (2k) milligrams of salt a day. That’s our max daily intake in the states as you know. I didn’t know how much salt is in everything though. You will find that lemon, vinegar and another spice (can’t say here but the dietician will tell you) helps flavor your food. Keep us posted when you have your visit.
G.
Lots of differing advice, ask to see a dietician. I was given a booklet called diet and liver disease when I went on the transplant list. which the dietician went through with me and crossed out anything not relevant, basically it said it is important to eat regular meals containing carbs every 2/3 hours. Your liver will be struggling to convert food into energy so you need regular meals, including a high carb snack before bed. I had NASH cirrhosis. Exercise is also important so that you do not lose any muscle mass.
Good luck
Hilary
Hi Hilary,
I don’t drink so it isn’t from alcohol. I am scheduling an appointment to see a dietitian. Can you give me some examples of the high carb snacks you buy. So worried of eating the wrong things now. Thank you for your reply, it helps.
Hello, It depends on the cause of your cirrhosis and how advanced it is but general rule what ever the cause, avoid overly processed ready meals, high salt and of course alcohol. As everyone has said a dietician (not everyone gets one, we didnt) could help. The liver trust has information about diet and might be worth checking out.
Thank you for your reply.
Dietitian is the way to go here. Alls depends on what type of cirrhosis. Will be able to offer some better info if you know the type. It’s true what another person said though. Avoid any toxins including alcohol. That is something you can do now while your waiting.
There is a big difference in the way people with cirrhosis eat depending on the type you have but again something you can do right now is to cut processed and junk food out of your diet. We all need to do that. Fresh all the way if possible 😁
Thank you for your reply! That is what I am doing for now. No fast food, low sodium, no sugar and I don’t drink. Looking forward to seeing a dietitian.
As others have said, gold option is to get specific advice from a qualified dietician that knows your history. They can then tailor things specific to your needs.
In lieu of that though. Eat as normal as you can. You don't really need to cut things out unless you have specifically been told too. That was what I was told anyway. Eat a balanced healthy diet with a sensible portion size. You need everything anyway, carbs, proteins, fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Of course if you need to lose weight, then do that sustainably. Aim for a sensible calorie deficit that you can sustain. Avoid the extreme fads! Remember, you're gonna need some of the stuff those remove. There's simple enough advice on the NHS website about that.
Depending on how far your disease has progressed will determine what or how you eat. If your liver is still working reasonably well and you are able to eat reasonably normally and reasonably healthy then do so. And yes, do enjoy the odd treat too, just don't go overboard with them. If you are finding it difficult to eat, then eat smaller portions just more regularly, the "little and often" approach. If you find your struggling to get a full night's sleep, then a snack before bed will help. If you find you have periods when you feel nauseous, then a carb rich snack may help.
Of course, it goes without saying with cirrhosis don't drink alchohol. Also keeping active too is really important. It's not just about what you eat that will make a difference.
Hope that helps.
Thank you, Kristian! Great tips and advice. I will look on the NHS website for more advice and tips. I appreciate your reply.
Hello Kristian that post was very insightful thanks. I due to see specialist on TIPS procedure this Thursday and still scared ov having a stent! I'm drained every two weeks for 8 month, what do reckon? Am I being foolish and shud have it done? Any advice appreciated.
My attitude was always, "if they think it'll help lets do it". So if it were me I'd have it done, especially if I was needing to be drained every couple of weeks. Of course there are risks, but if it helps with your quality of life, then to me it's worth it. You've nothing really to lose.
Low carbohydrates diet & exercise
Hi if you want more details bout diet let me know??
Stay away from processed foods. Focus on whole fresh foods: lean meat and fish, dark green vegetables, citrus, dairy, and carbs via potatoes/rice prepared low sodium.
If you have any digestive issues I recommend avocado and probiotic yogurt.
Exercise is very important ! Both physically and mentally. Good luck! 🍀
Given the unexplained cirrhosis you have, with no obvious cause, it is important you get your iron levels checked. You could be a candidate for genetic haemochromatosis (Iron Overload) which, untreated can cause cirrhosis in even the most clean living person with the genetic disposition. There is an effective treatment for the underlying condition. See - britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...
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