Kyle J. Norton asked:


As we mentioned in previous articles, hepatitis is characterized by the destruction of a number of liver cells and the presence of inflammatory cells in the liver tissue caused by excessive alcohol drinking, disorders of the gall bladder or pancreas, medication side effects, and infections. Beside foods, nutritions and herbs, supplements also play an important role in preventing and treating hepatitis

1. Vitamin C

It is found only in fruits and vegetables and is highest in fresh, uncooked foods. Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin. It helps prevent oxidation of water-soluble molecules that could otherwise create free radicals. Vitamin C not only stimulates the immune system but also improves the prevention and treatment of infections and other diseases.

2. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with antioxidant properties and is used for prevention or treatment of numerous health conditions such as liver detoxification. Vitamin E levels have been shown to be low in people with hepatitis as well as in those who later develop liver cancer from long-standing hepatitis therefore increasing the amount of intake of vitamin E may protect the liver from damage in people with hepatitis C.

3. B vitamins

B vitamins support metabolic functions, including energy production, nerve cell immune system functions and as well as antioxidant activity.

4. Selenium

Selenium is an essential trace mineral that helps in cleansing liver toxins. Selenium is proven to have a protective role against hepatitis B. The right dose of selenium will help to ware off liver cancer.

5. Flax seed

Flax seed is an excellent vegetarian source of essential fatty acids that helps to reduce inflammation of liver and restore damaged liver cell membranes. It will also support the filter inside the liver, which removes microorganisms, dead cells and toxins from the blood stream.

6.L-Glutamine

L-Glutamine contains high amounts of amino acid and natural growth hormones that help to combat the effect of alcohol addiction, benefiting the liver and strengthening the immune system.

Click here for more information

7. S-adenosymethionine (SAMe)

Study shows that S-adenosymethionine (SAMe) has ananti-oxidant effects in chronic liver disease and in the treatment of viral hepatitis C. It also helps to restore abnormalities and cellular dysfunctions in human liver disease. Oral SAMe is also helpful in treating patients with chronic liver disease.

I hope this information will help. If you need more information of the above subject, please visit my home page at:

Kyle J. Norton

http://medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.com/

http://hepatitisix.blogspot.com/

http://hepatitisx.blogspot.com/

All rights reserved. Any reproducing of this article must have all the links intact.



Christine

Nicole Cutler, L.Ac. asked:


The main function of the liver is to process and filter every substance that enters the body. Anyone with a liver disease should know the importance of eating and drinking healthily, and avoiding any substances that could potentially harm this very important organ. Even so, many people with Hepatitis C still entertain the thought of having an alcoholic beverage from time to time. There has been much debate over the effects that moderate amounts of alcohol have on an already compromised liver. Ultimately, each individual must make their own choice as to whether or not to have that glass of wine or beer with dinner, but the decision could be made a whole lot easier if you know all the facts about how alcohol consumption can affect the liver.

You may have heard that a glass of wine per day can have positive cardiovascular benefits, and can possibly reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. But while wine may be health-friendly to people at risk for heart disease, the same doesn’t hold true for those with liver disease. People with Hepatitis C are dealing with a liver that isn’t functioning as best as it should be. Alcohol, regardless of how much is consumed, is a toxin and can add unnecessary stress to this already weakened organ.

One of the main goals of Hepatitis C treatment is to reduce viral load. However, drinking alcohol would likely negate the beneficial effects of treatment, and may worsen the liver damage. Recent studies have shown that alcohol consumption has a direct correlation with viral load. People with Hepatitis C who drink alcohol have significantly higher viral loads than those with no alcohol in their diet.

Everyone has differing opinions about consuming alcoholic beverages while also battling a liver disease like Hepatitis C. But the facts are clear – alcohol negatively affects liver health. When deciding whether or not to have an occasional drink, abstinence is really the wisest choice if you have liver disease.



Sharon

joe asked:


I am in search of a specialty clinic, whose soul purpose is to combat the Hepatitis virus and all of its variations: A, B, C, and D. My fiancee and her entire family have the disease, I am fighting to get them the help they need for proper treatment.

Erica

Sharon Bell asked:


People who receive blood transfusions or blood products can get hepatitis A. These include hemophiliacs, cancer patients and those who receive tainted blood that contains the hepatitis A virus (HAV).

Once such episode published in the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal was reported by Dr. Kenneth K. Lee of the Department of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Sacramento, California.

In 1989, nine nurses at the hospital’s obstetrics department contracted hepatitis A within four days. The outbreak was traced to an infant who was discharged earlier.

The infant was delivered in the same hospital by cesarean section and received 40 milliliters of fresh frozen plasma (the fluid portion of the blood with no red and white blood cells). The blood donor was later identified as a 26-year-old woman who didn’t have the symptoms of hepatitis A at the time she donated blood but developed jaundice shortly afterwards. She got the disease from her boyfriend.

Since the HAV can remain in stored fresh frozen blood for up to six months, Lee stressed the importance of careful screening of donors to avoid a similar situation in the future.

“A number of reports have described transfusion-acquired hepatitis A, primarily in neonatal and intensive care units. Most episodes of post transfusion hepatitis A developed after transfusion with either whole blood or packed erythrocytes (red blood cells). One previous report described transmission by fresh frozen plasma; the outbreak described in our report is the second,” Lee said.

“Of note is that our patient contracted hepatitis A from transfusion long after the plasma was donated. Transmission to an infant can set the stage for secondary transmission to health care workers who care for that infant, especially if hand-washing and other hygienic techniques are deficient,” he added.

Another way of acquiring the disease is through the re-use of contaminated needles and syringes. This means of transmission has not been conclusively established, yet transmission of the HAV is believed to occur with poor hygiene, fecally contaminated drugs or shared needles among infected drug users.

Direct transmission of the virus from person to person remains the most common route. This puts certain individuals at risk. One of these is the gay community.

Higher rates of infection have been observed in homosexuals owing to certain sexual practices, particularly oral - anal sex. This was evident in 1991 in an HAV epidemic in Melbourne, Australia which affected 243 people.

Of that number, 197 were men - 89 of whom were homosexuals. Other similar outbreaks among gays have occurred in Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

“There has been a genuine and continuing increase in the number of clinical cases in gay men. The public health measures so far employed are being enhanced to control the transmission of hepatitis A in the homosexual community,” according to Dr. Tony Stewart of the Victoria Health Department. (Next: Hepatitis A common in soldiers.)

To strengthen your body, take Immunitril – your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.



Gene

James Pereira asked:


Infectious diseases have always been afflicting humankind since, well, humans existed. These infectious organisms are not always winning the battle.

All of them have one thing in common - not all their victims succumb to their morbid or lethal effects. In fact humans always strive to eliminate these insidious agents and we have actually been successful in eradicating smallpox from the face of the Earth.

Our next target is the stamping out of polio. Both these diseases are caused by viruses and only with the aid of vaccines can we eliminate these agents.

A disease can only be eliminated with vaccines if the infecting agent circulates among humans exclusively. If it is infects other animals it is impossible to vaccinate these animals therefore we can never attain eradication.

Unfortunately, hepatitis C is not an infectious disease for which a vaccine is available, yet. This means that we will have to learn how to live with hepatitis C without yielding to it.

Hepatitis C is considered a lifestyle disease so we can prevent being infected by practicing a safe lifestyle. What do we need to take heed of to prevent being infected? Here is a list of points to be conscious of while going about our daily chores to prevent from being infected ourselves:

- Use screened blood if transfusion is needed

- Wear rubber gloves is you are a health care provider and get trained on how to handle hepatitis C patients

- Do not share instruments e.g., syringes, toothbrush and razor blade

- Take precautions against contact with someone else’s blood

- Get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B. Being infected with either or both of these other hepatitis diseases will increase the chances of hepatitis C infection.

What about if you already have hepatitis C and do not want to infect others? Here are some things that a hepatitis C patient should practice.

- Modify your diet. Some food types are unsuitable as they tax the liver excessively

- Abstain from alcohol

- Exercise regularly

- Avoid anal sex or any sexual acts that could cause exchange of blood

- Avoid multiple sexual partners

- Avoid body piercing, tattooing and acupuncture so as to prevent further transmission

- Discuss with your dentist your situation before your appointment

Can hepatitis c be sured or is it a curse for life? The good news is that with recent advances in research a cure has been discovered. However these treatment regimens and cure is limited only to serotype 1, which is the most common. Serotype 2 and 3 patients unfortunately have no recourse to curative medication yet.

There is a seventy percent probability that hepatitis C patients can be cured with the use of a cocktail of drugs. It involves a weekly injection and a twice-a-day regime of tablets for between 24 to 48 weeks. This combination therapy is not recommended for the following groups of people:

- Those with depression

- Alcoholics

- Pregnant women

- Untreated thyroid diseases

- Those with kidney and heart conditions

Although such treatment exist to cure hepatitis C sufferers, it is often a herculean task tolerating the drugs. Many patients undergo even depression as a result of the treatment.



Roy

Bertil Hjert asked:


Hepatitis C is referred to as a serious infectious virus by medical experts. They also like to refer to this disease as a communicable liver disease. This disease directly attacks the liver of the patient.

However, people are more at ease these days, when it comes to talking about this condition or having contracted it for various reasons. The reason is wide availability of treatment options for this infectious disease.

You would be highly surprised to know that a wide variety of herbal and natural treatment options are available Hepatitis C, these days.

These are any day, a better option because the medications are effective, 100% safe and widely available.

Here is an explanation of certain alternative therapies often prescribed for patients with Hepatitis C:

a) Take 200mg of concentrated milk thistle with 140mg of silymarin on a daily basis. Certain studies have shown that when these herbs are used together, the disease is slowly exterminated from the body and that too without any side effects.

b) Authentic ginseng from a local vitamin store will do a lot of good to you. You can also take it in the form of a tea.

c) Focus on drinking licorice root tea periodically. This herb is effective in patients with Hepatitis C. One can take about two cups in a week.

d) Sweeten your food articles with glycyrrhizin. This is obtained from licorice root. However, you should not use more than about 200mg on a daily basis.

e) You may use ginger root in conjunction with, St. John’s Wort in order to fight depression and nausea. These herbs are often used to subsidize effects of painful medical treatments.

f) Have green tea regularly. This will help in stabilizing cell membranes.

g) Take a tablet of milk thistle daily in order to restore and protect liver cells. Milk thistle is actually the most common herb used in order to treat almost all types of hepatitis.

h) Drink a teaspoon of St. John’s Wort tincture with water at least twice or thrice a day. You may also take about three tablets of St. John’s Wort on a daily basis. St. John’s Wort is known to provide adequate protection to the liver from several viral infections that ultimately lead to Hepatitis C.

i) Take 8 grams of schisandra powed and mix it to herbal tea. This will effectively protect liver cells and also work towards rebuilding them.

j) You must include garlic as an integral part of a healthy diet that’s rich in vegetables and fresh fruits. Garlic is the most common ingredient that’s found is several herbal remedies. It purifies blood and also removes toxins from the body. You can eat garlic raw, in a tablet form or even cooked. You need to take garlic capsules with strong odor. This ensures 100% antiviral effects.

- Important tip and warning

You must strictly stay away from using herbal remedies that include tinctures that has been extracted using alcohol or remedies that include alcohol. These medications will further damage your liver cells.



Lois

Bertil Hjert asked:


Hepatitis C is an infectitious virus that has the tendency to damage the liver. It transfers in to the liver via the blood.

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine, for this condition. Hence, people are instructed to follow certain preventative methods in order to keep oneself off this disease.

However, when once contracted by this infectious virus of Hep C, there is no other way out than to visit a doctor and treat the condition.

Until now, there have been no specific treatment options invented to cure this disease. Only certain changes in lifestyle, diet and antiviral medications in conjunction with bed rest is recommended by the doctors to the patients.

Once the diagnosis is done, there are several issues that need to be dealt with.

The first and foremost is to start off with a treatment program. The best way to start is with your mental health. This is irrespective of how you have contracted this disease. There is no looking back. Once you have this virus, you need to get a treatment. There is no other option.

Hep C can make you feel tired. In case, you go for a therapy, you would still feel the fatigue in you. Hence, the experts suggest a good amount of sleep and eating well. If you feel that you need a nap, don’t worry and go ahead.

Another important thing is to eat a healthy diet. Make sure that your diet includes a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Keep your self hydrated. This is very important. Drink a lot of water.

Don’t take any type of vitamin supplements without consulting your health provider. These supplements may interfere a lot with other medications you eat. Remember that too much of good things are definitely going to harm your body.

The diet pattern you maintain does a lot in your overall health. A healthy diet can improve your liver via encouraging the production of new liver cells.

You need to abstain yourself from any type of alcohol. Hep C is a liver disease and alcohol can enhance chances of liver disease. Another important thing to do is to reduce salt in your diet.

When liver disease is in a severe condition, kidneys tend to get signals that result in retention of both salt and water. The salt acts as a sponge and results in liquid build up inside the body. This liquid build up can be reduced via taking a diet low in salt.

You need to get vaccinations against Hepatitis A and also for Hepatitis B. In people with Hepatitis C, infection caused by another hepatitis strain can result in further damage to the liver.

It is true that there is no vaccine for Hep C. However, a series of shots can easily protect most people from infection with the Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B viruses. It would be better to talk to your medical practitioner regarding vaccination.

A change in life style can surely provide you a great satisfaction, when it comes to Hep C treatment.



Carolyn

NAEEM asked:


One of my female relative got married recently having hepatitis C positive discovered afer her marriage.She is at this moment in perfect health condition.

Tim