Diets for Hep C People

Everything we eat and drink passes through the liver to be metabolized and then moves on through the body as energy or waste. Hepatitis C is a virus that affects the liver and disrupts this process, making a healthy, balanced diet extremely important. A diet left unchecked in a person with hepatitis C could lead to chronic liver disease and possibly cirrhosis.

Identification

• Whether or not you have hepatitis C it is a good idea to maintain a healthy body weight. With regular exercise and a diet emphasizing low fat, low sodium, high fiber, fruits and vegetables, people with hepatitis C need only worry about one additional element of their diet: cutting consumption of alcohol. According to a statement released by the National Institutes of Health in March 1997, alcohol consumption by people with hepatitis C (hep-C) should not exceed one drink per day.

Nutrition

• People with hep-C should avoid taking iron supplements and eating foods rich in iron such as red meat and iron-fortified cereals, because the virus makes it difficult for the liver to excrete iron. Red meats in particular and animal proteins in general are high in sodium (salt), and should be avoided by those with chronic hep-C. In a 2003 study, Dr. Melissa Palmer, an expert in hepatitis and liver disease, suggests that between 60 and 120 grams is an adequate intake of animal protein a day. Additionally, sodium intake should be restricted to no more than 1000 milligrams daily, and less if possible. A diet focusing on fruits and vegetables provides natural glucose, fiber and amino acids more easily metabolized by the liver, and also helps keeps your waistline slim.

Consideration

• Well over two-thirds of those exposed to the hepatitis C virus develop chronic liver disease. From there, the progression to cirrhosis (irreversible liver damage) occurs in about 25 percent of those who have the virus.