One of the most disturbing aspects of the disease hepatitis C is that many people carrying the infection don't know they have it . . . until it attacks their liver. That can result in a debilitating condition for the patient because the liver is key to regulating your body's digestive system and flushing toxins from the body. If left untreated, hepatitis C can eventually lead to death. Per natural-homeremedies.com, citing statistics from the World Health Organization, between 130 and 150 million people worldwide have been diagnosed as having the disease, with about 350,000 a year dying from it. It's a contagious disease caused by a virus most commonly transmitted through the contact of one infected person's blood with another person, and, less commonly, through transfer of semen or saliva, per healthline.com.
What Are Hepatitis C's Causes and Symptoms?
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, per healthline.com, the hepatitis C virus is most commonly transferred from one person to another via the sharing of needles (the kind used to administer shots). Using someone else's razor, toothbrush, and even nail clippers also carries a hepatitis C risk, although casual contact such as hugging, or holding or shaking hands, isn't believed to pass the virus from one person to another. There's also about a 4 percent chance (1 in 25) that a mother infected with hepatitis C will pass the virus on to her baby, per healthline.com. If and when the hepatitis C virus becomes active in a person's body – and the incubation period can be as long as 15 years, per ayushremedies.in – symptoms can include the following, per livealittlelonger.com. Some of these can often be overlooked or rationalized away because they are also typical of the flu:- Jaundice (accompanied by yellowish tint to skin)
- Stomach pain
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Other symptoms can include bruising or bleeding easily, diarrhea, joint pain, weight loss, itchy skin, and confusion.
10 Home Remedies for Hepatitis C
There are a number of home remedies that can help someone afflicted with hepatitis C manage their symptoms, and possibly assist them in eventually being cured. Following are 10 such remedies, which should be discussed with and supervised by your physician:- Milk thistle. This is a medicinal herb that has long been used to treat a variety of diseases. Its main compound is silymarin, per livealittlelonger.com, which has a key role in protecting your liver from toxins-induced damage as well as the effects from the heavy consumption of alcohol.
- Fenugreek seeds. This spice, long used in many different cultures, is a potent anti-inflammatory compound that can help combat infections related to hepatitis C and bolster the immune system, per livealittlelonger.com.
- Vegetable juices. Per natural-homeremedies.com, one healthful juice concoction is one that mixes spinach and carrot juice that can help boost your immune system and treat cirrhosis linked to the hepatitis infection.
- Thymus extract. Sourced from the thymus glands of cows, thymus can strengthen the immune system and thwart the rate of activity of the hepatitis C virus, per natural-homeremedies.com.
- Turmeric. This robust anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, antioxidant substance puts it near the top of the list of hepatitis C antidotes, also helping in cleansing the blood and expelling toxins that end up in the liver, per ayushremedies.in.
- Licorice. No, not the candy. This herb can improve liver function and treat the hepatitis C virus as well, per ayushremedies.in.
- Zinc. Zinc supplementation can alleviate some hepatitis symptoms, among them digestive issues, hair loss, and weight loss, per draxe.com.
- Vitamin D. A vitamin D deficiency is common to people with chronic hepatitis C, per draxe.com. A sufficient level of vitamin D can improve immune function, mood and concentration, and battle diabetes, which are common to hepatitis C patients.
- Limit alcohol consumption. Consumption of alcohol for anyone already with liver disease can lead to inflammation and toxicity because of how hard it is for the liver to break down alcohol.
- Red sage. This herb has been shown effective for repairing the liver and helping to battle the hepatitis C infection, per livealittlelonger.com.