Diet & Nutrition Recommendations For People With Chronic Hepatitis C

Chronic hepatitis C is an illness caused by the hepatitis C virus. There are several ways that you could develop this condition, including being born to a mother infected with the hepatitis C virus, having sexual intercourse with an infected individual and sharing needles with an infected person. Before using nutritional therapies to help manage your hepatitis C, review the merits and drawbacks of this natural health approach with your physician.

Chronic Hepatitis C

No vaccine can prevent hepatitis C, and vaccines for other types of hepatitis -- hepatitis A and B -- do not confer immunity against the hepatitis C virus. If you have hepatitis C, you may experience a swelling of your liver. Most people who become infected with the hepatitis C virus develop chronic hepatitis C infection, which causes irreversible liver scarring over time, or cirrhosis. Abdominal pain, jaundice and fatigue are among the most commonly experienced symptoms associated with this health problem.

Dietary Recommendations

Several dietary recommendations may be helpful in treating hepatitis, including hepatitis C. Certified nutritional consultant Phyllis A. Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," states that, if you have hepatitis, you should consider consuming a raw vegetable and fruit diet for two to four weeks, preceded by a cleansing fast. Incorporating artichokes into your diet may also be helpful, as artichokes are well known for their ability to protect liver cells from damage. Carrot juice, beet juice and steam-distilled water are important beverages for people with hepatitis. Alcohol, sugar and highly processed foods are best avoided.

Helpful Nutritional Supplements

Nutritional supplements may be an important part of a well-rounded treatment plan for your hepatitis C. In "The Clinician's Handbook of Natural Medicine," naturopathic physician Joseph E. Pizzorno Jr. states that vitamin C, liver extracts, thymus extracts, licorice and milk thistle are among the most commonly used nutritional supplements in treating hepatitis, or liver inflammation. Coenzyme Q10, lecithin and inositol hexaphosphate may also be helpful. Some of these nutritional supplements may require further scientific scrutiny to determine their true health benefits.

Considerations

With appropriate early treatment, the likelihood of removing the hepatitis C virus from your body may be as high as 90 percent. Appropriate treatment measures for your hepatitis C can significantly reduce your likelihood of developing severe liver disease. If you suffer from this condition, discuss the most relevant treatment strategies to help combat your condition. Ask your doctor if dietary changes and nutritional supplements are right for you before using them to help treat your hepatitis C.