Natural Strategies for Supporting Sufferers with Hepatitis C

by Blair Thomson, N.D. and Mishel Rees, M.H.

Part 1 Diet and Nutrition

The nature of Hepatitis C requires a multi pronged approach when dealing with this potentially serious threat to our health. Natural therapies has much to offer both acute and chronic sufferers. Research has turned up many serious reviews about natural products that offer positive direction to an otherwise poor prognosis.

When dealing with Hepatitis C from a Natural Therapies point of view it is imperative to distinguish between acute and chronic states. Though the approaches will overlap, there are some important differences to consider for each state of this condition. The following are guidelines only, as a foundational aspect of a natural therapies approach is to deal with the individual and their unique expression of the dis-ease. A true wholistic healing therapy is different for each person even if they have been given the same disease label, such as Hepatitis C.

The liver is an incredibly complex organ involved in more than five hundred general functions. For instance, it can analyse and alter thousands of chemicals, deciding what to do with each. The impact of a liver that is unable to function properly can be cumulatively detrimental to our health and well being in so many ways. Our livers are so important that it is the only organ which has the ability to regenerate functional cells, given the right support.

As our liver has to eventually deal with what we eat it is important that we begin by looking at the foods we consume. Our diets can be broadly divided into foods that will tax an ailing liver and foods that will meet our nutritional needs while either supporting or at least not demanding much input from our liver.

Foods to avoid:

The goal here is to reduce foods that require major liver involvement. Removal of as many of the following groups of foods is imperative to successful recovery from any liver disease.

Foods containing additives, colourants, preservatives and any other chemical introduced to "enhance" what we eat. Any chemical the body can not use directly for energy, repair and maintenance or building will need to be processed to be made usable or eliminated, this can be a challenge even for a healthy liver. The ideal, for a number of reasons, would be to use only organic foods, however, this can be cost prohibitive for many people. It is important to know that conventionally grown foods can contain many different traces pesticides, herbicides and antifungal agents that the liver has to deal with.

Alcohol !! There is total agreement that this socially acceptable drug needs to removed completely. The breakdown by-product of alcohol metabolism (acetaldehyde) causes serious liver cell damage through free radical like action which is a cause of cirrhosis. Alcohol also draws heavily on the body's nutrient reserves placing it at risk of developing sub acute deficiencies. Alcohol also interferes with the liver's storage and use of vitamin A.

Caffeine products. Coffee, tea, cola beverages, chocolate and many drugs contain caffeine and related chemicals. Caffeine stimulates metabolic function of the liver through several routes. In effect, it speeds up metabolism. Caffeine also needs to be metabolised by the liver and impacts negatively on the nutrient status of the body, including the liver's storage of vitamin A and D.

Fats. The relationship between dietary fats and health is huge. To help keep things simple only some basic concerns will be discussed at this time. All fats and oils find their way to the liver where they are sorted and processed. Both the types and quantities of fats in our diets need to be considered when the liver is compromised in any way. The most important issue with regards to type has to do with "trans-fatty acids" which are produced by "hydrogenation" and are found in large amounts in these altered vegetable oils; oils like margarine and vegetable shortenings. High levels of trans fatty acids found in our modern diets are unnatural and very difficult for a healthy liver to metabolise. Trans fatty acids suppress a cholesterol regulating enzyme and also lead to raised triglyceride levels. The hydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acid is used to produce solid vegetable oils, like margarine, and damages the essential fatty acids found in vegetable oils producing deficiencies of this necessary nutrient. A hepatitis damaged liver uses and metabolises the essential fatty acids very easily which places very little strain on the liver.

The other important issue around fats and oils is the quantity of these in the diet. It is important to reduce total dietary fats to around 15% of total caloric intake and make sure your diet has a good source of essential fatty acids.

Sugars are widely distributed through the foods we eat. The problems with simple sugars like table sugar is the rate they are absorbed and the fact they are devoid of all nutrients needed for their metabolism. Both these factors place a greater demand on the liver which must convert excess sugar to fats and draw on body reserves of nutrients to be able to perform these functions.

Drugs. All drugs are metabolised by the liver. Some drugs are a greater challenge to these metabolic processes than others. Many metabolic by products have free radical like action and damage liver cells before being "neutralised". It is imperative that all non essential drugs be eliminated or reduced to an absolute minimum. One strategy to help protect and reverse damage caused by drugs is to include anti-oxidant foods and nutrients in your diet which include the bioflavinoids rich berries and pigment rich vegetables, vitamin C and E and the minerals zinc and selenium. There are several nutrients that help the liver metabolise and eliminate unwanted molecules.

Tobacco products. Smoking produces hundreds of chemicals, many of which are free radical in nature. All of these chemicals find their way to the liver where they are metabolised placing an ongoing demand on an already challenged liver. Smoking uses up many of the bodies reserves of important nutrients, especially vitamins C and A. For many people the problem with smoking is quitting. It can be a very difficult vise to give up. A good strategy for those who have been unsuccessful in putting cigarettes aside is to take a full range of the anti-oxidants and to eat nutrient rich foods.

Foods to include:

Foods rich in vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, water and plant chemicals, like flavonoids and carotenoids, are imperative for the liver to regenerate itself. Many nutrients help protect the liver from damaging chemicals and aid it in metabolising and eliminating metabolic toxins. This translates simply into a diet rich in foods, like whole grains, lentils and peas, raw and lightly cooked vegetables, and lots of fruit.

Meats. Our culture is very heavily meat oriented. Though consuming adequate amounts of protein is important, large amounts of beef, lamb and pork are not the answer. A couple of portions of dark meats per week is more than adequate. If a non vegetarian diet is preferable, then the light meats like fish and chicken are less demanding on the digestive tract, including the liver. The case for organic is far stronger for our meat sources because of the number of drugs given to animals these days. Many of these substances are fat soluble and therefore tend to be stored in the fatty tissues in animals.

Dairy products. The best ways to consume dairy is raw, which is virtually unavailable these days, or once it has been cultured into yogurt or buttermilk. These forms of dairy are very easy to digest, help reestablish natural intestinal flora and are much better sources of nutrients than their pasteurised or homogenised counterparts. As dairy products are rich in fats, the earlier comments about drugs, animals and organic sources applies here.

Vegetable and fruit juices. Particularly when made from organic sources, juices are wonderfully rich in bioavailable nutrients. Plants are especially rich in potassium and help to reestablish and sodium imbalances produced by high salt diets. Juices also help the body reestablish the slight alkaline state it prefers for optimal health. Metabolic disturbances produced by liver damage tend to push the body toward an acid state; juices will help counter this action. Nutrient rich juices also help cleanse the liver, promote cellular growth and repair and contain many plant chemicals that help protect against cell damage and improve immune function.

Water. Not usually thought of as a nutrient, water is absolutely essential for elimination and optimal cellular health. The problem with water is, which source is best. When all factors are considered, the bottom line is that ordinary tap water is not our best source of drinking water. There are now many companies promoting water purifiers and bottled water. Our research suggests that a two stage filtration system using ceramic and solid block carbon filters to be a good approach. With regard to bottled water, we like water that has gone through several processes including reverse osmosis, ozone and carbon filtration. An important consideration when looking at water purifying is the pH of the end product. This should optimally be neutral or slightly alkaline. Many bottled water and purifying processes leave water slightly acid which can be a health concern if consumed in large amounts (several glasses) over long periods of time. How much is best? Remembering that water does remove minerals as it flushes out wastes and toxins, it is important to take some form of mineral supplement each day to help off set the losses 5 to 8 glasses of water will remove. Consuming water through out the day to the equivalent of 2 to 3 litres is the best approach. As herbal teas and in juices is fine.

Essential fatty acids (EFA'S). As mentioned earlier, EFA's are important for proper liver function and are easily used by the liver. They are necessary for proper immune function and help the body deal with any inflammatory condition. Our best sources of EFA's are nuts, seeds, fish and whole grains. Flax seeds in particular are good sources but do not heat as this produces toxic substances. Cold pressed flax seed oil is readily available in health food stores and can be used in salad dressings. All oils, nuts, seeds and grains should be kept in the refrigerator as these are very susceptible to damage from oxygen and refrigeration slows the processes that lead to rancidity. Rancidity is the result of damaged polyunsaturated oils contained in these foods. Damaged unsaturated oils impact negatively on things like cell membranes and DNA. Industry hydrogenates vegetable oils to prevent rancidity but destroys most of the essential fatty acids in the process, a vicious nutritional cycle!

It may seem that the dietary changes needed to deal with hepatitis C are complicated but in actual fact the format is quite easy and only our habits get in the way of an easy transition. If you remember to eat fresh whole foods as often as possible and to remove and cut down on as much of the processed, canned, frozen, packaged, fast and convenience foods as possible you will be well on your way to supporting your livers need to heal and regenerate from a nutritional point of view. Preprepared foods are rich in salt, simple sugars, fats and oils and additives all of which are a challenge to an already compromised liver. Make your changes one step at a time. Buy some good vegetarian and whole food cook books, read and enjoy the taste sensations this way of food preparation has to offer. Your foods can be either your road to health or your road to serious health problems, the choice is yours.

In our next contribution to this major health concern we will cover supportive strategies through nutritional and herbal supplements. Till then eat well and get well. Blair Thomson DN, CMT and Mishel Rees MH, WT, RM, B.Div. are Integrative Therapists using nutritional, herbal and body work therapies to support people in their journeys back to health. They are co-owner / operators of Quantum Life Energy Natural Farmacy & Clinic a business dedicated to accurate professional education about nutritional and herbal health products.

C1997 Blair Thomson and Mishel Rees for HepC BC.

All Rights Reserved.

Correspondence can be directed to Blair Thomson or Mishel Rees.

HepC BC