Former alcoholic who nearly died from liver damage credits turning vegan for saving his life

A former alcoholic who almost died from liver damage credits becoming a vegan for saving his life.

Seven years ago, Aaron Calder, was rushed to hospital with a liver condition, which caused him to vomit blood.

The 40-year-old’s drinking had damaged his liver so badly that his veins became clogged up and burst in his mouth while he was sleeping.

After being treated in intensive care and kept in hospital for two weeks, he immediately ditched drinking.

But two years after going sober, tests showed Aaron’s liver was still in bad shape.

It was only after watching a Netflix documentary called ‘Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead’, that Aaron decided to give veganism a go.

He switched to a plant-based diet which he says led to miraculous improvements in his health.

“A fibroscan measuring the inflammation of my liver came in at 75 - the worst possible result,” Aaron explains.

“But just months after adopting the vegan diet, my score had dropped by almost a half to 39 and my liver appeared to be functioning normally. I couldn’t believe it, and neither could my doctor.”

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Aaron first started binge drinking as a teenager, but soon became dependent on alcohol to help him unwind from work and boost his confidence socially.

But he had a wake up call seven years ago after being rushed to hospital.

There he was given two blood transfusions and was treated for a kidney infection, malnutrition, gout and liver cirrhosis.

“My liver was so badly damaged that it couldn't cope with the blood flow. The blood was blocking up which caused seven veins in my throat to burst.

“The doctors told me I was very lucky to be alive and said if I drank again I would die. But I have not touched it since my hospital admission - not a drop.”

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Aaron, from Brighton, East Sussex, had regular check-ups on his liver cirrhosis, when scar tissue from the liver, often inflamed by alcohol abuse, replaces normal liver tissue.

But two years after quitting the booze, his liver inflammation score was still the worst possible result.

It was only after watching the Netflix documentary, which followed the experiences of an overweight man who adopts a fruit and vegetable diet for 60 days to fix his health, that Aaron decided to give an entirely plant-based diet a go.

“I was sceptical at first. As a vegetarian, I was sure that I needed eggs for protein and milk for calcium,” he said.

“But I decided to give the vegan diet a go and started to see massive improvements in my health.”

Just months after adopting the plant-based diet and switching to wholemeal ingredients Aaron returned to hospital for another liver scan.

“The results alone showed that my liver was functioning normally. My cholesterol and blood pressure were perfect too.”

Following his health revelation, Aaron is now a full-time food blogger and regularly posts his plant-based recipes on Instagram.

“People think a vegan diet is strict, but I actually eat a lot of food and still enjoy vegan burgers, chips and chocolate cakes,” he says.

“But I swap the butter, white flour and sugar for avocado oil, wholemeal flour and maple syrup.”

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Aaron returned for further tests in March last year, and for the first time, the fat deposits in his liver had completely cleared.

“The vegan diet has played a massive role in my recovery. It has given the body the chance to heal. When I stopped drinking, my liver didn’t improve much. It wasn't until I adopted the vegan diet that my results started to improve.

“I am now enjoying my work as a food blogger. I have swapped my alcohol addiction with a focus on making really good food.”