When I was diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) 10 years ago, I faced a huge learning curve. At the time, the only treatment was to change how I ate and exercised.
But I was flailing. I thought: Who would help me with my lifestyle?
I’ve always eaten the same way.
I've always lived the same way.
Who would teach me what's healthy and what's not?
My doctor just said “try to eat as healthy as you can.”
It took time and research to learn what works for me.
Feeling Lost After Diagnosis
I was diagnosed with stage 4 (IV) MASH. But before my MASH diagnosis, I saw my family doctor because I was feeling tired. I thought it might be allergies.
So, my doctor did some blood tests and saw that my liver enzymes were off the charts. But I'd been doing blood tests often for my thyroid disease and was at my target weight. My liver enzymes had always been normal before.
What foods to avoid after MASH diagnosis
It took about six months and a lot of tests for me to get my MASH diagnosis.
Before the diagnosis, I thought I was eating healthy. I stayed away from candy bars and ice cream. But I ate a lot of processed foods.
I had kids and a very busy schedule, so we had a lot of frozen and prepared foods. Or I would grab fast food for the family on the way home from work.
All of those things have sugar and chemicals in them. I never thought about it — because why would they sell it if it was bad?
It's not a piece of cake!
My MASH diagnosis was a shock to me. I had to really look at every single thing I bought. I wanted to make sure it had the least processed ingredients.
It was a huge change to take out a magnifying glass every time I went to the store. I researched ingredients and learned about how carbohydrates turn into sugar.
How to Focus on Foods for MASH
I'm always attracted to flashy little signs that say all-natural or organic.
Now I need to dive deeper to see what's in my food and drinks. And companies interpret those natural or organic labels differently.
Choosing healthy foods
I look for ingredients that sound like natural foods that I recognize. I also try to stay away from gluten. My doctor said that could help my thyroid condition, too.
Although I'm not diabetic, I try to avoid big blood sugar swings. So, I'm careful about how much sugar I have in a day.
Favorite foods
I focus on unprocessed, whole foods. I try to eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, and protein. I aim to start the day with a breakfast full of protein and fiber. I like overnight oats, fruits, and nuts.
My go-to for dinner is chicken and a vegetable. But I also like soups — they're a good way to get all your nutrition in one dish.
I'll still grab a handful of French fries, but I make sure to get lots of vegetables with them. I've swapped my desserts for bowls of fruits — you have to have some sugar.
Focus on moving
Food goes hand-in-hand with exercise, which I admit I hate. I'm much more active now, but I don't call it exercise.
I just focus on moving more than I sit. I walk my dogs twice a day and work in my garden. I planted my garden as far as I could from my door, too.
How to Face MASH Challenges
The hard part about MASH is if you don't live alone — when there are other people to consider. It was so hard to try and get everybody on board with eating in a new way.
It's better now, but we used to eat separately, and I'd have my own food.
Social challenges
Being social can be challenging, too. Going out to dinner or drinks and appetizers with friends isn't as appealing when you're on a new diet.
Someone would be excited about trying a new restaurant, and I didn't really want to do that anymore. You can easily isolate yourself, and that's overwhelming.
Finding support
I think it's all about balance, though.
Now, maybe on Monday, we'll go to a restaurant and I may have a small meal. The rest of the week, I'll be back to my healthy routine — it's OK to do that.
Looking back, I wish I had support with changing my diet. It's the one area where you can really take control of your disease.
At first, I didn't know what I was doing. It took a couple of years for me to finally figure out what works best for me.
I hope other people with MASH get help from nutritionists and advice from their doctors. They'll have some good resources for recipes and shopping.
How Changes Can Impact MASH
After changing my diet and getting more active in the years just after my diagnosis, I went from stage 4 (IV) to stage 3 (III) MASH. And the two lesions on my liver went away.
Then, I participated in a clinical medication trial for six years. When I left the clinical trial a year ago, I was at stage 2 (II) and lost about 10 pounds.
As of my last FibroScan, my hepatologist says I am at stage 1 (I) or 2 (II).
It's Doable
My advice for people who have been diagnosed with MASH is to not get overwhelmed. It's a lot to think about — the many diets and exercise programs.
I always tell people to start off slow. Just lower your portion size at first. Then, swap one food with something healthier. Before you know it, you're doing the best you can. And it hasn't been overwhelming — it's a habit instead of a diet.
The positive thing is that MASH can give you a second chance. As soon as you're diagnosed, we get to course-correct. There are a lot of other conditions where you don't get that chance.
But with MASH, we motivate ourselves and each other. We can try our best to eat well and move more than we sit as much as we can.
It's so doable.
Find support for MASH life changes
I created a support group on Facebook for MASH. I wanted to share credible information about clinical trials and give people a place to connect and share their stories.
I've learned so much just from talking with other people who have MASH. I know my experience with MASH is very different from somebody else's. We're all so unique, but we do have some things in common, especially when it comes to making changes to our food and activity.
We can do this.
