Alcohol abuse or having suffered an illness like Hepatitis C can lead to the development of cirrhosis, a disease that can cause the liver to stop working properly, stop absorbing nutrients from the food we eat or being unable to eliminate all toxins.
If you make some changes in your diet you can help reduce symptoms of cirrhosis and enjoy a healthier life. At OneHowTo we show you what you should eat if you have cirrhosis to try to improve the functioning of the liver with cirrhosis.
Eat more fibre
A high fibre diet is essential for people suffering from cirrhosis as these foods contain a high nutritional content while its fats are healthy. Eating foods with fibre contributes to us enjoying a balanced diet, something basic to avoid malnutrition, one of the most common consequences in patients with cirrhosis.
Foods like bananas, nuts, cereals and wholemeal flours are indispensable in the dietary patterns of a patient with cirrhosis.
A diet without salt
When a person has cirrhosis the purifying and filtration capacity of the liver are diminished, therefore the kidney becomes responsible for doing the work of the diseased liver. To facilitate the kidney to filter our food, it is important that we remove salt from our diet since salt contributes to liquid retention and obstruction of the ducts.
Instead of salt, you can season your food with other seasonings like oregano, pepper or lemon.
Honey
Honey is an ingredient whose properties help stimulate the body's purification capacity; indeed, honey is one of the most recommended ingredients for those recovering from cirrhosis and to mitigate the effects of a hangover. So if you want to know how to eat if you have cirrhosis, an ingredient that cannot be absent from your diet is honey.
More vegetables in your diet
Fruits and vegetables are good at reducing the effects of cirrhosis as they are ingredients that help purify the body. Its high content of antioxidant enzymes make it more easy for the liver to remove toxins and accumulated fats.
Of all the vegetables, the most beneficial for your liver are:
- Artichokes
- Carrots
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Beetroot
- Spinach
Take a look at this article that gives you a list of vegetables to cleanse the liver.
Fruits
Fruits are also good foods for cirrhosis since they contribute to the purification and cleansing of the liver, favouring conversion of food into energy and regulating the levels of fat; of all the fruits in the world, the best are citrus fruits as they are natural tonics.
Other good fruits for cirrhosis are:
- Apples
- Lemon
- Grapefruit
- Orange
Take a look at this article that gives you a list of fruits to cleanse the liver.
Less carbohydrates
The fat from carbohydrates can cause a liver dysfunction and excess fat to accumulate in the liver, therefore, it is advisable to reduce the consumption of carbohydrates (especially refined) in your cirrhosis diet.
If you want some tips to care for your liver, in this article we tell you how to care for the liver to reduce symptoms of cirrhosis.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to What Should I Eat If I Have Cirrhosis, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.