Why do we need nutritional medicine to fight Hepatitis?

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) can hide in various parts of the body, such as the liver, even when you cannot detect the virus in the bloodstream; thus a blood test will show the viral load is zero, which may give you a sense of false cure. If the HCV reappears in the bloodstream after “anti-viral drug cure” then nutritional medicine is essential for a good outcome. According to two Spanish studies the HCV can remain in the liver even when a patient has an undetectable viral level in their bloodstream. In one of these studies reported in The Journal of Infectious Diseases July 2006, liver biopsies and blood specimens were taken from 12 patients who had HCV antibodies but had been negative for the HCVRNA(undetectable viral load) for 12 months. Despite their negative blood tests the HCV was found to be present in the liver in 10 of these patients.

Another study reported in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases in November 2006, looked at 20 patients who tested negative for the HCV in their blood after interferon/ribavirin treatment. In 19 of these 20 patients, the HCV was still present in the liver tissue, as determined from a liver biopsy in these 20 patients.

Thus you can see that even in the vast majority of “successfully drug treated patients” the HCV survives in the liver cells and waits for another time to attack you, especially when you let your immune system become weak and run down.

The HCV and the HBV can become resistant to the anti-viral drugs which then become useless.

Research into vaccines against the HCV is still in its early stages and more funding is needed. According to the experts an effective preventative vaccine against the HCV is not likely to become available until around the year 2018.

Fatigue is a common symptom of infection with the HCV and the HBV. The liver provides the body with energy and if it is damaged, the liver cannot store glucose or make proteins effectively – thus the muscles become weak. Treatment with anti-viral drugs causes worsening of the fatigue, depression and insomnia. This is where nutritional medicine can really make a huge difference.

Thyroid problems often co-exist with HCV infection and nutritional medicine can support thyroid function. The most important nutrients to support healthy thyroid tissue and thyroid function are selenium, zinc, iodine and vitamin D. Appropriate doses of these nutrients are found in Thyroid Health Capsules. Anti-viral drugs can induce thyroid disease, which then needs long term treatment in itself.

Infection with the HCV and/or the HBV is a chronic disease that must be managed with nutritional medicine for life; otherwise it can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. There is a shortage of liver donors for liver transplants.

Excess weight often results in fatty liver, which greatly reduces liver function and immune health. Fatty liver can co-exist with HCV and HBV infection and will worsen the liver damage caused by these viruses. Indeed if you have a very fatty liver, the unhealthy fat inside the liver can cause more destructive inflammation than these viruses. Thankfully it is easy to reverse a fatty liver with nutritional medicine – see my book Fatty Liver – You Can Reverse It

Diabetes speeds up progression of liver inflammation which increases the risk of cirrhosis. Overweight diabetics or poorly controlled diabetics often have a fatty liver and if they have infection with the HCV as well, they can work wonders by reducing their blood sugar levels and losing weight. This is best done by following a grain free, gluten free and sugar free diet. For in-depth information see my book “Diabetes Type 2 – You Can Reverse It Naturally

Excess iron deposits in the liver can damage the liver and impair liver function. It is found in those with the genetic disorder of iron overload (hemochromatosis) or those with very high levels of inflammation.  High levels of iron in the liver can co-exist with HCV and HBV infection and will worsen the liver damage. In such cases it is vital to have blood removed regularly (venesection) and this will remove the excess iron from the body; this must be organized by a medical doctor.

To overcome all of these problems, anti-viral drugs can only play a limited role. To treat the underlying causes we need to turn to the power of nutritional medicine. Over the past two decades there have been enormous advances in information in the scientific and medical literature linking incorrect nutrition and deficiencies to disease states. Dietary changes and the appropriate use of nutrients especially selenium and the herb milk thistle will reduce the risk of chronic liver disease.

In many cases it is impossible to eradicate the Hepatitis C or B Viruses from the body and patients find it difficult to tolerate drug side effects. It is therefore not surprising that sufferers are turning towards naturopathic therapies to fight these viruses. Natural therapies will not usually be able to eradicate these viruses from the body; however they will help to reduce viral loads. This approach is very successful and can keep these viruses in a dormant or less harmful state so that they do not severely damage liver cells.

Click here to read a testimonial on overcoming hepatitis C by Tammie

Although nutritional medicine cannot promise to ‘cure’ HCV or HBV infection, by using my program for viral hepatitis, many people have experienced a great improvement in their liver function and have reduced the risk of associated conditions such as cancer, cirrhosis and liver failure. This program needs to be adhered to basically as a way of life.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.