Don Colbert - Bible Cure for Hepatitis C: Ancient Truths, Natural Remedies and the Latest Findings for Your Health Today

What behaviors have you been involved in that may have increased your risk of contracting hepatitis C?

Which of the following symptoms of hepatitis C have you experienced?

Fatigue

Irritable bowel syndrome

Insomnia

Intolerance to fatty foods

Irritability and mood swings

Others __________________________

What lifestyle changes will you make after reading this chapter?

Chapter 3
Wisdom and Nutrition

T here is healing power in wisdom: The words of the wise bring healing (Prov. 12:18); The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, to turn aside from the snares of death (Prov. 13:14, NAS). Gods wisdom applied to our dietary and nutritional choices is vital for those who are suffering from liver disease.

If you or a loved one has hepatitis C, what you eat will make a vast difference in your bodys ability to heal. The nutrition you receive will protect and support your liver. A person who has hepatitis C but still has normal liver enzymes and a good appetite could eat almost anything without having symptoms; however, a patient with elevated liver enzymes or fibrosis commonly experiences irritable bowel syndrome, fat intolerance, diarrhea, indigestion and so forth.

In this chapter I will outline a dietary plan that would be wise for those individuals in all stages of hepatitis C; however, individuals with cirrhosis would also need special dietary instructions from their hepatologist or gastrointestinal specialist.

Lighten Your Livers Load

The most important thing that you can do for your liver if you have chronic hepatitis C is to decrease its workload. Remember, the liver neutralizes and destroys toxins, metabolizes alcohol, cleanses the blood and removes waste products. It also processes all nutrients and stores carbohydrates, fats, proteins and vitamins.

I will give you back your health and heal your wounds, says the LORD.

JEREMIAH 30:17

It is vitally important for you to allow your liver to rest and recuperate. You can do this by avoiding foods that are especially demanding on the liver and eating foods that supply the liver and body with abundant nutrients. The following guidelines will help.

Go organic.

Start eating only organic foods. Because they are free from pesticides, metabolizing them will place less strain on the liver.

Eat free-range meats.

Choose free-range meats that do not contain the hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals that place additional stress on the liver.

Avoid fatty foods.

Foods that are high in fat place a strain on the liver since the liver must process those fats. Avoid or decrease your consumption of foods high in saturated fats found primarily in fatty cuts of meat, most dairy products and preserved meats.

Fried foods are especially hard on the liver and should be avoided. Avoid all hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and refined oils. Instead of refined oils, choose modest amounts of extra-virgin or virgin olive oil.

Hydrogenated fats are found primarily in margarine and in most commercial brands of peanut butter, shortening and salad dressings. Partially hydrogenated fats are found in most baked goods, cookies, crackers, chips and most processed packaged foods.

Avoid all refined vegetable oils.

Corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil and almost all vegetable oils found at supermarkets are generally high in lipid peroxides (free radicals). As such, they may be harmful to the liver.

Avoid peanuts.

Peanuts and peanut oil may contain traces of aflatoxin, a chemical that is formed by fungi and is very toxic to the liver. Therefore, avoid or decrease consumption of peanuts, peanut oil and peanut butter.

Avoid dairy products.

Intake of dairy foods should be reduced to a bare minimum. In their place, you should choose soy milk, rice milk or almond milk.

You may use modest amounts of clarified butter (called ghee), which has had all of the milk solids removed.

Avoid foods high in sugar.

Patients with hepatitis C also commonly have candida overgrowth in the small intestines. Sugar consumption aggravates this and weakens the immune system, our most powerful ally against hepatitis C. For more information on candida, refer to The Bible Cure for Candida and Yeast Infections. Viruses love sugar, so stop feeding the hepatitis C virus its favorite foodsugar.

Eat protein.

As we mentioned, your liver actually makes most of the proteins used by your body. Therefore, its very important for you to eat sufficient amounts of different kinds of dietary protein in order to help your liver do its job.

Consume modest amounts of protein (34 ounces) for at least two meals of the day; also take a protein supplement such as whey or soy. Eat fish, chicken or turkey; white meat is preferred. Choose 34 ounces of extra-lean free-range beef in place of ground beef. However, red meat should not be consumed more often than once a week.

He felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didnt know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd.

MATTHEW 9:36

Individuals with hepatitis C usually have too much iron in the blood. Excessive iron can further harm the liver and feed the hepatitis C virus. Foods high in iron (such as beef liver, beef, iron-fortified cereals, bran, pumpkinseeds, blackstrap molasses, soynuts, spinach, red kidney beans, lima beans and prune juice) should be limited or avoided.

Avoid processed foods.

Drastically reduce your intake of processed foods because they usually contain many chemicals, including food additives and food colorings.

Avoid sugar substitutes.

Sugar substitutes such as NutraSweet and saccharin place an additional strain on the liver and should be avoided entirely. Instead, choose Stevia.

Decrease coffee and tea.

Decrease consumption of coffee and excessive amounts of tea, since caffeine also puts an additional strain on the liver. However, modest amounts of green teen (1 to 3 cups a day) are generally beneficial to the liver due to its powerful antioxidant effects.

Food Allergies

Many people with hepatitis C also have food allergies or sensitivities. It is important to find out what food allergies or sensitivities you may have and modify your diet accordingly. Common foods to which people have allergic reactions and sensitivities include eggs, dairy products and wheat.

An excellent test to determine food sensitivities is the Immuno One Bloodprint, a toxicity test by ImmunoLabs. Your doctor can order this test by calling (800) 231-9197.

Eggs

Eggs may be eaten as a source of protein unless you are allergic to them. If you tolerate eggs, eating one whole egg along with two egg whites is a better choice than eating two or three whole eggs a day.

Dairy products

Dairy foods are the most common cause of food allergies. If you drink milk or eat dairy products, dont consume them on a daily basis. Whole milk is actually 4 percent milk with half of its calories coming from fat. When you drink 2 percent milk, you have reduced the fat calories to one-quarter coming from fat, which helps, of course. However, why not give your system a break and only use dairy products on occasion. Instead, try using almond milk, soy milk and even rice milk.