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Cirrhosis of the liver refers to all forms
of liver disease characterised by a significant loss of
cells. It is one of the most serious hepatic diseases.
The liver gradually contracts in size and becomes hard
and leathery.
The liver is one of the most important glandular organs
in the body. It is located high up on the right side of
the abdomen just under the diaphragm. It is a vast
chemical laboratory which performs many important
functions. It produces bile, cholesterol, lecithin, blood
albumin which is vital to the removal of tissue wastes,
prothrombin necessary for the clotting of blood and
numerous enzymes. It inactivates hormones no longer
needed, synthesises many amino acids used in building
tissues and breaks proteins into sugar and fat when
required for energy. It stores vitamins and minerals. It
also destroys harmful substances and detoxifies drugs,
poisons, chemicals and toxins from bacterial infections.
Liver damage interferes with all of these functions.
In cirrhosis of the liver, although regenerative activity
continues, the loss of liver cells exceeds cell
replacement. There is also distortion of the vascular
system which interfers with the portal blood flow through
the liver. The progressive degeneration of liver
structure and function may ultimately lead to hepatic
failure and death. The most common of several form of
cirrhosis is portal cirrhosis, also known as
haennoc’s cirrhosis.Symptoms
In the early
stages of the disease, there may be nothing more than
frequent attacks of gas and indigestion, with occasional
nausea and vomiting. There may be some abdominal pain and
loss of weight. In the advanced stage, the patient
develops a low grade fever. He has a foul breath,
jaundiced skin and distended veins in the abdomen.
Reddish hairlike markings, resembling small spiders, may
appear on the face, neck, arms and trunk. The abdomen
becomes bloated and swollen, the mind gets clouded and
there may be considerable bleeding from the stomach.
Causes
:
Excessive use
of alcohol over a long period is the most potent cause of
cirrhosis of the liver. It has been estimated that 1 out
of 12 chronic alcoholics in the United States develops
cirrhosis. The disease can progress to the end-stage of
hepatic failure, if the person does not abstain from
alcohol. Cirrhosis appears to be related to the duration
of alcohol intake and the quantity consumed daily. Recent
research indicates that the average duration of alcohol
intake to produce cirrhosis is 10 years and the dose is
estimated to be in excess of 16 ounces of alcohol daily.
Poor nutrition can be another causative factor in the
development or cirrhosis and a chronic alcoholic usually
suffers from a severe malnutrition too, as he seldom
eats. Other causes of cirrhosis are excessive intake of
highly seasoned food, habitual taking of quinine for a
prolonged period in tropical climate and drug treatments
for syphillis, fever and other diseases. It may also
result from a highly toxic condition of the system in
general. In fact, anything which continually over-burdens
the liver cells and leads to their final breakdown can be
a contributing cause of the cirrhosis.
Dietary
Treatment
The patient
should be kept in bed. He must abstain completely from
alcohol in any form. He should undergo an initial liver
cleaning programme with a juice fast for seven days.
Freshly-extracted juices from red beets, lemon, papaya
and grapes may be taken during this period. This may be
followed by the fruit and milk diet for two to three
weeks. In this regimen, the patient should have three
meals a day of fresh juicy fruits and milk. The fruits
may include apples, pears, grapes, grapefruits, oranges,
pineapples and peaches. Two pints of milk may be taken on
the first day. It should be increased by half a pint
daily upto four or five pints a day. The milk should be
fresh and unboiled, but may be slightly warmed, if
desired. It should be sipped very slowly.
After the fruit and milk diet, the patient may gradually
embark upon well-balanced diet of three basic food
fruits, with emphasis on raw organically-grown foods.
Adequate high quality protein is necessary in cirrhosis.
The best complete proteins for liver patients are
obtained from raw goat’s milk, home-made raw cottage
cheese, sprouted seeds and grains and raw nuts,
especially almonds. Vegetables such as beet, squashes ,
bitter gourds, egg-plants, tomatoes, carrots, radishes
and papayas are useful in this condition. All fats and
oils should be excluded from the diet for several weeks.
The patient should avoid all refined, processed and
canned foods, sugar in any form, spices and condiments,
strong tea and coffee, fried foods, all preparations
cooked in ghee, oil or butter and all meats rich in fat.
The use of salt should be restricted. The patient should
also avoid all chemical additives in food and poisons in
air, water and environment as far as possible.
A warm water enema should be used during the treatment to
cleanse the bowels. If constipation is chronic, all steps
should be taken for its eradication. Application of
alternate compress to liver area followed by general wet
sheet rub will be beneficial. The morning dry friction
and breathing and other exercises should form a regular
daily features of the treatment.
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