What Is Good For Liver Function ?

[beezaneez]

i have liver complaint, must watch my alcohol intake which i am tryoing my very best to keep to a minimum. i asked my doctor was milk thistle good, he told me my liver was damaged and there is nothing can repair it . ok , so im also trying to lay off too much coffee, tea with its anti oxident properties is a much better option , right ? was looking on youtube and ive heard that avocado/asparagus is good for healthy liver function.

the reason why i am asking on here is to see if there are any of you guys out there who have liver complaints and to hear your expirience, i can google as much as i like but i want to know about you who have liver problems whether through alcoholism, hepititis b/c , hiv, cancer, etc etc etc

thankyou BTW tea is better than coffee right ?

[Khandro]

I think tea is better than coffee, and green China tea is best of all. I don't know about the other things you mention, but I believe B vitamins are good, so an ideal breakfast might be Marmite on toast with green tea, but I'm not an expert.

[FredPuli43]

I'm an alcoholic in recovery. I have liver damage. The answer is stop drinking! Yes, I know, you love it more than anything; if you've already got liver damage, it sounds as though you are alcohol dependent. Any alteration of diet is just clutching at straws. While you continue to drink , the liver will get worse.

The good news is that the liver has remarkable powers of recovery. If you stop drinking, your liver function will return to normal and you can expect a normal life expectancy.

[LazyGun]

The single biggest thing you can do is to cut out alcohol, full stop.

You do not say the severity of your liver complaint and the extent of the damage.

Milk Thistle has its adherents, but scant evidence to support its value. The same thing applies when people speak of antioxidant foods and all that - plenty of proponents, but little actual evidence.

I am surprised your GP has not given you any dietary advice, but generally following standard healthy diet guidelines could not hurt.Keep fat to a minimum, keep salt to a minimum.

Unless you are drinking lots and lots of cups/mugs of a beverage a day, I doubt that drinking either coffee or tea will make that big an impact on the health of your liver.Drink whichever you prefer.

This page from NHS choices makes some general points about diet in cases of liver damage.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Liver_disease_(alcoholic)/Pages/Treatmentpg.aspx

[ummmm]

My dad died of liver cancer (he drank too much but wasn't alcohol dependent)

Everyone is different and react differently to alcohol. If you have liver damage now your only option is to stop drinking.

[beezaneez]

sounds like me ummmm, i stayed off drink for 1 week now, i drink only beer , yes i love a pint . doctor told me at best ill have liver cancer in 2-3 years at worst death, its hard !!!

going to get some green tea, holland and barrett ? ebay ? advice please thanks

[ummmm]

How old are you? Has the doctor mentioned psoriasis?

[jomifl]

You can get green tea at most supermarkets.

[boxtops]

You can get green tea in any good supermarket - Twinings or similar brand, cheaper than Holland & Barrett. I have it without milk, tastes better that way, it's a bit of an acquired taste but very cleansing.

[tamborine]

Dont you mean cirhosses, ummm ;)

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cirrhosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[Peter Pedant]

Beezaneez ya narty by
if you have been told alcohol is damaging your liver
you lay off the alco

not try to balance it with green tea

its a behaviour thing

[Khandro]

At the moment I am drinking some fantastic green tea brought back by a friend from China, it is called would you believe; 'Iron Bodhisattva of of Mercy tea', of the 'gunpowder' type. You won't of course get that in Waitrose, but if you go online you will find lots of info.
Tea can be as addictive as alcohol, but far from doing you harm it is of great benefit, and exploring the myriad possibilities might take your mind off alcohol :-)

[Peter Pedant]

Khandro gunpowder green
try the tea part of your local chinese supermarket


also the red long leaf tea is good.

[ummmm]

Yeah I do...ha ha :-)

[rowanwitch]

The liver does have the power to regenerate if there is enough healthy capacity but you must stop drinking if you do and you meet other criteria age/other conditions/ commitment to abstinence you could be considered for transplant in a year or so if the damage is severe and permanent . There are no magic foods/drinks just for you the poisonous type ie alcohol

[Cloverjo]

Beez, a close relative has just had liver surgery owing to cancer. He was not given any dietary advice at all. The liver will look after itself, but it can't cope with excess alcohol. I'm afraid you know what you have to do.
I'm perplexed by ummm's remark that her relative drank too much, but wasn't dependant. Doesn't make sense to me. Why did he do it then?

[beezaneez]

i know i drink too much, been drinking since 9 years old, im 47. i love beer , i drink to stop thinking too much. yes doc has mentioned psoriasis. its hard to stop.

well now ive done well this week, 1 week off it, in months, hope this lasts but footy on tomorrow ;-) its an illness which will take you like a flash, i used to deny being an alcoholic but now have come to accept it. thing is i have 4 year old daughter, its killing me to think ill keep on self destruct and leave her on this world, i cannot stop, only try, hopefully ill get myself back to gym soon and into some sort of routine . so green tea it is just for a helping hand to cleanse liver if nothing else, i know nothing else will work only abstence !!!! thankyou

[FredPuli43]

You cannot cleanse a liver! Look. I know exactly how you think. You can't fool another alcoholic [oh, sorry , did I use that word ?Someone has to, because you are terrified to use it]. We have been there, used the excuses,we've done it all, and you are one of us. Of course , you only drink beer, not spirits, so that's not the same; stop kidding yourself , if you think that. Alcohol is alcohol. You have the liver damage to prove it.

Go to an open AA meeting, the most popular one you can find.

[ummmm]

Why perplexed, Cloverjo? He obviously drank more than his liver could handle.

Like I said, everyone reacts differently. I know people that drink way more with no ill effects. It's pot luck sometimes...

[tamborine]

Psoriasis is different to cirrhosis, see my link. Best you go veggie to help the liver.

AA is good but think if you take any alcohol you will be pushing your 4y d'ter to fend for herself; who knows where/how ? Is she worth you NOT imbibing, your choice ?

[Cloverjo]

Beez, well done for being off it for a week. That is good. Keep going.
Ummm, I just feel that anyone who drinks enough to put their liver at risk must be dependant.