Natural Treatments for Hepatitis C

What I've noticed over the years is that I get a run of cases with the same disease in a short period of time. Last month I saw lots of clients with Multiple Sclerosis (or the misdiagnosis of same.) We learned about the low-fat Swank diet and all the drugs used to treat this particular disease process.

This month I had a run of Hepatitis C clients. They each had contracted the disease differently, but none-the-less, their lives have been permanently shifted from this terrible disease which is seemingly not curable. The common thread that assisted these clients was that each person had to make some lifestyle changes (a permanent lifestyle choice that was healthier than they were living.) Stressing the optimal amounts of raw fruits/vegetables is always a staple in my programs--especially the dark green ones in hepatitis cases, but we also centered on the liver.

So let's review hepatitis C and natural treatments for it.

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver (Hepato is the root word for liver and anything ending in "itis" means inflammation.) Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the many viruses that can cause inflammation of the liver. Other causes are irritation to the liver from alcohol, bacterial infections, drugs, and cancer. At least 75% of people infected with hepatitis C develop chronic hepatitis C which can be progressive and fatal. Once you have it, you will need to find ways to keep it under control. This disease never completely goes away. However, my clients have had very good luck with alternative medicine treatments for hepatitis C, but they work at it and stick with a good program.

About 4 million people in the United States have antibodies to HCV, meaning they have been infected with the virus at some point. Half of these people don't even know they have it. All forms of viral hepatitis are contagious.

The most common way hepatitis C is passed is through direct contact with blood. Drug users often have this disease because they re-use and share needles. Needles, and before 1992 prior to the blood test which became available to test for the virus, transfusions, organ transplants, and hemodialysis have all been vehicles for transferring the virus, but I have known people to warn others not to even drink out of the same cup as they are drinking out of, so it could also be passed through saliva.

Childbirth, sexual intercourse and accidental needle sticks (most common in nurses and the human medical field) are also less common causes of transmission. Sharing toiletry items is another way of passing the virus (e.g. razors and nail clippers.)

Symptoms and Signs of Hepatitis: Eighty percent of people infected with Hepatitis C do not have symptoms. Symptoms may also be mild and come and go over the lifetime of the patient. Less frequently, the patient will come down with an acute case of hepatitis with full-blown symptoms.

Symptoms typically occur 5-12 weeks after being exposed to the virus and may last for weeks to months and include: liver pain (on the right side just under the rib cage area), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, dark colored urine, gray or clay colored stools, irritability, confusion, and headaches (due to dehydration from chronic diarrhea.) Chronic hepatitis often leads to cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis is where healthy liver tissue is taken over by scar tissue. When this happens, the liver loses its ability to detoxify the blood.

Additional symptoms at this time include fluid retention (especially below the rib cage in the belly area), jaundice (also called icterus which is a yellowing of the skin seen most obviously in the whites of the eyes), chronic fatigue, sleep disturbance, itchy skin, weight loss (wasting disease), vomiting now with blood in it (so it could look like coffee grounds) and finally hepatic encephalopathy characterized by hallucinations.

When the liver is sick, we see diseases like high cholesterol, high triglycerides, hemorrhoids, cancer, allergies, varicose veins and lots of anger and resentments.

I don't know which comes first in these types of cases; anger causing the liver-based diseases or liver-based diseases resulting in anger. The good thing is that we have LOTS of options on how to overcome these challenges and it doesn't really matter where you start as long as you start and keep at it.

My favorite treatments for hepatitis include:

1. Raw fruits/veggies (especially dark green foods, bitter vegetables, red fruits, and beets.)

2. Barfy Green Stuff (or some other green food--it really doesn't matter too much what you choose.

3. Drink plenty of filtered, chorine and fluoride free water to stay hydrated.

4. Exercise, but don't overdo it. Walking is wonderful--especially on a consistent schedule.

5. Homeopathics specifically to bind and excrete the Hepatitis virus (I use Professional Health Formulations Hepatitis Nosode Drops.)

6. Emotional release work (to help dislodge the Emotional Cysts in the liver.)

7. Herbs to support the liver as needed including but not limited to: Milk Thistle (Also Called Silymarin), Burdock Root, Safflower, Licorice, Green Tea, Dandelion, Artichoke, Cordyceps Mushroom, Turmeric, and Peppers. Note: It's important to take what your body needs but not more than it needs. The body has to process everything put into it. If there is extra, the liver has to work to get it out of the system.

8. Evaluation of current lifestyle habits and suggestions to decrease toxification.

9. Rebuilding of the cells with a Glandular/protomorphogen (I love Livaplex by Standard Process Labs(TM))

10. Abstinence from all alcohol products and any kind of drug that is processed through the liver (Tylenol, NSAIDS, some pain killers, and lots of other drugs are processed through the liver--ask your pharmacist and doctor about anything you put into your mouth!)

11. Work on relieving all anger and resentment issues in your life and dove-tail in forgiveness work. Anger and resentments are stored in the liver.

12. Managing liver-associated diseases: allergies, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, glaucoma and cancer.

13. Eliminating metaphors from your vocabulary having to do with anger, hatred, resentment, and being galled and stubborn.

Self-forgiveness seems to be one common obstacle to overcome in these particular cases. It is most important to understand that there was a reason why they contracted the disease, it taught them valuable lessons, but now it's time to come to a resolution and move onto a healthier way of being.

Life is a journey. The challenges we have are a Gift from God. What we do with those challenges are our gift to Him. If we focus on the similarities instead of how we feel ostracized and alienated, we find that all in all, we want the same things...to be loved, understood and valued. I believe that this is what life is all about.