Here is some helpful information on dealing with Hep-C
What to do if you have Hep C Milk Thistle Licorice Root (Not with high blood pressure) Eat a diet high in RAW vegetables and fruit (Organic to avoid chemicals and pesticides if possible) Drink 'green' drinks - carrot juice and beet juice (get a juicer) Get plenty of rest Drink 6+ glasses of water a day - as pure as you can get. Since the cost of interferon and ribavarin is so prohibitive to many people, especially if you do not have medical insurance, it is important that you look into herbal remedies and vitamin supplements that will fortify your liver. DO RESEARCH on all of the following, that may benefit you: Vitamin B12 Vitamin B6 Vitamin C Vitamin E Betacarotene - NOT Vitamin A (There is a difference) Folic Acid Milk Thistle Dandelion Root Chicory Vervain Astalagus Licorice Root (This one should NOT be taken if you have high blood pressure. Otherwise it is very beneficial to the liver.) What not to do if you have Hep C Consume NO alcohol - NONE Avoid sugar, fats and highly processed foods Avoid raw fish and shellfish Avoid animal protein - organic (free range) is better than store bought if you must eat meat! Store bought is full of antibiotics and growth hormones and just stuff. Do not take any drugs that are not prescribed by your doctor Do not take Tylenol or NSAID's (Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) And think twice before taking aspirin and iboprofen, also, but take them INSTEAD of tylenol, if you need to. Quit smoking Do not smoke Marijuana Do not do other Illicit drugs Do not take supplements with IRON This is what Hep C viruses use to replicate!! Do not take CELANDINE Do not take Chapparel - INCREASES the RATE of liver damage. Do not take Comfrey - obstructs blood flow to the liver, increasing the rate of fibrosis and cirrhosis damge Do not take Germander Do not take Lobelia Do not take Yohimbe Do not take Cod Liver Oil A perscription for our loved ones if they have Hep C We realize that the products above are not going to be available for our loved ones inside of the walls. Many of them have vitamins available and this is a good thing, but they sould request vitamins without Iron. In general what would be appropriate to advise our loved ones is to eat as healthy as possible. Eat the 'whole' foods that are prepared in the prison chow hall. Eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible and slow down on the meat. If they can have raw fruits and vegetables that is better. Drink water - lots of water - over koolaid or any other sugar rich drink like soda. Avoid soda and koolaid all together if possible. If there is a choice of brown bread over white - choose the brown or whole wheat. Avoid all candy, chocolate, processed foods, chips, honey buns, and all the chemical rich packaged foods - get rid of all of that from the diet if possible. (I am not saying that the occasional weak moment won't happen, but for the rule - avoid) Ask them to quit smoking - this will have more health benefits than just saving the liver. Basically look at everything that they put into their mouths as food or drink. If it is not a 'whole' food then don't eat it. Avoid anything that is processed and packaged like junk food. Avoid sugar and chemical additives. This will not be easy since our loved ones do not necessarily have control over the food that they eat, but they can eat as healthy as possible given the circumstance. Your liver has to process each and every chemical that you put through your body so if you avoid the processed chemicals you are giving your liver a fighting chance. If you overburden it with more than necessary then it is constantly challenged.
If you find yourself with "psychological" symptoms, like confusion, inability to concentrate, irritability etc. there is a STRONG POSSIBILITY that your ammonia levels are elevated in your brain. (A commonly occuring effect for Hep c patients.) You need to stay away from animal proteins - fish and meat - for a few days, so the levels can go back down again.