Nutrition Tips for People Living with Hepatitis C
Condensed from Health Canada: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/hepattis_c/pdf/nutritonCareGuidelines/chapter2.html
From: Alice - May 2004, Volume 7, Issue 5
Healthy Eating for Persons Infected with HCV
Many factors appear to influence the rate of progression of hepatitis C. An appropriate diet is part of the overall treatment that can make hepatitis C manageable. It may aid the liver in regeneration of liver cells damaged by HCV and help the patient cope with symptoms of the disease. It may enhance the response to treatment and lessen its side effects.
Maintaining or adopting a healthy eating pattern provides benefits that go beyond immediate well-being to ensure a better health status later in life and potentially slow the progression of HCV infection. Because the disease progresses slowly, subtle nutritional deficits are not always obvious at early stages. Therefore, it is vitally important that patients infected with HCV try to maintain a balanced diet with adequate energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, minerals and fluids. Eating well can become more of a challenge as liver disease progresses.
CFGHE provides more detailed information to guide people in the selection of all foods for a healthy eating pattern that provides all the nutrients required for good health. It organizes foods into four food groups and the "Other Foods" category. Eating less than the minimum number of servings, which provides about 1800 kcal, can result in higher risk of nutrient deficiencies.
There is no single "diet for liver disease". Although geared for a healthy population, CGHE and CFGHE are generally appropriate as a starting point for persons infected with HCV. Nutrient-rich choices that include whole grains, vegetables and fruit are a priority. Persons with hepatitis C do not need to follow specific dietary restrictions unless they have advanced liver disease or some other condition such as diabetes or celiac disease that requires dietary modification.
A healthy diet for persons infected with HCV includes:
• a variety of foods from all four food groups of Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating
• adequate but not excessive energy intake, spread out over the day
• adequate protein intake for fighting infection and for liver regeneration
• plenty of fruits and vegetables to maximize free radical-fighting antioxidants (emphasize variety and colour)
• foods that are rich in vitamin A and vitamin C
• avoidance of alcohol to protect the liver and allow it to regenerate
• limited high fat and high sugar foods
• food intake balanced with some activity, within physical limitations
Those who follow a vegetarian style of eating should consume a wide variety of plant foods. In the vegan diet, energy, iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids may require special attention. Following a strict exclusion diet of any kind is unnecessary and may result in dietary deficiencies. Fad diets for weight reduction should be avoided.
Other HepC websites:
Hepatitis C network: www.hepnet.com - by and for people living with hepC HepCBC: www.hepcbc.ca - local group by and for people living with hepC Health Canada: www.hc-sc.gc.ca - federal website; do searches for information about hepC