In June of 2023, I received a test result that stopped me in my tracks. The ultrasound report referenced a Metavir score of F4, which is associated with cirrhosis. If you have ever seen a word like that on your own medical report, you understand how quickly your mind moves. It does not ease into concern; it jumps straight to the worst-case scenario.
My primary care physician spoke directly with the radiologist, and the message shifted slightly, but not enough to ignore. Because of the fatty infiltration present in the liver, they could not give a definitive diagnosis. Even so, the recommendation was clear: reduce the burden on the liver. It was not dramatic advice, but it carried weight. It required me to look at my habits, not as isolated choices, but as patterns that had developed over time.
I began with what I could control most easily. Over-the-counter medications were an obvious place to start, particularly acetaminophen. It is something many of us take without much thought because it is so common and accessible. However, viewed through the lens of liver health, it becomes worth reconsidering. I made the decision to pull back, and in doing so, I stumbled onto something I did not expect. Peppermint oil, applied in a simple roll-on bottle, worked more effectively and more quickly for my headaches than Tylenol ever had. It was a small discovery, but it shifted my thinking. Not everything requires an extreme solution. Sometimes it is about choosing alternatives that support your body rather than add to its workload.
The more difficult part was not the medication. It was food. I have a long history of disordered eating, and I come from a family culture where food is closely tied to celebration. That, in itself, is not negative, but over time, the definition of what qualifies as a celebration can expand. A good day becomes a reason to indulge, a hard day becomes a reason to indulge, and before long, almost every day carries a reason. That pattern is far more complex than simply changing what you take for a headache. It is tied to emotion, memory, and habit, and cannot be corrected overnight without creating other issues. This has been, and continues to be, a process—one that is not perfect or linear, but gradually more aware.
Ten days ago, I started using Zepbound as part of a more structured approach to my health. During that process, my weight loss doctor reviewed the 2023 scan and made a comment that stayed with me. Based on that report, I should have been dead by now. It was not said to alarm me, but to emphasize the need for a clearer picture. We moved forward with new imaging, this time with a highly experienced radiologist, to better understand what was actually happening.
The results were very different. The liver still shows fatty infiltration, but there are no focal lesions. The shear wave stiffness measurement came back at 1.5 meters per second, which falls within normal limits, and the ultrasound-derived fat fraction measured at 11 percent. In practical terms, this points to fatty liver rather than cirrhosis.
The relief was immediate, but it was quickly followed by something else that feels just as important: responsibility. This is not a crisis that passed; it is a condition that can improve or worsen depending on what I do moving forward. For the first time, though, it feels manageable. Not because it is insignificant, but because it is not final. It is something that can be reversed.
I am not approaching this with extremes. I am focusing on what I can repeat. Walking regularly, even if it is brief. Eating in a way that supports steady energy rather than constant spikes and crashes. Being more intentional about what I put into my body, whether it is food or medication. Allowing this to be a process instead of a reaction. There are tools that make this easier, and I will continue to share those as I go, but none of them replace the foundation. Consistency matters more than intensity.
If you have ever received a result that shook you, you know the pause that follows. The questions, the sudden awareness of things you may have overlooked, the quiet realization that something needs to change. What I am learning is that those moments do not always require a complete overhaul. Sometimes they ask for attention, honesty, and a willingness to move in a different direction without trying to fix everything at once.
This is part of a larger shift for me, one that connects health, daily life, and the way I approach everything I build. Not perfectly, and not all at once, but consistently.
If you are in a similar place and looking for simple ways to support your health without overcomplicating it, I have started gathering a few things that have made this process easier in real life—everyday tools, small adjustments, and products that reduce friction rather than add to it. You can explore those here:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/slowandsage
I walked away from that most recent scan with something I did not fully expect: time, and a clearer understanding of what to do with it. That feels like enough to begin again.
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