Digestive Wellness: Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion, Fourth Edition (92 page)

Try sho-saiko-to.
Sho-saiko-to is a Chinese remedy that contains bupleurum and other traditional Chinese herbs. Several trials were done in people with hepatitis B infection and one small trial in people with hepatitis C. Sho-saiko-to helps reduce symptoms and normalize blood liver enzymes in people with active viral hepatitis. It has also been found to help reduce the incidence of liver cancer in people with hepatitis. Take 2.5 grams three times daily.
It should not be used in combination with interferon therapy
.

Drink or take green tea.
Catechins are a type of flavonoids found in green tea. Study results have been mixed, but favorable results have been seen in dosages of 500 to 750 mg three times daily. A recent Chinese study on ducklings showed significant reduction in liver damage and protected liver function. In two recent studies, catechin was found to reduce liver damage and hepatitis that was chemically induced by halothane, an anesthetic drug used in surgery. Halothane is known to induce hepatitis in people. Regarding dosage, I recommend that you drink green tea as often as you like.

Drink Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis).
Rooibos tea is also called red tea. It is a relatively new food product and offers a delicious caffeine-free alternative to people who drink tea. Research was done in rats, but I was delighted to see that, at least in this initial report, it showed a regression of liver damage and cirrhosis and a lowering of liver enzymes (ALT and AST). The researchers consider it to be a useful plant for patients with liver disease. Other studies show it to have antioxidant effects. It appears to have the same properties as green tea. I recommend that you drink it as often as you like.

Try quercetin with amla.
Another flavonoid with antioxidant effects is quercetin. Although studies need to be done in people, animal research shows that treatment with quercetin dehydrate reduced oxidative damage from hepatitis twofold. Another mouse study found liver-protective effects of quercetin when combined with amla. Bougainvillea spectabilis has been used in Chinese folk medicine for treatment of hepatitis. The active component of Bougainvillea is quercetin. Take 1,000 to 3,000 mg of quercetin daily, plus 900 to 2,700 mg of amla daily.

Cirrhosis is a disease of the liver. Scar tissue replaces normal tissue and blocks the flow of blood and nutrients. It kills about 26,000 Americans each year and is the 12th leading cause of death. The most common causes of cirrhosis are alcoholism and hepatitis. Some people have diseases that may lead to cirrhosis, such as alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, hemochromatosis, Wilson’s disease, galactosemia, and glycogen storage diseases. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can also lead to cirrhosis. NASH is a condition where fat accumulates in the liver and eventually causes scarring. It is usually associated with diabetes, protein malnutrition, obesity, heart disease, and treatment with steroid medications. Blocked bile ducts can also cause cirrhosis, called
biliary cirrhosis
. Because the liver is our body’s main filtering system
for drugs and toxins, bad reactions to them may also lead to cirrhosis. Overdosing with vitamin A supplements is another cause of cirrhosis. Vitamin A toxicity in the liver is accentuated in an alcoholic.

About one-third of people with cirrhosis have no symptoms during the initial stages of the disease. Loss of liver function may be picked up on routine blood testing. As the scarring progresses, liver function begins to fail. People with cirrhosis may experience some of the following symptoms: exhaustion and fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, light-colored stools, weakness, weight loss, abdominal pain, or spiderlike blood vessels that break out on the skin. Cirrhosis may also lead to water retention, bruising and bleeding, jaundice, itching, gallstones, increased sensitivity to medication and environmental contaminants, increased insulin resistance, diabetes, liver cancer, osteoporosis, impotence, and infection in other organs.

The scarring caused by cirrhosis cannot be reversed. But treatment can help stop or slow the disease progression. The liver is remarkably able to recuperate when we eliminate the factors that hurt it. Many find that with a nutritious diet, rest, and supplements, they can begin to feel healthy again. It is critical that you stop drinking all alcoholic beverages if you are diagnosed with cirrhosis. Alcohol is a direct liver poison. It is known to cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure and generates a large need for antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamin E, selenium, vitamin C, and N-acetyl cysteine. Alcoholics are notoriously deficient in B-complex vitamins.

If possible, stop using hazardous chemicals. If you do need to use them, protect your skin, be in a well-ventilated area, and wear a breathing apparatus. If your work involves use of paint, solvents, cleaning products, or other chemicals, it’s probably time to look for a different job. Use greener cleaning supplies, shampoos, and other toiletries.

Research indicates that many people with cirrhosis have increased intestinal permeability, which can lead to infection and problems elsewhere in the body. Nutrients such as glutamine, quercetin, and probiotics can help heal a leaky gut.

Methionine, an amino acid, from our food is metabolized in the liver into S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe). People with cirrhosis have problems metabolizing methionine. SAMe increases glutathione levels, an important antioxidant for detoxification. SAMe is an important methyl donor and is used as a supplement for people with elevated homocysteine levels, heart disease, joint diseases, and depression.

Functional liver testing

Intestinal permeability testing

Vitamin and mineral analysis

Avoid alcoholic beverages.
Alcohol is damaging to the liver. Don’t drink at all if you have hepatitis or cirrhosis. If you are an alcoholic, you might find Alcoholics Anonymous or a residential program to be of benefit. Support helps ease the way.

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
They contain antioxidant nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that help support your immune system. Eat at least five servings daily, preferably a lot more. Fresh juicing of organic vegetables is a great way to quickly multiply your nutrients and antioxidants.