Cirrhosis is a common chronic liver disease that can cause liver damage for one or more causes, and the liver is progressive, diffuse, fibrous.
Specifically manifested as diffuse degeneration necrosis of hepatocytes, followed by fibrous tissue hyperplasia and nodular regeneration of hepatocytes, these three changes are repeatedly staggered, and the result is that the structure of the liver lobules and blood circulation pathways are gradually reconstructed, forming false lobules, after a fairly long period (several years or even decades), the liver is deformed, hardened and leads to cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis of the liver seriously affects human health and longevity. In daily life, improper diet may aggravate the disease, and dietary treatment can increase appetite, improve digestive function, and control the progression of the disease; Increases the body's resistance, promotes liver cell repair and liver function recovery.
What should I pay attention to in my diet?
1. Do not overdose your diet
Try to separate the meals, a small number of times is appropriate, especially it is recommended to add meals before going to bed, such as small bread, rice porridge, etc. Do not overeat, too much intake in one meal can easily increase the burden on the liver and gastrointestinal tract.
2. The diet should be light and soft
The diet should be delicate and soft, such as noodle soup, egg soup, tofu brain, etc. The processing method is as fine as possible, preferably in the form of silk, dice, foam, mud and juice, and avoid spicy, over-hot, hard and prickly and other irritating foods.
3. Low-fat diet
A low-fat diet is better, choose less fatty meat, skin, cream, etc., and avoid the use of too much cooking oil. Less choice of pickling, sauce, frying, smoking, barbecue and other foods, steaming, boiling, stewing, brewing is better.
4. Avoid concentrating on large amounts of protein
It is recommended that patients with cirrhosis eat some high-quality protein at breakfast and add appropriate meals at night to shorten the fasting time. The need for protein is based on the minimum protein intake required to maintain nitrogen balance. Foods rich in high-quality protein include meat (seafood, poultry, livestock), eggs, milk, soybeans, and eat together with grains to avoid a concentrated intake of large amounts at once, especially meat, especially for patients who have had hyperammonemia, hepatic encephalopathy, and abnormal kidney function.
5. Balanced collocation
Balanced and balanced diet with a comprehensive variety of food. Grain is used as a base, accompanied by meat, eggs, milk, soybeans, and vegetables. Fruit can be used as a meal option, eaten at room temperature, and should not be too much at a time.
6. Regular monitoring
Regularly monitor weight, related symptoms and indicators, and review regularly.
What are the dietary contraindications?
1. Strictly avoid alcohol
The liver is the main site of alcohol metabolism. Of the 7 million cirrhosis patients in China, 20% are due to alcoholic cirrhosis caused by long-term heavy drinking. Alcohol metabolites can directly stimulate liver cells to cause damage. Alcoholism is one of the direct causes of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol consumption must be stopped, otherwise the condition will continue to worsen.
In addition to cirrhosis of the liver caused by causes other than alcohol, such as hepatitis cirrhosis, alcohol will aggravate liver damage and also require strict avoidance of alcohol.
2. Avoid high-fat foods
Fat is catabolized in the liver. A high-fat diet can exacerbate liver workload, just like employees are often in a state of overtime, which can easily lead to problems with liver function and aggravate cirrhosis.
Therefore, the diet should pay attention to lightness, eat less big fish, meat, hot pot and other foods with high fat content.
3. Avoid pickled foods
Pickled foods such as bacon and pickles are common delicacies on the Chinese table, but such foods produce high doses of nitrite during the marinade process, which is the killer of the liver and is a precipitating factor for liver cancer. The amount of nitrite in overnight meals also increases. Therefore, we should pay attention to eating fresh food and control the intake of pickled food
4. Avoid eating too much
Eating too much not only increases the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, but also increases the burden on the liver, especially for patients with cirrhosis and esophageal gastric varices, it may also induce bleeding, and it is possible to eat less and eat more meals.
Some patients with cirrhosis will have different degrees of decline in digestive function, which will lead to symptoms of loss of appetite, easy to eat like to eat, do not like to eat the situation, in the long run will lead to nutritional imbalance.
Patients with cirrhosis should pay more attention to diet diversification, adjust more recipes, pay more attention to the color and aroma of food, and pay attention to the reasonable combination of three meals and fruits and vegetables.