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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you have cirrhosis, take precautions to limit additional liver damage. For instance:
- Don't drink alcohol. Whether your cirrhosis was caused by chronic alcohol use or another disease, avoid alcohol. Drinking alcohol may cause further liver damage.
- Eat a low-sodium diet. Excess salt can cause your body to retain fluids, worsening swelling in your abdomen and legs. Use herbs for seasoning your food, rather than salt. Choose prepared foods that are low in sodium.
- Choose a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables. People with cirrhosis can experience malnutrition. Combat this with a healthy plant-based diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables. Choose lean protein, such as legumes, poultry or fish. Avoid raw seafood.
- Avoid infections. Cirrhosis makes it more difficult for you to fight off infections. Protect yourself by avoiding people who are sick and washing your hands frequently. Get vaccinated for hepatitis A and B, influenza and pneumonia.
- Use over-the-counter medications carefully. Liver cirrhosis makes it more difficult for your liver to remove drugs from your system. For this reason, ask your doctor before taking any medications, including nonprescription drugs. In general, avoid aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and naproxen (Aleve, others). If you have liver damage, your doctor may recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) in low doses for pain relief, though this drug carries some liver risks, too.
References
- Cirrhosis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/index.htm. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
- Ferri FF. Cirrhosis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..C2009-0-38600-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&about=true&uniqId=230100505-53. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
- Understanding cirrhosis of the liver. American Gastroenterological Association. http://www.gastro.org/frame-templates/print_template.cfm. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
- Jones AL, et al. Hepatic toxicology. In: Shannon MW, et al. Haddad and Winchester's Clinical Management of Poisoning and Drug Overdose. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0693-4..50002-5&isbn=978-0-7216-0693-4&uniqId=226391226-4. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
- Your liver. Your life. American Liver Foundation. http://www.yourliver.org/Liver-Wellness-Presentation.pdf. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
- Sanchez W, et al. Liver cirrhosis. The American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/livercirrhosis.asp. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
- Rambaldi A, et al. S-adenosyl-L-methionine for alcoholic liver disease (review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2006:CD002235.
- Rambaldi A, et al. Milk thistle for alcoholic and/or hepatitis B or C virus liver diseases (review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2007:CD003620.
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