diet/menu

I was wondering if anyone has a special diet or menu that they follow for hepatitis c. ie what cooking oils to use,
if you can eat meat, if you can eat fruit, etc. would anyone help me with this a husband has it.

[fretboard]

I don't know much as I am new on this forum, just joined the beginning of March.  I haven't gone through tx yet either, but here goes.  My hands and feet swell, so I stay away from salt.  Also, I eat meat, but I try to stay away from fried foods.  I really don't know the reason other than they're greasy and maybe harder on the liver than other foods.  As far as the cooking oil, I think peanut oil, virgin olive oil.  You know what?  As far as what kind of oil, I don't know.  God Bless

[scratchinghead]

If oil, olive oil, the more virgin, the better. Pretty sure peanut oil is really bad saturated fat. Canola is second to olive, use mayonnaise made with Canola. Get protein from plants, meat protein causes the liver to release ammonia as a byproduct of digestion. (pretty sure, not positive).
Sodium is no good for anyone unless they medically require it. It will raise anyone's blood pressure. Try to go organic if you can because it is the liver that cleans the garbage out. Try not to eat either carbohydrates only or protein only. Combine them so that neither one spikes and freaks the liver out. High glycemic sugar is another liver spike to try and avoid. Review your vitamin A intake, it is oil soluable and this weighs down the liver. I guess just make sure you don't eat too much fortified food. You don't need the folic acid unless you are pregnant(but that is another story for another bedtime). The researcher that hangs out on this forum says to eat 6-7 small meals, instead of 3 big ones.

The word "alchohol" should no longer be in your vocabulary. No ifs ands or buts.
Overweight also stresses the liver.
Smoking pot is a no no, it speeds up fibrosis.
That's it for now. That's my post for the week. Someone else should jump in here and add their 2 bits.

[D977]

Hi
I agree with some of the above in oils, i also  use Coconut Oil.
It is expensive but very good for your health
D

[orphanedhawk]

I copied this from a post by Gauf:


Liver friendly diet.       ( by Gauf)
Organic and free range foods.
These should be chosen whenever possible to avoid added hormones and chemicals.

Whole grains.
Whole grains contain natural fiber, slow down sugar absorption from carbohydrates and help to lower blood lipid levels.
Some examples are brown rice, whole oats, whole wheat, whole rye, quinoa and amaranth.
Artichokes. Consume steamed artichokes 3 to 5 times per week. Do not add butter or mayonnaise.
Berries and grapes. These are high in natural antioxidant properties. Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Raw or lightly steamed retains the highest amount of nutrition and vitamins in the food.
Garlic. Raw garlic contains a component that is naturally antiviral. Consume 2 to 4 cloves daily. Avoid garlic if you are on protease inhibitors as it interferes with drug effectiveness.
Whey protein powder. This can be combined in a smoothie with frozen fruit and juice for adequate protein intake. Substitute with soy or rice protein for people if you have dairy allergies.
Nuts and seeds. Consume one serving of raw nuts a day. Roasting nuts changes some of the beneficial properties found in the nut oil.
Filtered water. Reverse osmosis or filtered water removes any chemicals occurring in the water supply.
Green tea. Consume 2 to 4 cups daily for antioxidant and cancer prevention properties. Avoid before bedtime if you are sensitive to caffeine.
Chicory tea. Consume 2 to 4 cups per day as a substitution for coffee. Chicory is also naturally beneficial to the liver. (Mix one-half to one full teaspoon per cup filtered hot water).
Ginger tea. This is helpful with controlling nausea.
Turmeric. Turmeric is a spice that gives food a wonderful yellow color. It is widely used for natural anti-inflammatory properties and can be added freely during meal preparation. Milk thistle seeds. These may be purchased in bulk at herb stores. Seeds can be ground in a coffee grinder (hint: Don't use the same coffee grinder you use for coffee) and liberally sprinkled on salads, soups, vegetables, whole grain cereals and in smoothies. Do not cook as this decreases effectiveness.

[Deb_c430]

I think this posts of gaufs, should be re posted often! It is so comprehensive and such a good general guideline!

Thanks again for  this!

[barb541]

Thanks for your input, I didn't think I'd be getting such a response.

Barb541

[barb541]

It's really great to have a forum like this, this makes me feel better right away!

Barb541

[scratchinghead]

I agree with some of the above in oils, i also  use Coconut Oil.
It is expensive but very good for your health
----------------------------------------------------------
Keep in mind Coconut Oil is a saturated fat, no if ands or butts.
Berkeley Wellness Letter recently found that consuming Coconut Oil is neither good nor bad for you. Kinda neutral.
A friend lowered her chlorestrol by quiting coconut oil, but this is anecdotal and not science.
A really big potential plus to Coconut Oil is that at room temperature you can eat it with a spoon and it is kinda like ice cream. From what I hear on this forum the Ribavarin stuff you take for treatment works better if consumed with some sort of fat. So you could take your Riba and a tablespoon of Coconut Oil and keep away from the animal fats that are normally associated with this practice.

Whatever you do, make a list and slowly alter it. Don't just go to the supermarket and load up your shopping cart. Think basics first. Then move on to the exotics.

[D977]

Hi,
Yes I agree in part , i too use other oils ,the cocnut oil i use is virgin or unrefined as with all oils in moderation. Never tried the ice cream spoon thngy, funny. Breast milk please.. I wanted to add some info on cocnut oil just for the heck of it.
D

Coconut oil is the healthiest oil on earth". Once wrongly accused of increasing cholesterol levels, coconut oil is now actually being used by doctors in the treatment of a variety of disorders. Clinical studies have shown that coconut oil has anti-microbial and anti-viral properties, and is now even being used in treating AIDS patients. Studies conducted in the Philippines last year showed that coconut oil does indeed reduce the viral load in AIDS patients.


Lauric Acid a Key Component to Health
Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid which is abundant in coconut oil, and considered responsible for many of its health benefits. Coconut oil is about 50% lauric acid. The only other abundant source found in nature is in human breast milk. Dr. Jon J. Kabara, PhD and Professor Emeritus of Michigan State University says, "Never before in the history of man is it so important to emphasize the value of Lauric Oils. The medium-chain fats in coconut oil are similar to fats in mother's milk and have similar nutriceutical effects."Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid which is abundant in coconut oil, and considered responsible for many of its health benefits. Coconut oil is about 50% lauric acid. The only other abundant source found in nature is in human breast milk. Dr. Jon J. Kabara, PhD and Professor Emeritus of Michigan State University says, "Never before in the history of man is it so important to emphasize the value of Lauric Oils. The medium-chain fats in coconut oil are similar to fats in mother's milk and have similar nutriceutical effects."
So how much coconut oil should one consume?

A good therapeutic dosage is 3 to 4 tablespoons a day. This provides enough lauric acid to build the immune system.

Also, look for unrefined coconut oil. Stay away from all hydrogenated oils, whether it is coconut oil or vegetable oils. Hydrogenated oils are oils with trans fatty acids, which have been altered from their original chemical composition, and have been shown to raise serum cholesterol levels that can lead to heart disease. Also look for unrefined coconut oils, like Virgin Coconut Oil. Most commercial coconut oils are RBD (refined, bleached, and deodorized). While these RBD oils do maintain the beneficial chemical structures of the medium chain fatty acids, they also contain chemicals used in processing.

[scratchinghead]

Yeah,  I am familiar with all the latest info (actually, I was into it about 5 years ago) about Coconut oil. But the info is still anecdotal and 3rd party.

[Onederwoman]

My husband has HCV also. Hes in his second round of treatment. Started the Interferon in March 07. Became resistant in July 07. Immediately went to Infergen plus Ribrivran plus Lexapro, body ache meds, Acai drink Mona Vie, male over 50 multi vitamins, (no iron), Milk Thistle, Prescribed Potassium (as needed) Ambien to sleep.
He started at 89 million parts HVC and is now down to 53,000!
He had to do disability in August 07 with this 2nd round of drugs. Hopefully he'll continue to zero within 2 months.
I dove into the food and care giver role 1000%.
That list from "Gauf" is great.
Go to your local health food stores book section or the big stores like Barnes & Noble types and look for Hep C cookbooks.
Their appetite will change and you have to notice what they are requesting vs what their body needs. Be proactive as the cook and create good, super healthy, smaller, easier to chew meals. They tire from chewing harder items that take longer because they just dont have the energy for a 5 course meal anymore.
Organic oatmeals. Organic omelets with "clean" cheeses and veggies.
Clean food (as I call it) is food meat or dairy that has not been feed, raised or injected with hormones, antibiotics or water.
Super pesticides free.
Seek out stores with the "clean" foods you will need.
If you have a Fresh & Easy store around, thats a good one. Any health food store usually has a produce "grown pesticides free" section too.
Organic waffles with strawberries & whip cream! Turkey & cheese oven heated sandwiches on French rolls! Pastas in red or white sauces or just oil, spices & garlic.
Get the spice called "Chinese five spice". It cranks up every meal!
Make sweet potato fries. slice, roll in oil, salt, bake a few min while turning so not to burn! Yummy!
Mediterranean Pizza! (Veggies & awesome cheeses)
Mac & Cheese! (Organic & homemade)
Just take those favorites you've been making and tweek them for the love of his liver! Keep it natural, clean and dont worry about the taste anymore. Let him tell you how his taste buds are doing.
Make suggestions so he has 3 or 4 choices a day.
The price per items may increase but will become equal to past groceries bills because they dont eat as much. There fore, you buy smaller, super fresh, super clean foods.
Keep his environment clean too. Fresh sheets weekly. Clean detergents. No softners. Hes gonna be in bed more than ever now so keep that area decent.
His immune system is taking a huge hit, so you need to know allergies, pollens, dust may effect him more than before. A common cold can go awry quickly. He has less good stuff in him to fight off the bad stuff now.
If theres a TV in the bedroom, rent his favorite movies. Laughing is so healthy for the body and mind.
Get a bed tray at some point so he can be comfortable if hes too tired to sit in another room to eat.
And you get to know if hes having a "good" day or a "bad" day health wise.
I kept a monthly calender of his "symptoms".
Let me tell you, his doctor and my hubby learned to use my health journal as a barometer on gaging the side effects of the medicine and weather he needs this or that during treatment. I was doing it to help me know how he was doing, but it became a super helpful part of his treatment too. Brought the calendar t every visit.
I would just write one word things like Mon, Tired, fever, yellow, nausea, no appetite. Tues, tired, pissy attitude, better color. Wed, really sick, Flu-ish, no food, thirsty a lot. Etc, etc.
Hey anytime you want to communicate, I'll look for you on this site.
Hope I was "kinda" helpful.
I've been at this a year now and am at the tail end of my hubbys treatment, but love the healthy new lifestyle we adopted along the way!
I got more!
Kimber

[justme53]

Kimber,

WOW!! You two are definitely health partners as well as life partners. Amazing! Do you take boarders? ;-) The calendar/journal is a great way to gauge progress.

Lots of good info here, not only for the liver but for overall health.

Pam

[barb541]

Thanks for your response, this is my 1st time on a forum and I will continue. Your words are important.