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I was diagnosed with advanced-stage Cirrhosis (chronic liver disease) at 30 years old. After trips in and out of the hospital, and upon the suggestion of my doctor, I studied the Renal Diet, and found that a modified version was the best diet for my own healing. The Renal diet emphasizes limiting fluids, eating a low-protein diet, limiting salt, potassium, phosphorous, and other electrolytes, and getting enough calories if you are losing weight. That being said, it was very challenging to drastically change my diet and lifestyle to combat chronic liver disease - cirrhosis!
To make it less overwhelming, here is a three day cirrhosis diet meal-plan I used, complete with recipes, so you can get healing too!
Before Breakfast, a Cleansing Beverage: One thing I always start the day with is a glass or two of dandelion tea (found easily at your local health food store) with a teaspoon of raw honey and the juice of half a lemon. This is a great cleansing beverage and is a good way to jump-start your metabolism. Dandelion root is thought to aid in liver function, lemon adds vitamin C and a bit of natural acid and raw local honey is great for allergies. I personally used to have awful seasonal allergies but this past year hasn’t been much of an issue and I suspect this daily habit is one of the main reasons.
Start with a Smoothie: After that, my cirrhosis diet almost always starts with a smoothie!
Lunch: Lunch is the biggest meal of my day and is eaten between noon and 2pm. These following recipes are easy to prepare and taste great even if taken to go.
Indian Chickpea and Artichoke Sautee
Snack Attack: Here are some snacks I keep around that are real crowd pleasers even for those not on a diet for liver disease:
Cinnamon Cashew Collagen Cookies
Dinner: keep it filling, but light For dinner, here are some of my guests’ favorites:
Broccoli, Mushroom and Chicken Stir Fry
And let’s not forget a dessert…!
Superfood Chocolate Coconut Cups
Nourishing Apple Cinnamon Collagen Crumble
I follow my nutrient intake over the course of the day, not just a single meal. I kept track of my intake in a small notebook (about wallet sized) that I carried with me. I wrote down every bite I took each day and calculated it at the end of the day using online nutrition calculators. Within two weeks I didn't even need to log anything because I was so aware of the nutritional values of common foods just through studying my diet daily. A bit of low sodium soy sauce in a stir-fry, or honey on granola is fine for me, so long as I make certain I keep the rest of what I eat throughout the day within my limits.
Most importantly, I listen to my body and notice how I feel after each meal. The rhythm of the diet came pretty quickly once I began to realize how good certain foods make me feel at certain points throughout the day. And don’t think for a minute that just because you are living with restrictions that you can’t enjoy your favorite dishes, there is almost always a healthy alternative if you look for it.
Eating these healthy foods as part of a diet for liver disease will make you feel better, and they taste great too! Salud!
For additional healthful recipes, check out:
Avocado Mango N’ice Cream (Healthy Ice Cream)
Anti-Inflammatory Carrot Lentil Turmeric Soup
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