Hepatitis C Diet Plan

Weight is an important factor in the escalation of hepatitis C. Weighing either too little or too much can cause the disease to progress. Therefore, its is crucial that people with this disease maintain a healthy diet that allows them to maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI). Diets that achieve this are good meal plans for anyone--they're steeped in fruits and vegetables and avoid foods high in fat and sugars. Alcohol and sodium are avoided in hepatitis C diets due to their effects on the liver and causes for fluid retention.

Fruits and Vegetables

Maintaining a healthy diet is essential to keeping a healthy weight and immune system. As with most diets, fruits and vegetables are an important feature. This is certainly true of any hepatitis C diet. Fruits and vegetables provide many nutrients to the body, including folic acid and vitamin C. Many nutrients are antioxidants that can help prevent cell damage. Vegetables such as lentils, beans and tofu are a good source of protein, which is often lacking in patients with hepatitis C. Meat, in particular red meat, is not recommended as a main source of protein due to its high fat/salt content. Fruits and vegetables are always best when fresh, however canned and frozen varieties are perfectly fine as long as the sodium content is monitored.

Sodium

Hepatitis C patients are prone to swelling and water retention, because the liver must work harder and sometimes can not remove all the toxins from the body. Having too much sodium in your diet can make this far worse, because sodium encourages the body to retain water. Avoid salty foods such as chips, canned soups and pasta sauces. Use lemon juice or herbs instead. When shopping, always check the labels for sodium content and purchase accordingly.

Alcohol Use

At present, there is no recommended amount of alcohol use that is safe for hepatitis C sufferers. Alcohol is a strong toxin to the liver anyway, but this is especially true of people with hepatitis C. The disease prevents the liver from bringing down alcohol's components and removing its toxins. Alcohol consumption can escalate the progression of the disease and increase the risk for other problems such as liver cancer and cirrhosis.