- How should the diet be
- Foods to Avoid
- Menu of a diet for cirrhosis
- How to control fluid retention
- Feeding for advanced liver cirrhosis
Liver cirrhosis is a disease in which the liver functions with great difficulty, and can be caused by excessive alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis or other diseases. In these situations, adequate nutrition is essential, as normally these conditions are accompanied by severe weight loss, loss of muscle mass, accumulation of fluids and deficiency of some nutrients, resulting in malnutrition, which can end up worsening the disease.
The foods that should be consumed in the diet to treat cirrhosis are fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat meats, since they are foods that provide essential nutrients and are easy to digest, not requiring much liver work to be metabolized.
Liver damage caused by cirrhosis cannot be reversed, only if a liver transplant is performed, however, if it is identified early and treated with medications and an adequate diet, the evolution of the disease can be delayed.
How should the diet be
The liver cirrhosis diet should have the ideal amount of nutrients, so it is important that the person eat 5 to 6 meals a day, in small portions, especially if they have little appetite or feel satisfied very quickly.
The diet should include complex carbohydrates, good fats and proteins of high biological value. Initially, it was thought that the diet should restrict the consumption of proteins as much as possible, however, current studies have shown that the impact of proteins on the development of hepatic encephalopathy is minimal, and that proteins can be included in the diet.
It is also important to include fruits, vegetables and whole grains in the diet, such as rice, pasta, bread and whole flour. Fish, eggs, low-fat white meats and low-fat and low-fat cheeses, such as ricotta and cottage, for example, should also be included. The consumption of milk and dairy products must be skimmed and, in the case of fats, olive oil can be consumed in small quantities, as well as seeds and nuts.
In addition, if the nutritionist considers it necessary, he can indicate supplementation with calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients, as well as the consumption of a nutritional formula to increase the amount of calories consumed.
Foods to Avoid
To control cirrhosis and prevent the liver from making too much effort to metabolize food, it is recommended to avoid:
- Red meat; dried or smoked meat, bacon and offal; sausages, such as sausage and salami; whole milk and derivatives; yellow and high-fat cheeses, such as cheddar, brie, feta, parmesan; sauces such as mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard; fried foods; Canned goods such as sardines, tuna and olives; Pasties, croissants, stuffed cookies, soft drinks and industrialized juices; Butter, sour cream and condensed milk; Frozen foods such as pizzas, nuggets , hamburgers or lasagna, for example; Fast food .
In addition, it is important to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages, as they could make the condition worse. In addition, in some people with liver cirrhosis, intolerance to some allowed foods may appear, which could cause discomfort or pain when consuming them, especially those that cause gas, it is important to identify which foods are to avoid.
Menu of a diet for cirrhosis
The following table shows an example of a 3-day menu for a person with liver cirrhosis:
| Main meals | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| Breakfast | Skimmed yogurt + toasted brown bread with ricotta cheese + and apple | Orange juice + Oatmeal with banana and sliced strawberries | Skim milk + Egg and vegetable omelet + 1 tangerine |
| Morning snack | Banana sliced with oats | Whole toast with sliced avocado and scrambled egg | Brown bread with cottage cheese, lettuce and tomato |
| Lunch dinner | Grilled salmon with sweet potato puree and carrot, pea and green beans salad + 1 pear | Wholegrain pasta with chicken and tomato sauce + lettuce, tomato and onion salad + 1 orange | Oven-baked fish with boiled vegetables and potatoes + 1 apple |
| Afternoon snack | Fruit Gelatin | Baked apple with cinnamon | Skimmed yogurt with pieces of fruit |
The amounts included in the diet and the amount of fluids to be consumed vary according to the severity of the disease, age and sex. Therefore, the ideal is to look for a nutritionist so that a complete evaluation can be carried out and a nutritional plan tailored to the needs is elaborated. In addition, it is also important to remember that drugs should only be consumed under the guidance of the doctor.
How to control fluid retention
To control the fluid retention that normally occurs in cirrhosis and which is called ascites, salt should be reduced, avoiding adding it to meals and consuming foods that contain it in large quantities, such as sausages, salami, cubes meat, ready meals, fast food, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and canned goods.
As an alternative, preference should be given to the use of natural herbs to season foods, such as garlic, onion, pepper, parsley, basil, coriander, oregano, among others. In addition, it is recommended to consult the nutritionist to know whether or not to have a control of fluid intake, since depending on the degree of ascites it may be necessary.
Feeding for advanced liver cirrhosis
When liver cirrhosis is at a more advanced stage, the diet should normally be carried out at the hospital, as it is necessary to compensate for the nutritional deficit and control metabolic changes, which is done through the analysis of regular blood samples that allow assess the person's health status.
People with advanced liver cirrhosis usually have deficiencies of minerals such as potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, as well as B vitamins, especially when cirrhosis is of alcoholic origin. In cases of steatorrhea, which correspond to liquid and fatty bowel movements, deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) can also be noted. In addition, they may also present sodium retention, loss of muscle mass and hypoalbuminemia.
Therefore, if the person tolerates the oral route, food should aim at liver protection, and should be supplemented with vitamins and minerals. In cases where the oral route is not tolerated, the diet must be administered through nutritional formulas through a nasogastric or nasoenteric tube or intravenously, allowing the nutritionist to better control the nutrients and the amount of fluids they receive, avoiding overload of the liver and improving the person's prognosis and nutritional status.
These nutritional formulas are generally rich in branched-chair amino acids (BCAA) and low in aromatic amino acids (AAA). BCAAs apparently prevent toxic substances from entering the brain, decreasing the risk and worsening of liver encephalopathy, preventing muscle mass degradation and can be used as an energy source by muscle, brain, heart and liver when the body cannot use glucose or fat to generate energy.
Check how the treatment for liver cirrhosis should be.
