Diet For Liver Diseases

Liver diseases require long-term and comprehensive treatment. A proper diet is the main component of this complex.

Liver diseases require long-term and comprehensive treatment. A proper diet is the main component of this complex.

Body filter

The liver is a kind of filter. The main function of this organ is to work for the benefit of the whole body, cleaning everything that enters it from poisons and toxins. And what doesn't get into it! After all, vegetables and fruits are usually treated with chemicals, antibiotics and hormones are often present in meat and milk. Our filter suffers a lot from drugs, and the main enemy of the liver is alcohol. And the liver has to "deal with" all these poisons. It does this continuously for a day, but sometimes our "cleaning factory" malfunctions.

The spectrum of liver diseases is quite wide, and the most common forms are chronic hepatitis and cholecystitis, in which active liver tissue is affected. Most often, these diseases have an infectious origin, but they can appear as a result of metabolic disorders or as a result of alcoholism.

Alcohol, by the way, is the main poison for the liver, because during its decomposition, acetaldehyde is formed, for the disposal of which the liver must work for several days. It is with alcohol abuse that chronic hepatitis can turn into cirrhosis of the liver, in which the cells of the organ are replaced by connective tissue.

Oleksiy Klymenko, gastroenterologist : "Treatment for such patients is prescribed individually and depends on the specific disease. As a rule, these are anti-inflammatory, choleretic, pain relievers. However, no matter what drugs are prescribed, there is a general mandatory recommendation for all patients: adherence to a special diet. Most likely, it will be long-lasting. You will have to give up some foods and, of course, alcohol forever, because even a couple of glasses of strong alcohol can provoke a serious exacerbation of the disease. Yes, with proper treatment and diet therapy, chronic hepatitis can be cured, and if it is not treated and diet is not followed, it can turn into cirrhosis of the liver.

Principles of nutrition

Achieving positive results in the treatment of liver diseases is possible only by following a special dietary therapy. The diet should contribute to the restoration of the functional state of the liver and the normalization of metabolism throughout the body. Since appetite suffers with liver diseases, food should be not only easily digestible, but also tasty.

There should be a lot of protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins in the diet, but fats, especially of animal origin, should be limited. It is also necessary to limit the use of products that increase the secretion of digestive juices. The form of food intake plays an important role in the diet. It is desirable to eat often - 4-6 meals during the day.

Squirrels

A few years ago, it was recommended to exclude products containing complete protein from the diet in case of liver diseases. Currently, such diets have been abandoned, as the body's protein limitations increase its susceptibility to various infections. Therefore, milk and various dairy products, meat and fish must be present in the menu, but it is better not to abuse eggs: 2-3 times a week, a small portion of an omelet will be enough.

Fats

A very important aspect of the diet is the limitation (but not complete exclusion!) of fats. The daily rate of fat should not exceed 100 g. At the same time, the best ratio is 70% animal fat and 30% vegetable fat. It is important that both types of fat are present in the diet, as in a pair they have a more pronounced lipotropic effect and such a diet is more effective. It is desirable that animal fat is associated with protein, for example, meat, cheese, fish. And from vegetable fats, it is best to stop at sunflower and olive oil.

Carbohydrates

Their content should correspond to the physiological norm - 400-500 gr. Of them, the share of simple carbohydrates, which is sugar, honey, pastry, should not exceed 100 g. It is undesirable to exceed the specified norm - it can lead to increased deposition of fat in liver cells.

Culinary processing of food

The cooking method and temperature are very important. It is best that the dishes are warm, temperature extremes are extremely harmful for the liver. Fried dressings should be excluded from the first courses, and soups made with meat broth should also be avoided. The best option is vegetable broth, and you can season the soup with a piece of butter or cream. Chopped greens of dill or parsley will be very useful in such a first course.

In general, careful cooking is important. Preference should be given to boiled dishes, if necessary, the food can be wiped.

Prohibited products

Fatty meat and poultry, fried foods, rich broths, legumes, canned foods, smoked meats, chocolate, cocoa, alcoholic beverages, ice cream, cream cakes and pastries are strictly prohibited for liver diseases.

This list must be adjusted with the attending physician and strictly adhere to the indicated restrictions. In this case, your liver will thank you and eventually become a completely healthy organ. After all, the chances of treating liver diseases are quite high. The main thing is the right mood and some willpower.