How do I love my liver?
Protect your liver against three main threats:
Alcohol
- Give your liver at least two alcohol-free days a week.
- Stick to the standard four drinks per week for women and seven for men.
- Don’t drink your week’s worth in one go. Avoid bingeing.
- If you have cirrhosis, avoid alcohol altogether.
Fatty liver
Many of us are overweight and don’t do enough exercise. A build-up of fatty deposits in your liver can cause inflammation and scarring.
- Keep to a healthy weight with regular exercise – at least half an hour a day.
- Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Aim for the recommended 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruits.
- Drink lots of water.
- Avoid crash diets. If you need to lose weight, speak to your GP.
For more information about liver friendly foods, go to:
- http://www.ncilsa.asn.au/about-hepatitis/living-with-hep-c/91-diet
- http://www.loveyourliver.com.au
- http://www.britishlivertrust.org.uk/home/the-liver/diet--liver-disease.aspx
- http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hepc/pubs/nt-cn/feelyourbest-eng.php#lowcost
Viral hepatitis
- Get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B
- Don’t share injecting equipment (including for steroids)
- Avoid tattooing, piercing and body art with unsterile equipment
- Practise safe sex. Although hepatitis C is not a sexually transmitted disease it can be spread during sexual activity if blood is present together with lesions or cuts.
- Avoid medical or cosmetic procedures where equipment may not be fully sterilised
- Speak to your doctor about testing for hepatitis B or C if you think you might have been at risk.
Check out this self-assessment tool for hepatitis C:
For more information about testing and treatment for hepatitis C go to:
