Today we have had a major breakthrough in the way my partner has been feeling both mentally and physically. Over the last few months he's been suffering with stomach / digestion problems, depression, insomnia, fatigue and liver pains. He had bloods taken and his GP said his liver function was worse than ever although his heart and kidneys were working very well. He's waiting for an appointment with his Consultant at the local hospital.
A few weeks ago I bought Milk Thistle tablets (8580mg) and a big bag of oat bran. My partner has been having 1-2 of the Milk Thistle tablets each day and a few dessert spoons of the oat bran on his cereal every morning. In addition to this we've upped his Vitamin C intake with effervesent tablets and Ribena. The results, although gradual have meant that my partners digestion is vastly improved, he's less fatigued, is sleeping better, has had no liver pains and is more upbeat than ever. I'm going to include a few more foods and supplements into our diet over the coming weeks and will share with you what these are and why I'm choosing to do so.
The first food that we're going to try is Brazil Nuts. Why? Because they are rich in Selenium. Selenium is fantastic for many reasons. The two that I am most interested in are it is a natural anti depressent and that it is one of natures most effective tools in warding off various types of cancer (including breast, esophageal, stomach, prostate, liver and bladder).
The next foods come in the form of two lists - I will definitely make sure these are all included in our diet - althouugh most are already, though perhaps not as frequently as they should be.
10 Foods To Help Beat Depression:
1. Oily fish (Omega 3's)
2. Brazil Nuts (Selenium)
3. Bananas
4. Brown Rice
5. Porridge Oats
6. Vitamin B (liver, eggs, Marmite)
7. Chocolate (1 small piece of dark chocolate- 70% cocoa +)
8. Fruit (2 pieces of fruit a day)
9. Green leafy veg
10. Herbal & fruit teas (mainly to replace the caffeinated drinks)
14 Foods That Cleanse The Liver:
1. Garlic
2. Grapefruit
3. Beets & Carrots
4. Green Tea
5. Leafy Greens
6. Avocados
7. Apples
8. Olive Oil
9. Whole Grains
10. Cruciferous Veg
11. Lemons & Limes
12. Walnuts
13. Cabbage
14. Turmeric
Now, back to Milk Thistle. If you have Hep C, you've probably heard about it but just incase you haven't already - here's the lowdown.
Milk Thistle interferes with Hep C replication. That in itself is a marvelous thing, but wait, it gets better. It may protect the liver from injury by a variety of toxins such as drugs, viruses, alcohol, radiation etc. Milk Thistle won't cure liver disease but it CAN improve the way the liver functions in patients with cirrhosis.
The beneficial quality in Milk Thistle is Silymarin. It promotes the growth of some types of cells in the liver, it is also a very effective antioxident. Silymarin can prevent free radicals from damaging liver cells. Studies have shown that it can block various types of toxins from entering and injuring liver cells. It is also thought to prevent inflammation of the liver.
Something I discovered today which needs more research, is something called L-Ornithorne - L-aspartate, it has been proven to significally improve liver function. The study I read said 18g per day would achieve this although 5-10g is typically used. I'm going to pop down to my local health food store and see if they stock it. At this point, we are willing to give anything a go whilst we wait for some new treatments.
Going back to depression, which my partner has suffered from long before he was infected with Hep C, can be alleviated by certain foods. As I've just mentioned, Selenium rich foods (grains, seafood, cereals & meat but most notably Brazil Nuts) help, as does Folic Acid rich foods. Calcium is beneficial to mood swings which often accompany depression. An extra glass of skimmed milk or serving of greens a day can help alleviate mood swings.
I will update you in a month or so, on how our new diet is working.
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