Dietary Recommendations for a Healthy Liver First, remove the dietary stress factors that contribute to liver inflammation: excessive alcohol, drugs, or fried, spicy, and heavy foods such as large quantities of red meat or frequent fatty meals. These factors make it more likely that the liver will become actively infected by the hepatitis virus. Foods and Food Supplements A light diet built on greens, grains, and legumes is best. Don't eat too many raw foods; instead, steam them lightly The best way to get a good supply of the enzymes, vitamins, and other factors that may be destroyed during cooking is to juice vegetables. About eight ounces of mixed vegetable juices is optimum for most people. Start with about 30 to 50 percent carrot juice and add some cooling, detoxifying, and mineral-rich vegetables like cucumber, celery, and parsley. Beet juice is a good blood-builder but contains oxalic acid, which can irritate the throat; add no more than 10%. Try the recipe for Liver-Support Juice on p.65 for starters. "Superfoods" rich in micronutrients and high-quality proteins are essential. These include steamed nettles, spirulina or other blue-green algae, and whole almonds (soaked in water overnight if your digestion is weak). Walnuts also contain valuable proteins and omega-3 fatty acids that can help decrease inflammation in the body. Keep the eliminative channels open by drinking plenty of pure water. Avoid spicy, warming foods such as garlic, cayenne, hot peppers, and curries. If you feel like you can't live without tangy foods, use ginger as a substitute. Let food cool to almost room temperature before eating. Also avoid cooking foods in fat or oil for a while-steam or boil them instead. Although red meat can be excessively heating, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver still needs protein for regeneration, as do all the cells of the body. I recommend eliminating red meat from the diet during an acute phase of hepatitis; afterward, if desired, it can be taken in moderate amounts once or twice a week. Fish is an excellent protein source because it is easy to assimilate and is neutral or cooling to the liver. Chicken and turkey in moderate amounts can also be beneficial. < return to intro to next excerpt >
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